There was great excitement in Lordship on Wednesday night when the U15 boys who assembled together for the first time this year played out a tightly contested match against the Pats in Round 1 of their 9 match winter series.

The Pats attacked relentlessly for the first 10 minutes scoring 3 goals and 2 points without reply. Eoin McDonnell attacking from left halfback made two lung-bursting runs and scored two excellent points for the Gers which helped to instil some optimism in the team.

The team battled hard and passed the ball quickly into the forward line creating a number of great scoring opportunities. Kyle Kelleghan found space on the right and was unlucky to see his shot at the posts go narrowly wide but would be rewarded moments later with a penalty after the full back hauled him to the ground. Francis Lynch - cool under pressure, dispatched the penalty low into the corner and the momentum was now with the Gers.

Halftime; Gers 1-4, Pats 3-5

However, the second half started like the first with the Pats scoring 1-2 but that would be their last score for 20 minutes after the Gers dropped Shayne Soraghan into centre half back to shore up the defence. Gers midfielders - Josh Spaight and Tom Cunniffe were now first to every ball and their superior fitness was impressive with the Pats manager acknowledging same at end of the match.

Two of the best teams moves of the game firstly saw Michael Kerley cut in from the left wing with a brilliant diagonal run picking up a pass at speed and slotting the ball over the black spot from 25 yards. The second was a great team move with Conal Taggart finding the back of the net despite onrushing Pats defenders.

Gers battled back to within 1 point of the Pats with a great goal by Thomas McNamara while his brother Liam was really unlucky to have a goal disallowed. The Pats scored a goal with the last kick of the game and it finished Gers 4-9(21) to Pats 6-7(25).

Round 2 is on Wednesday v St Feckins.

Cian O’Donahue, Ruadhan Joyce, Conor Whyte, Daniel Cartwright, Liam McNamara, Michael Kerley(0-1), Eoin McDonnell (1-3), Josh Spaight (0-1), Tom Cunniffe(0-4), John Clarke, Shayne Soraghan, Padraig Fennessy, Thomas McNamara (1-0), Francis Lynch (1-0), Kyle Kelleghan. Cian Farrell, Conal Taggart (1-0), Cathal Fee, Alex Durnin, Jarleth Purcell.