Clann Na Gael..............................1-14
Gortin......................................0-13
By Geoffrey Gillis
A BREAKAWAY Stephen O'Neill goal midway through the second half broke the resolve of a spirited Gortin side in a keenly contested Division Two derby encounter on Thursday evening.
At the time Clan Na Gael held a one point advantage, but they were soaking up considerable pressure from a young St Patrick's side, who rose superbly to the challenge on a night, when both teams played their part in an absorbing match.
The Gaels led 0-9 to 0-7, at the interval, and it is testimony to the displays of both teams that all bar one of that opening half tally came from play with Barry McGill, Brendan Conway, Brian Dooher and O'Neill spearheading the Clans efforts to preserve their unbeaten start to the season.
They forged four points clear early in the second half, but Gortin with Brian McGarvey, Dermot Daly, Shane Clarke and young target man Diarmuid McNulty in fine form showed a lot of character to come back before the goal gave their hosts the breathing space needed to get over the winning line.
All the early indications were that this was going to be a competitive game, as Daly and Gary Devine swapped points in the opening three minutes before Stephen Kerlin handed the Clansmen the lead. Shortly afterwards, Gortin should have taken the lead, when Barry McCrory blazed a goal chance over the bar, and boosted by that let off the Clans took control on their way to a 0-6 to 0-2 lead.
Ryan McGill edged them ahead before Dooher floated over a gem from distance and as confidence soared Devine and Gareth McDermott consolidated their position before McNulty replied with the only free conversion of the half.
That score settled Gortin and points from Clarke and McNulty reduced the margin to one before O'Neill stamped his class on the game. He hit three points in the closing minutes in response to points from McNulty and Kevin Mossey to insure his team a merited two point interval lead.
A second Kerlin point extended their lead five minutes after the break, and when McDermott slotted over a free the Gaels appeared to have a winning look about them.
However, Gortin had others ideas and in the following ten minutes, they took the game by the scruff of the neck hitting three points through McNulty and Mossey (twice) to leave the game hanging on a knife edge.
Gortin were on the front foot, but all that changed in the 48th minute, when substitute Sean O'Kane intercepted a loose Gortin attack, and with his first touch sent O'Neill through for the all important goal. O'Neill and McDermott stretched the Clans lead to six points, but still Gortin weren't finished as McNulty brought his tally to 0-6 before Dooher steadied the home sides nerves. A late McGarvey effort not enough to turn the game in Gortin's favour as the hosts maintained their 100% winning record with a hard fought four point victory.
