Reigning champions in trouble after draw with local rivals 

Nationalist Premier Division

Killeshin 2

St. Pat’s 2

St. Pat’s manager, Patrick Brennan admits he’s concerned as the reigning Nationalist Premier Division champions find themselves in trouble, winless after their first two games as Killeshin came back from 2-0 down to draw. Pat’s were cruising after the first 15 minutes and it looked like it would be a long night for Killeshin but a couple of defensive lapses saw the champions have to settle for a share of the points. Killeshin held Pat’s in the second half. They had a few chances at the death but couldn’t find a winner. Brennan knows they’re under pressure now.

“We’re under pressure, yeah. Look, it’s probably been the story of our season. Some patches of brilliant stuff and then just some kamikaze stuff as well. Look, I can’t fault the lads. The lads are working hard. but yeah it’s concerning. I wouldn’t say I’m worried but I am concerned this division is going to be very competitive.

There’s no there’s no bad teams in this league anymore so there’s no easy wins in this division and we need to get points and get up the table, that’s the priority at this point in time Pat’s went close early on from a Brandon Kelly free from the right that was missed at the back post by Shane Buggy with four minutes gone.

A minute later, another Kelly free from the right saw the Killeshin ‘keeper come out to take. With seven minutes gone, Tobi Jimoh opened the scoring, sending his effort into the bottom left hand corner of the goal, getting onto the end of a Callum Warfield ball. Five minutes later, an Ian Brennan free from the right was cleared.

With 15 minutes gone, a Kelly corner from the left was cleared off the line. A couple of Killeshin frees from the left from Jeff Mannion were cleared. With 19 minutes gone, Pat’s doubled their lead when Mannion turned the ball into his own net. Five minutes later, Xoli Stafford pulled a goal back as Mannion hit a ball over the top of the Pat’s defence who were nowhere to be seen and Stafford got his head onto the end of it in plenty of space and placed it over the Pat’s ‘keeper.

Mannion went close with a free from the edge of the box for Killeshin but he could only steer it over the bar. With five minutes to go until half-time, Adam Farrell’s effort from the right deflected off the foot of Josh Moore and went in the bottom right hand corner as Killeshin levelled. With a minute to go, a Warfield effort was deflected wide. The resulting corner from Eoin Carolan down the right was deflected wide on the far side. Kelly’s corner from the left was headed wide on the near side.

Straight after the break, Warfield went close down the right but put his effort wide on the near side. Four minutes later, a Mannion free from the left was hit over the bar. Kelly fired in a free for Pat’s which found Warfield but his header was deflected wide. The resulting corner from the left was cleared. Just short of the hour mark, Ricardo Maranhao found himself in down the left but the ball got away from him.

A Mannion corner from the right was deflected wide with the resulting corner from the left being cleared. Buggy and Carolan went close with set-pieces but neither could threaten. Killeshin nearly took the lead for the first time in the game as Stafford fired in an effort from the edge of the box but Wall palmed it over.

With six minutes to go, a Mannion free from the right was deflected wide on the far side with the resulting corner from the left being cleared. A Carolan corner from the right was hit to the back post where Shane Buggy struggled to get on the end of it.

In stoppage time, a Carolan free from the right found the head of Warfield who headed wide at the back post. Scott Dunne went close with an effort at the death, hitting an effort from the right across the box. Evan Frachon went close for Pat’s too, hitting an effort wide on the left with the last action of the game.

Killeshin: Daire Phelan, Jeff Mannion, Cormac O’Hara, Alan Brennan, Adam Doyle, Ian Brennan, Dawid Jarmakow, Helio Marques, Xoli Stafford, Ricardo Maranhao, Adam Farrell.

Subs: Luiz Neto, Chris Bermingham, Paul Roberts, Andrew Leavy, Dashiell Thurmond, James Brennan, Darius Peveraitis.

St. Pat’s: Jamie Wall, Raveli Kilonda, Eoin Carolan, Shane Buggy, Josh Moore, Brandon Kelly, Jan Flejszar, Tobi Jimoh, Callum Warfield, Chris Gaul, Lord Afrifa.

Subs: Joe Gordon, Ciaran FitzPatrick, Dean Kelly, Luca Hutton, Evan Frachon, Sean Murphy.

Referee: Phil Neenan assisted by Joe Byrne and Jonathan Waters