NEVER have the Saints been so relieved to see a undercut pass fly out of defence.
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As St Pat's women's Premier League Hockey match against Ex-Services entered the final minute on Saturday, it looked as if they would have to settle for a 2-all draw.
It would have been a result which put the blue and whites' bid of earning a place in the major semi-final under huge pressure.
But defender Mish Somers - the Saints' best in the match at Orange - undercut a powerful ball down field.
It found team-mate Amy Vanderhel in the circle and while her initial attempt was blocked by the Ex-Services goalkeeper, she slotted her second attempt home. That made it 3-2 with 10 seconds left.
"Mish got the ball and she absolutely got something on it - it went over me, shortest girl on the field ... gee she hit it hard," Saints' Kristy Ekert said.
"It certainly wasn't pretty - and yeah, 100 percent relieved.
"We had so many short corners and they just pulled all their players back behind the ball. There were sticks flying everywhere."
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It was Exies - a team out of finals contention - who struck first on Saturday after a scoreless opening quarter.
But by half-time the Saints were back on level terms. Awarded a stroke after an Ekert shot from a penalty corner struck the foot of a defender, Maddy Boyce converted from the spot.
The Saints moved ahead in the third quarter thanks to a Ruby Clarke goal, but Exies responded a minute later to lock it up at 2-all. That was how it stayed until Vanderhel's late winner.
"It was the best trap of the game on that turf," Ekert said of how she controlled the ball. "She turned and tried to push it past the keeper and she saved it, but then Amy turned and pushed it in."
The result keeps the Saints in second place with one round remaining.
