St Patrick's respond admirably to some searching questions

Tradition was on trial in Croke Park on Saturday night. The old versus the new. Most of the time it seemed the old would prevail until fate raised its voice and St Patrick's rode out with only their second All-Ireland colleges' football title.

That it came the year after their first, and against a school that has won more titles than anyone else, emphasises the growing status that St Patrick's are building in this competition. And it was a victory bred on commitment and self-belief.

For long periods of the first half, St Jarlath's tested their nerve and early in the second half they appeared to be frayed. Emmet Killeen sneaked in for their second goal and moments later Nicholas Joyce extended the lead to six points. The Hogan Cup seemed certain to be heading west for the first time since 1994.

St Patrick's were having a major problem just keeping possession, let alone converting it into scoring chances. Just like the semi-final against Colaiste na Sceilge, they needed goals to keep their hopes alive.

Yet in the space of five minutes they had two - and with that the sides were level again. The first came with the second half a quarter-hour old when substitute Alan Gillick short-passed to the burly Joe Sheridan. A few turns later, he right-footed the ball with stunning pace into the top of the net.

The second came from Barry Regan, still a Junior Cert student and kept off the starting list in order to reduce the pressure. Again Gillick laid on the pass and Regan's shot thundered off the underside of the crossbar before resting in the net. This remarkable comeback levelled the scores at 2-8 apiece.

For St Jarlath's, however, that was the twist in fortune that would burn all concentration. Sheridan soon converted a testing free from way out that gave St Patrick's the lead for the first time. And as the clock ticked out, his brother, Damien, provided the safety point with an equally courageous effort.

"Once we got the first goal then I was confident we could get back into it," said St Patrick's coach Colm O'Rourke. "But the way both goals went in I think the whole team got a lift. And St Jarlath's forwards maybe panicked a little bit. "But I thought we had done reasonably well in the first half, even though we hit a lot more wides. Then the game changed in the second half in that we actually had less possession, and they probably should have put us out of sight when they went six points up."

Key support to the St Patrick's forwards was provided by midfielders Ronan Kenny and Damien Sheridan, while Ronan Conaty - equally proficient - was always reliable. For St Jarlath's, the Monaghan brothers, Clive and Tommy, worked faultlessly in the full back line, although Killeen and Joyce will feel a little sorry that they didn't convert a couple more chances.

ST PATRICK'S: S Murray; I Matthews, K Slattery, E Donoghue; P Quinn, S Stephens, R Conaty; D Sheridan (0-1), R Kenny; P Treacy (0-1), D O'Toole (0-1), G Brennan (0-1); D Murtagh (0-2, both frees), J Sheridan (1-3, three frees), S O'Connor (0-1). Subs: B Regan (1-0) for O'Connor (29 mins), A Gillick for Murtagh (40 mins).

ST JARLATH'S: E Deffley; T Monaghan, C Monaghan, G Sice; D Mullahy, D Blake, D Burke; E O Cuiv (0-1), J P Steede; D Warde, M Meehan, D Joyce; C Rowland (0-1), N Joyce (1- 2), E Killeen (1-4, three frees). Subs: C de Paor for Warde (54 mins), S Moran for Joyce (55 mins).

Referee: P McEnaney (Monaghan).