Vinnies make it back-to-back SFC titles

ST VINCENT'S 0-14 ST OLIVER PLUNKETT'S/EOGHAN RUADH 1-10

St Vincent's made it back-to-back Dublin senior football championships with this victory in Monday night's final at Parnell Park.

The Marino men had not defended the crown since the 1970s when they achieved a three-in-a-row in '75-'77 but found the measure of Plunkett's in this tactical battle in front of a packed attendance.

After somewhat struggling in the early passages Tommy Conroy's men thought their way around the Plunkett's shield as the game progressed as their movement, pace and accuracy in foot passing eventually began to unlock the Navan Road men's defence.

The entire Vincent's attack scored over the hour, with all bar Tomás Quinn scoring from play, as second half points from the highly influential Gavin Burke, Shane Carthy, Ruairi Trainor and Ciaran Dorney overhauled the Plunkett's rearguard to put their side on the road to victory.

The Navan Road men had started very lively with points from Bernard Brogan (two, one free) and Gareth Smith as Alan Brogan was causing problems for the Vincent's defence to lead 0-3 to 0-0 inside six minutes while Michael Savage made a great save to deny Bernard Brogan also.

However, as the opening half progressed Vincent's began to illustrate all their big game experience to conclude with points from Dorney, Quinn (free) and a superb Burke score on the run off his left foot to lead 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time.

Bernard Brogan cut the deficit to the minimum on the restart following a foul on James Brogan but vitally Vinnies then hit three on the spin from Carthy (two), the second following good play from Diarmuid Connolly, and Dorney again from patient build up form Connolly and Burke to move four points clear, 0-10 to 0-6.

In such a tactical battle that lead was crucial as it altered the dynamic of the contest.

Crucially every time Plunkett's mounted a reaction Vincent's responded almost immediately and by the 51st minute the reigning champions were six points to the good, 0-14 to 0-8.

A point from former Vincent's player, Padraic Lee, cut the gap for Plunkett's but before then keeper Alan O'Mara showed good reflexes to deny Trainor from close range after Connolly and Shane Carthy had combined.

Four minutes later Alan Brogan rose highest in the small square to bat to the net to make it a two-point game and despite Bernard Brogan's 59th minute free the Dublin 7 men could not pull the game 'out of the fire' as Vincent's progressed to face Portlaoise in the Leinster Club SFC in two weeks' time in O'Moore Park.

SCORERS – St Vincent’s: C Dorney, G Burke 0-3 each, S Carthy, R Trainor 0-2 each, E Fennell, D Connolly, T Quinn (0-1f), Cameron Diamond 0-1 each. St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh: B Brogan 0-5 (0-3f), A Brogan 1-1, G Smith 0-3 (0-1 ‘45’), P Lee 0-1.

ST VINCENT’S: M Savage; K Bonnie, J Curley, H Gill; B Egan, G Brennan, M Concarr; E Fennell, D Murphy; G Burke, D Connolly, S Carthy; R Trainor, C Dorney, T Quinn. Subs: Cameron Diamond for Murphy (37), T Diamond for Dorney (50), M Loftus for Fennell (55), Cormac Diamond for Carthy (55).

ST OLIVER PLUNKETT’S/ER: A O’Mara; D Kelly, R O’Connor, S Lyons; E Clarke; D Lally, J Brogan; C Dunleavy, P Brogan; C Walsh, A Brogan, D Brogan; G Smith, B Brogan, N Walsh. Subs: R McConnell for P Brogan (28), P Brogan for D Brogan (43), P Lee for Lyons (48), D Matthew for N Walsh (55)

REF: D Feeney (Parnell’s).