We'll be doing our best to help all teachers with our own Saturday morning "Academy" sessions to bring on their hurling skills! 

The Tank Field pitches are available as always, contact Damien Horgan (school liaison office) in St. Patrick's Boys or Club Secretary Donie Lyons to book the pitch.

Our schools coaches will continue to visit and take sessions and hopefully we'll see some Páirc Uí Rinn finalists and maybe even some Silverware! 

Our 2013 football season has started and the boys are training hard at the Tank Field every Tuesday and Thursday after school under the watchful eyes of Mr. Horgan, Mr. Mullins, Mr. Geaney and SNA Jamie O'Connor.

We are in Roinn F8 Urban which is 2 group competition. The top 2 from each group will go forward to a semi-final with a place at stake for the final at either Pairc Uí Chaoimh or Páirc Uí Rinn in later October/early November. (www.sciathnascol.com for more info)

Our Group:

St. Patrick's Boys

Morning Star

Greenmount

St. John's

Gaelscoil Mhachan (mahon)

Our first match was at the Tank on Thursday 12th Sept, which resulted in a good win against a battling Morning Star team. Tús Maith!

The starting line-up saw two personnel changes, forced upon na bainisteoirí through injury, Emil Turczyn came in for Jamie Hegarty at centre forward while Joe Garvin replaced Kelvin O'Reilly also in the forwards. The wise Mr.O'Brien and Mr. Horgan also tinkered with some positional changes which they feel worked well. Cian O'Mahony moved to midfield, swapping with David Garvin who had a fantastic game at cornerback, and Cian, while at little unsure about midfield beforehand put in a storming performance. 

St. Patrick's started brightly, Emil scoring a goal early on and put us out in front. Togher, though, would not go quietly and replied with two goals of their own. Togher followed up with some sustained pressure but, like Bandon before them, found Adam Lawler in exceptional form. One point blank save in particular had all spectators and players searching for superlatives. The schools exchanged points, leaving the halftime score at 2-1 to 1-1. 

As the game progressed, a few positional changes were tinkered with. Ryan Long went to the wing forward position to allow to run with the ball as he is great at. James Quinn went into the fullback position and excelled, with Paul Long coming out to midfield, where he played some great hurling. wing forward Kieran Millls moved to wingback and looked far more comfortable and commanding, along side Anthony McGuikin who was exceptional at centre back. On the other wing Tadhg O'Connell again showed why he has been ever present this year in hurling and football. Behind them Tom O'Mahony was in a mean mood, giving away very little time after time.

In the forwards, 4th class boys Jake O'Donoghue and Colin O'Brien hustled and harried and battled for sliotar all throughout the game. Emil complimented his goal with a performance of a very high work rate and endeavour. And Joe Garvin showed plenty of guts and no shortage of skill, doing very well in the corner with whatever ball came his way. Dean Twomey searched and sniffed out ball at full forward. But to be honest Togher had the upper hand throughout the game and didn't allow a whole lot of ball into our forwards. They deserved their victory and we wish them all the best in this year's Sciath na Scol

Playing against the wind in the first half, our boys put in a sterling performance, battling and resolute, they held the Bandon school to a single point. This despite a Bandon fullback that had a fantastic puckout ability that time and again landed right down on Paul Long and Anthony McGuikin at fullback and centreback, assisted brilliantly by cornerbacks Tom O'Mahony  and Cian O'Mahony. "I lar na páirce" Tadhg O'Connell, James Quinn, David Garvin and Ryan Long worked tirelessly to protect the fullback line as well as feed the forwards up the field. Up front, they didn't see much of the sliotar but never stopped working and trying, Jamie Hegarty in particular battled nonstop. Halftime score 0-1 to 0-0 (against the wind).

