Burke points way for Vins in SHC ‘A’ victory over Plunkett’s

DUBLIN SHC 'A' GROUP 3

ST VINCENT'S 1-20 ST OLIVER PLUNKETT'S/EOGHAN RUADH 1-7

St Vincent's launched their 2019 SHC 'A' Group 3 campaign with a comprehensive 13-point victory over St Oliver Plunkett's/ER at a wet and windy Parnell Park on Wednesday night.

The Marino men were clearly the better side throughout and with wind advantage were 0-14 to 0-1 in front at the interval, Plunkett's only score coming in the 17th minute when Stuart Mullen converted a free.

Conor Burke put in an impressive opening for Vins and by the break he had five points from play to his credit, his brilliant strike from just inside his own half in the 15th minute being the pick of the collection.

John Hetherton tallied five successful deadball situations in the opening period and with Mark O'Farrell, Ruairi Trainor and Rian McBride strong at the back it was mostly one-way traffic.

By the 16th minute Vincent's were 0-10 to 0-0 clear following Mark O'Keefe's point following great defensive play by O'Farrell and they never looked in any trouble despite an improvement by Plunkett's in the second half with the wind in their favour.

Both teams were reduced to 14 men late in the first half when Cian McBride (St Vincent's) and David Phelan (Plunkett's) were red-carded.

Plunkett's did not have long to wait in the second period for their second score when Mullen pointed from play but they were facing an impossible task.

Six minutes into the second half Vins raised a green flag when Alan Moore fired to the net past Plunkett's keeper Bill McCormack, who showed great reflexes on several occasions on the night to deny Vincent's, after moving onto a long angled delivery from Frankie Power.

That made it 1-15 to 0-4 at that stage. However, Plunkett's did battle on an were rewarded with a 50th minute goal from Seán Clerkin from a Cian Boland handpass.

SCORERS - St Vincent's: J Hetherton 0-8 (0-3f, 0-3 '65'), C Burke 0-7, A Moore 1-1, F Power, M O'Keefe 0-2 each. St Oliver Plunkett's/ER: S Clerkin 1-0, C Boland, S Mullen (0-1f), C Hayes (0-2f) 0-2 each, L Corbett 0-1.

ST VINCENT'S: D de Poire; R Pocock, M O'Farrell, R Trainor; T Connolly, R McBride, S McCaw; O Lanigan, F Power; M O'Keefe, J Hetherton, C Burke; A Moore, C McBride, M Sweeney. Subs: B Bolger for Lanigan (37), C Harney for Connolly (45), M O Drisceoil for McCaw (54), J Walsh for O'Keefe (56).

ST OLIVER PLUNKETT'S/ER: B McCormack; E Boland, D Brennan, P Curtin; D Phelan, F Dunleavy, C Scully; L Corbett, T McGrath; C Boland, B McDonnell, T Hynes; F Boland, S Mullen, S Clerkin. Subs: C Hayes for Mullen (39), O Boland for McGrath (42).

REF: S Stack (Parnell's).