St Pat's end 23 year wait for Nationalist Premier Division title

St. Pat's ended their 23 year wait for a Premier Division title on Saturday night when they beat Parkville 5-0. 

Coming into the game, Pat's knew a win would see them become champions and despite a slow start they did just that. They took the lead after 23 minutes when Eoin Carolan's corner found Shane Buggy in the box and he buried it into the bottom right hand corner. 

Eoin Carolan's free on 31 minutes was turned into the net by a Parkville player as they doubled their lead. 

It was three a couple of minutes later when Callum Warfield buried the ball into the back of the net. With 12 minutes to go, Conor Harte got on the end of a Carolan corner and headed it into the left hand side of the goal. At the death, Warfield buried his effort to make it 5-0, as Pat's claimed the win in their 50th year. 

Speaking shortly after lifting his first trophy at adult level, Pat's captain, Tobi Jimoh said it was an incredible feat. 

"It's been a long time coming. 23 years we've had to wait. I've been playing for this club since I could kick a ball, I've lifted trophies at juvenile level, but to lift one at senior level is something I've been chasing for a long time, it's amazing." 

Manager, Patrick Brennan added that it's special for the club. "It's brilliant for St. Pat's. I'm just absolutely thrilled." 

Liam Byrne has been at St. Pat's for 30 years and has a total of 13 runners up medals in his career so far at adult level, so to finally win one meant a lot to him and he was emotional after the game. 

"Yeah it feels good, but I haven't really come to terms with it yet, it's still fresh. It's everything, it's all about the club. I pictured it happening, after beating Crettyard, after beating Bagenalstown, I started to think what if, but there's always that doubt because of all the year of hurt. It's the colours of the club, that's all I was thinking about, the green and red when lifting the cup in our 50th year. Tom Hennessey is here somewhere, I have to find him and lift that cup with him because he's the man that started all this."