ST. PATRICK'S NAVAN...2-8 COLAISTE CHRIOST RI...1-6: Leinster champions St Patrick's, Navan, booked their place in this year's All-Ireland final with a hard-earned victory over a determined Coláiste Chríost Rí side at Nenagh yesterday.

Playing with the aid of a stiff breeze, St Patrick's dominated the opening exchanges with Cian Ward and Kevin Mulvaney opening the Leinster champions' account with well-taken points.

Coláiste Chríost Rí replied in kind with Jonathan O'Sullivan and David Newman restoring parity to proceedings by the sixth minute before the Meath side imposed their dominance on the game with Henry Finnegan, Shane O'Rourke and Brian Meade providing the platform for incessant St Patrick's attacks.

Coached by former Meath great Colm O'Rourke, St Pat's were eventually rewarded for all their good work in the 20th minute. Henry Finnegan palmed the ball to the back of the net after Coláiste goalkeeper Denis O'Sullivan failed to deal with a high-dropping free from Ward.

The Munster champions' defence buckled under the pressure again three minutes later when a sharp St Pat's counter-attack cut Coláiste to pieces with Ward providing the incisive pass to Cathal O'Dwyer, and he netted to give the Meath men a seven-point cushion with the interval approaching.

Coláiste Chríost Rí pulled a point back through Roy Leahy but St Pat's consolidated their lead with points from Wayne Donegan and Brian Meade to see the Navan side go in at the break leading by 2-5 to 0-3.

The Cork side lost the services of full-forward Jonathan O'Sullivan at half-time with a shoulder injury but, with the stiffening breeze now at their backs, they laid siege to the St Pat's goal and pegged back the deficit to six points by the 40th minute with a brace of frees from Roy Leahy.

Midfielder, Eric O'Sullivan netted midway through the half for Coláiste as they chipped away at the St Pat's lead, eventually getting it down to just two points with eight minutes remaining.

St Pat's dug their heels in though and points from O'Dwyer, Ward and Shane O'Rourke saw them earn a meeting with Dungannon in the All-Ireland final.

ST PATRICK'S, NAVAN: M Gaffney; C McGuinness, K Reilly, B O'Donnell; N McMahon, C Kenny, D Cororan; H Finnegan (1-0), B Meade (0-1); S O'Toole, K Mulvaney (0-1), S O'Rourke (0-1); C O'Dwyer (1-1), C Ward (0-3, frees), P Smyth. Subs: W Donegan (0-1) for Mulvaney (12 mins), C Byrne for Donegan (43 mins), P Murray for Smyth (56 mins), J Fagan for Meade (61 mins).

COLÁISTE CHRÍOST RÍ: D O'Sullivan; G O'Shea, C Murphy, C O'Brien; J Lane, R Keating (0-1, free), D Newman (0-1); F Lynch, E O'Sullivan (1-0); P McCabe, P Kerrigan, R Leahy (0-3, frees); E Hegarty, J O'Sullivan (0-1), D Coughlan. Subs: M O'Sullivan for J O'Sullivan (half-time).

Referee: B White (Wexford).