DIARMUID CONNOLLY DELIVERED a virtuoso performance in the St Vincent’s attack to give the Dublin side a richly deserved SFC club final win. The Dublin forward scored 2-5 and set up his team’s two other goals in a seven point win over Castlebar Mitchels.
Shane Carthy opened the scoring for the Dubliners. Mitchels first notable contribution to the match was to lose Richie Feeney to a black card after only five minutes. They responded to the set-back when Patrick Durcan lofted over a point. Conolly and Tom King traded points before the Dublin forward found wing-back Michael Concarr, who calmly slotted home Vincent’s first goal.
The following 15 minutes were dominated by the Connacht champions as King and Durcan kept up their scoring contributions. Points from Neil Lydon and Neil Douglas had Mitchels 0-8 to 1-2 after 25 minutes. Vincent’s finished the half on a high, however, as Connolly set up Ciaran Dorney to ram home another goal. Ruairi Trainor and Mitchels’ Barry Moran traded points and the scores were level, 2-3 to 0-9, at the break.
King opened the scoring for the Mayo side after 31 minutes but Carthy soon levelled matters and Mossy Quinn put Vincent’s ahead with two points on the spin. Conolloy extended the advantage before Lydon knocked over a steepler to keep his side in the hunt. Mitchels were right back in the match after 43 minutes, however, as Danny Kirby pounced on a rebound to make it 2-7 to 1-11.
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Michael Concarr scores for Vincent's. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Conolly’s growing influence would soon show in dramatic fashion on the Croke Park scoreboard. A hopeful punt bounced over the Mitchels defence and the forward got a crucial flick on to direct the ball past Ciaran Naughton. He added two more points and, with 10 minutes left, Vincent’s looked home clear. Conolly then weaved through the Castlebar defence and slotted home. He added yet another point to make it an 11-point game going into the last five minutes.
Kirby scored a close range goal for Mitchels to give them hope of a late comeback but Vincent’s closed out the game and the final scores went to them as Carthy and Kevin Golden pointed.
Scorers for St Vincent’s: Diarmuid Connolly 2-5, Shane Carthy 0-3, Ciaran Dorney, Michael Concarr 1-0 each, Tomas Quinn 0-2 (0-1f), Kevin Golden (0-1f), Ruairi Trainor 0-1 each.
Scorers for Castlebar Mitchels: Danny Kirby 2-0, Neil Lydon 0-3, Tom King (0-2f), Patrick Durcan 0-2 each, Barry Moran, Neil Douglas, Fergal Durcan, Aidan Walsh 0-1 each.
ST VINCENT’S: Michael Savage; Kevin Bonnie, Jarlath Curley, Hugh Gill; Ger Brennan, Brendan Egan, Michael Concarr; Daithi Murphy, Eamon Fennell; Gavin Burke, Diarmuid Connolly, Shane Carthy; Ruairi Trainor, Ciaran Dorney, Tomas Quinn.
Subs: Tiernan Diamond for Burke (35), Cameron Diamond for Fennell (inj) (43), Kevin Golden for Trainor (50), Adam Baxter for Dorney (58), Nathan Mullins for Carthy (60).
CASTLEBAR MITCHELS: Ciaran Naughton; Alan Feeney, Eoghan O’Reilly, Ray O’Malley; Donal Newcombe, Tom Cunniffe, Patrick Durcan; Gerard McDonagh, Barry Moran; Neil Lydon, Aidan Walsh, Richie Feeney; Danny Kirby, Neil Douglas, Tom King.
Subs: Fergal Durcan for Feeney (black card) (5), James Durcan for Douglas (49), David Joyce for O’Malley (55), Shane Hopkins for McDonagh (58), Kevin Filan for Fergal Durcan (61).
Masterful Diarmuid Connolly the hero as St Vincent's clinch SFC club title
St Vincent’s 4-12
Castlebar Mitchels 2-11
DIARMUID CONNOLLY DELIVERED a virtuoso performance in the St Vincent’s attack to give the Dublin side a richly deserved SFC club final win. The Dublin forward scored 2-5 and set up his team’s two other goals in a seven point win over Castlebar Mitchels.
Shane Carthy opened the scoring for the Dubliners. Mitchels first notable contribution to the match was to lose Richie Feeney to a black card after only five minutes. They responded to the set-back when Patrick Durcan lofted over a point. Conolly and Tom King traded points before the Dublin forward found wing-back Michael Concarr, who calmly slotted home Vincent’s first goal.
The following 15 minutes were dominated by the Connacht champions as King and Durcan kept up their scoring contributions. Points from Neil Lydon and Neil Douglas had Mitchels 0-8 to 1-2 after 25 minutes. Vincent’s finished the half on a high, however, as Connolly set up Ciaran Dorney to ram home another goal. Ruairi Trainor and Mitchels’ Barry Moran traded points and the scores were level, 2-3 to 0-9, at the break.
King opened the scoring for the Mayo side after 31 minutes but Carthy soon levelled matters and Mossy Quinn put Vincent’s ahead with two points on the spin. Conolloy extended the advantage before Lydon knocked over a steepler to keep his side in the hunt. Mitchels were right back in the match after 43 minutes, however, as Danny Kirby pounced on a rebound to make it 2-7 to 1-11.
Conolly’s growing influence would soon show in dramatic fashion on the Croke Park scoreboard. A hopeful punt bounced over the Mitchels defence and the forward got a crucial flick on to direct the ball past Ciaran Naughton. He added two more points and, with 10 minutes left, Vincent’s looked home clear. Conolly then weaved through the Castlebar defence and slotted home. He added yet another point to make it an 11-point game going into the last five minutes.
Kirby scored a close range goal for Mitchels to give them hope of a late comeback but Vincent’s closed out the game and the final scores went to them as Carthy and Kevin Golden pointed.
Scorers for St Vincent’s: Diarmuid Connolly 2-5, Shane Carthy 0-3, Ciaran Dorney, Michael Concarr 1-0 each, Tomas Quinn 0-2 (0-1f), Kevin Golden (0-1f), Ruairi Trainor 0-1 each.
Scorers for Castlebar Mitchels: Danny Kirby 2-0, Neil Lydon 0-3, Tom King (0-2f), Patrick Durcan 0-2 each, Barry Moran, Neil Douglas, Fergal Durcan, Aidan Walsh 0-1 each.
ST VINCENT’S: Michael Savage; Kevin Bonnie, Jarlath Curley, Hugh Gill; Ger Brennan, Brendan Egan, Michael Concarr; Daithi Murphy, Eamon Fennell; Gavin Burke, Diarmuid Connolly, Shane Carthy; Ruairi Trainor, Ciaran Dorney, Tomas Quinn.
Subs: Tiernan Diamond for Burke (35), Cameron Diamond for Fennell (inj) (43), Kevin Golden for Trainor (50), Adam Baxter for Dorney (58), Nathan Mullins for Carthy (60).
CASTLEBAR MITCHELS: Ciaran Naughton; Alan Feeney, Eoghan O’Reilly, Ray O’Malley; Donal Newcombe, Tom Cunniffe, Patrick Durcan; Gerard McDonagh, Barry Moran; Neil Lydon, Aidan Walsh, Richie Feeney; Danny Kirby, Neil Douglas, Tom King.
Subs: Fergal Durcan for Feeney (black card) (5), James Durcan for Douglas (49), David Joyce for O’Malley (55), Shane Hopkins for McDonagh (58), Kevin Filan for Fergal Durcan (61).
Referee: Eddie Kinsella (Laois)
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As it happened: St Vincent’s v Castlebar Mitchels, AIB All-Ireland SFC club final
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