Vincent’s crowned Leinster champions

ST VINCENT'S 1-13 RHODE (Offaly) 0-6

St Vincent's kept their All-Ireland dream alive when they successfully defended the AIB Leinster Club SFC they won 12 months ago by defeating Rhode in Sunday's provincial decider in Pairc Tailteann, Navan.

This is the sixth time the Marino club have been crowned Leinster club senior football champions in their history (1972, 1975, 1984, 2007, 2013, 2014) and Sunday's victory was the first time they have achieved back-to-back successes (the last Dublin club to do so was Thomas Davis 1990-1991). The now lie second in the provincial table behind Portlaoise who have won seven.

Tommy Conroy's side won in pillar to post fashion as they exploded from the blocks from the outset and dominated the opening 20 minutes.

The led by 1-5 to 0-0 at that juncture and it should have been more despite playing into the wind as the Rhode rearguard found themselves with their backs to the wall from the first whistle.

With Eamon Fennell and Daithi O Murchu on top in the middle of the park and with Vincent's dominating on the breaking ball their forwards had an amount of possession in the opening quarter.

Ciaran Dorney could have been awarded a penalty in the first attack of the game but it set the pattern for what was to follow.

Gavin Burke, on a trademark powerful run, opened the scoring in the fourth minute when firing over off the left foot but further scoring situations were squandered before Tomas Quinn grabbed the only goal of the game in the 12th minute when he clinically finished after being placed by a clever pass from Diarmuid Connolly.

Ruairi Trainor, Quinn (free) and Burke, following good work by O Murchu, tagged on points to open up their 1-5 to 0-0 lead inside 20 minutes before Niall McNamee and Niall Darby got Rhode off the mark before the interval (1-5 to 0-2).

Brendan Egan and Quinn, with a 43-metre free, extended Vincent's advantage before Rhode were reduced to 14 men when Pauric Sullivan was dismissed on a second yellow card.

A Rhode fightback failed to materialise but anytime they did threaten in attack the Vincent's defence, Ger Brennan and Jarlath Curley, in particular blunted their efforts.

The introduction of Cormac Diamond added to Vincent's firepower before the finish, with two points from play, as the Marino men ran out convincing winners and set up and All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final against Galway and Connacht champions, Corofin, on Saturday, February 14 (venue and time, tbc).

SCORERS - St Vincent's: T Quinn 1-4 (0-2f), G Burke, C Diamond 0-2 each, C Dorney, R Trainor, B Egan, D Connolly, S Carthy 0-1 each. Rhode: N McNamee (0-1f), N Darby (0-1f) 0-2 each, C McNamee, A Sullivan 0-1 each.

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 Treanor, C Dorney, T Quinn. Subs: Cormac Diamond for G Burke (47), T Diamond for R Treanor (51), Cameron Diamond for E Fennell (57), A Baxter for C Dorney (60), M Loftus for D Murphy (60).

RHODE: K Garry; J Kavanagh, E Rigney, J McPadden; C Heavy, B Darby, E Byrne; A McNamee, C McNamee; N Darby, P Sullivan, G O'Connell; P McPadden, A Sullivan, N McNamee. Subs: Shane Sullivan for J Kavanagh (18), R McNamee for P McPadden (41), Stephen Hannon for E Byrne (44), Declan Murphy for G O'Connell (50).

REF: A Nolan (Wicklow).