At halftime, the consensus between teachers and players was that now, with the wind, we had a great chance to take the victory in the second half. And we went about our business with great enthusiasm. Two goals in the opening 10 minutes by Joe Garvin (came on for an injured Jamie Hegarty), helped in the goalmouth area by Dean Twomey and Colin O'Brien after great work by Kieran Mills, Jake O'Donoghue and Kelvin O'Reilly set us up very nicely. A second point by Bandon left the tie at 2-0 to 0-2 with about 8 minutes remaining. 

8 minutes of heartbreaking stuff to be honest as Bandon found another gear and began pressing very hard against our now weary and tired players. Despite Adam Lawlor's heroics in goal with a string of fine saves there was nothing he could do to stop the Bandon boys as they found the net 3 times in 6 minutes. Gardiner's Hill kept battling, aided by fresh legs in the form of Darren Thompson, John McKeone, Shane Barry and Fionnán O'Riordan. A late goal by Ryan Long from a 65 pulled it close again but Bandon weren't to be denied. Congratulations to them, commiserations to our boys who put in huge efforts, perhaps a game we left behind us.  

Team: 15-a-side

Adam Lawlor, Tom O'Mahony, Paul Long, Cian O'Mahony, Tadhg O'Connell, Anthony McGuikin, James Quinn, Ryan Long, David Garvin, Jake ODonoghue, Jamie Hegarty, Kelvin O'Reilly, Dean Twomey, Kieran Mills, Colin O'Brien. 

Subs: Joe Garvin, Shane Barry, Darren Thompson, John McKeone, Fionnán O'Riordan

The opening half saw St. Patrick's field a strong selection who dutifully went about their business. In defence, James Quinn dealt well with whatever was thrown at him, along side Anthony McGuiken and Paul Long at fullback. While in the forwards, with scores aplenty, players played a lot of ball with Jake O' Donoghue and Kelvin O' Reilly picking off some good points. In midfield, Ryan Long and Kieran Mills were too strong for Mahon and won primary ball time after time. The half finished with St. Pa's well on top.

As with all home matches at the Tank, it allows Mr. O' Brien and Mr. Horgan to bring up a large squad and so at halftime changes were made to allow many of the 4th class boys amongst others a chance to play for their school team. The second half was much more competitive and the boys got a challenge that's hard to create in training. David Garvin and Colin O'Brien gave a wonderful display at midfield. In defence Adam, Tom O'Mahony and Paul Cambridge played very well while in the forwards Dawid Talaga, Darren Thompson and Joe Garvin put in good performances. Goalkeeper Seán Barrett was called upon a few times and made fantastic saves and blocks each time. Goals and points at both ends gave an exciting and enjoyable end to a good start of the hurling competition for St. Patrick's.

Teams: 13-a-side

(1st half) Adam Lawlor, Paul Long, Cian O' Mahony, Tadhg O' Connell, Anthony McGuiken, James Quinn, Ryan Long, Kieran Mills, Jake O' Donoghue, Emil Turczyn, Kelvin O' Reilly, Dean Twomey, Jamie Hegarty.

(2nd Half) Sean Barrett, Tom O' Mahony, Paul Cambridge, John Fitzgerald, Adam Lawlor, Colin O' Brien, David Garvin, Zachary Porter, Olivier Naiker, John Mckeone, Fionnan O' Riordan,  Kian Higgins, Adam Gardiner, Joe Garvin, Darren Thompson, Dawid Talaga. 

All match fixtures, results and reports will be filed here.

This year (2012-13) we are placed in Roinn H5. A division that is split in 2 groups of 5 with the group winners meeting in a final in either Páirc Uí Rinn or Páirc Uí Chaoimh. we have been training most Tuesdays and Thursdays either at the Tank Field or in the Glen Resource Facilities. the boys of 4th, 5th and 6th have put in a huge effort and commitment and we hope to be rewarded in our matches for the hard training.

Don't forget- for all St. Patrick's BNS news check out www.stpatricksboys.net

Fixtures for St. Patrick's, Gardiner's Hill;  Sciath na Scol 2013 (Roinn H5)