St Vincent’s Book Quarter-Final Spot with Late Draw Against Skerries Harps

SKERRIES HARPS 1-7 

ST VINCENT’S 0-10

A last-gasp from substitute Kalem O’Brien proved telling as St Vincent’s claimed a precious draw in their disappointing Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship Group 4 encounter against Skerries Harps at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

Defeat would have seen the locals exit the championship, but O’Brien’s late score coupled with Thomas Davis failing to overcome Kilmacud Crokes ensured their progression to the last eight.

Despite finding the net through Paddy Kelly in the 9^th minute, Skerries failed to spark up front with two points apiece from Gavin Burke and Darragh Cummins prompting a two-point interval lead for St Vincent’s.

Skerries were far more threatening in the third quarter, overtaking their opponents in the process but O’Brien ensured an equitable conclusion as he calmly fisted over from an acute angle.

Both sides took their time to settle in blustery conditions with Cian Dunne of St Vincent’s eventually opening the scoring when converting a 5^th minute free.

Skerries, who once again looked to adopt an encouragingly attacking approach, missed a couple of chances into the breeze but were rewarded for their efforts in the 9^th minute as Adam Fearon burst through before releasing Kelly for a composed finish beyond Andy Smyth.

Paul Reynolds Hand replied in an instant for Vinnies with a curling point from the left flank and parity was restored by the end of the first quarter as their captain, Gavin Burke, landed a trademark score from distance.

Burke repeated the trick in the 20^th minute to edge his side back in front but from the resultant kick-out, Harps worked the ball patiently, allowing Kelly to clip over from twenty metres.

Without overly impressing, the Marino outfit were beginning to take control and they finished the half strongly through a brace of points by Darragh Cummins to leave them entering the break with a 0-6 to 1-1 lead.

The contest resumed with Vinnies enjoying controlling possession for the opening two minutes and they finally worked a shooting chance that Dunne superbly accepted with the outside of his left boot.

However, their relative control was undermined as Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan pointed in the 35^th minute and Jack Smith added a point soon after to keep Harps on the front foot.

Further scores arrived through Ciaran Murphy and a sublime Kelly effort before their opponents stalled that momentum in the 39^th minute following a well-worked score from the influential Cummins.

Murphy and Dunne (free) exchanged points in the ensuing ten minutes with scores at a premium but the increasing threatening Murphy clipped over his third score of the half to edge Skerries back in front by the 54^th minute.

Harps could well have extended that lead in the closing stages but were caught at the death, leaving Vinnies to celebrate once news from O’Toole Park had filtered through.

Scorers – Skerries Harps: P Kelly 1-2; C Murphy 0-3; E O’Connor Flanagan, J Smith 0-1 apiece. St Vincent’s: C Dunne (2f), D Cummins 0-3 each; G Burke 0-2; P Reynolds Hand, K O’Brien 0-1 apiece.

Skerries Harps: C Rocks; D Gielty, R Geoghegan, S Rocks; C Emmett, E O’Connor Flanagan, A Fearon; E Dunne, K McGinnis; K Gilmore, G McEneaney, P Kelly; J Smith, C Murphy, S Smith. Subs: E Wilde for Emmett (43), H Dawson for Gilmore (47).

St Vincent’s: A Smyth; J McCusker, A Cummins, S O’Leary; J Brady, M l’Estrange, C Wilson; D Cummins, N Mullins; J Kelly, G Burke, M Concarr; P Reynolds Hand, C Dunne, A Martin. Subs: B Costello for Kelly (36), N Matthews for Concarr (50), K O’Brien for Reynolds Hand (60).

Referee: Luke Lacey (Na Fianna).