Philip Tracey netted the all important goal in the dying seconds of the first half which ultimately enabled All-Ireland champions St Patrick's, Navan, to hold on to their crown in this strongly-contested Leinster Colleges senior football semi-final at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday. Marist College, Athlone had the better of the first half, but excellent defending confined them to points from Patrick Mulvihill (two) and one each from Gary Quinn and Alan Kelly.
St Patrick's added to their half-time lead of 1-2 to 0-4 with points from Darren O'Toole and two pointed free-kicks from substitute David Murtagh. Athlone responded with two points from Patrick Mulvihill and one from Michael Duffy. The Navan side will contest the final against St Mel's, Longford, at the same venue next Sunday.
ST PATRICK'S, NAVAN: S Murray; G Brennan, K Slattery, E Donoghue; P Quinn, S Stephens, R Kenny; D Sheridan, D O'Toole (0- 1); B Regan, J Sheridan (0-2), J Friel (0-1); A Gillick, P Tracey (1-0), S O'Connor. Subs: D Murtagh (0-2) for A Gillick, 28 min; R Shiels for S O'Connor, 52 mins.
ATHLONE: P Golden; C Farrell, T Fuery, D Rohan; S Carr, G Aherne, N Fagan; J Tobin, G Quinn (0-1); M Duffy (0-1), P Dillon, P Mulvihill (0-3); J Mannion, A Kelly (Athlone, 0- 1), A Kelly, (Castledaly).
Referee: P Reilly (Longford).
Marist College, Athlone, dominated the North Leinster Schools juvenile football A final against St Patrick's, Navan, at Mullingar yesterday, winning convincingly by 3-17 to 1-4.
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