St Vincents 1-14

Lucan Sarsfields 2-8

Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park

ST VINCENTS ARE on a collision course with Ballymun St Kickhams in the last four of the Dublin SFC.

The Vinnies left it extremely before they sealed their passage into the penultimate round as they were pushed all the way by Lucan Sarsfields.

St Vincents appeared to be coasting to victory on a number of occasions during the second-half but they never put Lucan away and were almost punished.

St Vincents were leading by five points, 1-12 to 1-7, with ten minutes to play before Lucan scored a quick-fire 1-1, leaving us with a nervy final few minutes.

Sarsfields, aided by second-half goals from Brendan Gallagher and Andrew Hope, got to within a point heading stoppage-time, before the Marino club did just enough to secure the win.

A score apiece in injury-time from Diarmuid Connolly and Albert Martin sealed a three-point victory.

Dublin SFC semi-final draw
St Vincents vs Ballymun, 7.30pm, Wednesday 26thSt Judes vs Castleknock, 7.30pm, Thursday 27th

Despite their riches up front, much of St Vincents attack throughout the 60 minutes was disjointed. They were nowhere near their best and only well played in patches throughout.

Tomas Quinn had a quiet outing, missing a penalty (although Ruairi Trainor scored the rebound), while they failed to get Connolly on the ball enough to really hurt Lucan.

The pacey Gallagher shouldered the brunt of Lucan’s scoring threat, finishing with an impressive tally of 1-4.

St Vincent’s will take on fellow powerhouses Ballymun St Kickhams, who were comfortable winners over Raheny in the first quarter-final of the night at Parnell Park.

With St Vincents and Lucan tied at 0-2 apiece after a low-key opening, Connolly was hauled down for a penalty after a long ball in by Quinn.

Connolly might be on the spot-kicks for Dublin, but this is Quinn’s turf. His low penalty bounced back off the post, before Trainor arrived on the scene to dispatch the rebound into the net.

Sarsfields hit the next four scores on the bounce, going in at half-time 1-4 to 0-6 behind.

St Vincents flew out of the blocks after the break, hitting four straight scores to move six in front. But a penalty awarded for a foul on Brian Collopy provided Brendan Gallagher with a penalty, and he applied the finish.

Thomas Brennan curled over a free for Sarsfields, but St Vincent’s hit the next three scores to restore leave them 1-12 to 1-7 in front. Then with five minutes to play Lucan’s Andrew Hope burst through and drilled into the bottom corner from the 13m line.

Trailing by a just point, Thomas Brennan dropped an effort for a point into Michael Savage’s hands, spurning a key opportunity at an equaliser for Sarsfields.

Next, Connolly dropped deep for possession, raced forward and slotted over a crucial score as the game ticked into stoppage-time. In the final minute Albert Martin drove over St Vincents’ last point to seal their progression.

Scorers for St Vincents: Ruairi Trainor 1-1, Shane Carthy 0-2, Thomas Quinn (f), Albert Martin, Diarmuid Connolly, Enda Varley (f), Nathan Mullins, Cormac Diamond, Joe Feeney, Gavin Burke 0-1 each.

Scorers for Lucan Sarsfields: Brendan Gallagher 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), CJ Smyth, Dan Gallagher, Rory Kelly, Keith Moran 0-1 each.

St Vincents

1. Michael Savage

2. Michael Concarr
3. Jarlath Curley
4. Hugh Gill

5. Brendan Egan
6. Ger Brennan
7. Nathan Mullins

8. Daithi Murphy
9. Shane Carthy

20. Cameron Diamond
11. Diarmuid Connolly
21. Joe Feeney

29. Enda Varley
13. Ruairi Trainor
15. Tomas Quinn

Subs: 31. Craig Wilson (for 2. Michael Concarr, half-time) 18. Fiachra Breathnach (for Nathan Mullins, injured 31 mins), 12. Cormac Diamond (for 20. Cameron Diamond, 41 mins), 10. Gavin Burke (for Enda Varley, 45 mins), 14. Stephen O’Shaughnessy (for 21. Joe Feeney, 50 mins), 2. Michael Concarr (for 4. Hugh Gill, blood sub 56 – 61 mins), 25. Albert Martin (for 13. Ruairi Trainor, 61 mins).

Lucan Sarsfields

1. Philip Green

2. Owen Ennis
3. Dan Gallagher
4. CJ Smyth

5. Paul Casey
6. Sean Cleary
7. Ciaran McHugh

8. Brian Collopy
9. Darren Gavin

25. Rory Kelly
11. Sean Newcombe
23. Johnny McCaffrey

13. Brendan Gallagher
14. Stephen O’Shaughnessy
15. Jack Carey

Subs: 10. John McCormack (for 7. Ciaran McHugh, 41 mins), 24. Thomas Brennan (for 25. , 19. Kevin Fitzgerald (for 15. Jack Carey), 28. AN Other (for 2. Owen Ennis), 18. Andrew Hope (for 8. Brian Collopy, 54 mins), 26. David O’Shaughnessy (for 11. Sean Newcombe, 29 mins).

Referee: Barry Tierney

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