St Patrick's 1-10 Baltinglass 1-08
A towering performance from St Patrick’s legend Patrick 'Padge' McWalter helped Robbie Leahy’s side to their Wicklow football title when they got the better of Baltinglass at a windy, damp County Grounds in Aughrim.
Trailing by four at the break to Kevin O’Brien’s quality outfit, it was the experienced McWalter who inspired his colleagues when they turned around with the wind at their backs for the second half, winning dirty ball and proving a catalyst for everything positive for the Dunbur Park side.
However, they started poorly, with Baltinglass racing into a 1-03 to 0-00 lead, with points from Johnny Keogh, Mark Jackson (free) and Adam McHugh and a goal from the boot of John McGrath, who was being closely minded by the outstanding Matthew Traynor.
But the big issue for Baltinglass in that first half was that they didn’t harvest enough scores with the aid of the elements, kicking six wides and seeing a rocket from Tommy Keogh come back off the bottom of Shane Doyle’s post.
St Pat’s eventually found their feet and started to get involved and they dragged themselves back into contention with three Tommy Kelly frees, while Baltinglass hit back with a point from a John McGrath mark to see O’Brien’s side go in at the break leading by four but knowing that a siege was about to unfold in the second period.
Two rapid points suggested an immediate St Pat’s revival but Baltinglass steadied with two of their own, the first from Jackson (free) and the second from Adam McHugh to leave it 1-06 to 0-05.
Tommy Kelly from a free and McWalter from play got Pat’s back within touch and when Kelly finished home to the Baltinglass net, the tide was turning.
The Baltinglass cause also suffered a terrible blow when John McGrath went off injured and three St Pat’s points on the trot pushed them 1-10 to 1-08 ahead and they managed to hold off for a magical victory that sees them though to face Carlow champions Palatine in the Leinster Championship in two weeks' time.
St Patrick’s: Shane Doyle; Cian O’Brien, Matthew Traynor, Wayne Doyle; Simon Bouchier, Patrick O’Keane, Niall Delahunt (0-1); Dean Healy (0-1), John Crowe (0-1); Paul O’Brien, Padge McWalter (0-1), Conor O’Brien; Bryan Doyle (0-1, f), Ciarán McGettigan, Tommy Kelly (1-5, 4f). Subs: Fionn Luddy for C O’Brien (47), Paul Earls for C McGettigan (55), Stephen Duffy for P McWalter (30), Jack Dunne for B Doyle (64).
Baltinglass: Mark Jackson (0-4, 3f, 1 45); Arun Daly Danne, John Murray, Billy Cullen; Tom Burke, Chris Grimes, Pat Burke; Sean Doody, Kevin Murphy; Jack Kirwan, Johnny Keogh (0-1), Jason Kennedy; John McGrath (1-1, 1m), Tommy Keogh, Adam McHugh (0-2). Subs: Tadgh O’Toole for J McGrath (44), Patrick Whelan for S Doody (47), Karl Furlong for J Kennedy (54),
Referee: John Keenan (Aughrim)
