Vincent’s crowned Leinster club football champions

ST VINCENT'S 1-16 RHODE (Offaly) 0-12

St Vincent's were crowned AIB Leinster Club senior football champions for the seventh time when overcoming the challenge of Offaly's Rhode in Sunday's decider at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

This is the Marino club's seventh provincial title overall, now joint top with Portlaoise, and fourth in third in the last four years - 1972, 75, 84, 2007, 13, 14, and now 2016.

It also means both the senior Leinster club trophies in hurling and football reside in Dublin following Cuala's superb recent hurling success.

Vincent's will now face Derry's Slaughtneil in their All-Ireland semi-final on February 11, after the Ulster champions defeated London on Sunday (2-11 to 0-5).

After an action-packed opening 30 minutes Vincent's led 1-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Vinnies played a controlled game in the second half and never looked in any great trouble playing a quick-release, pacey game on the counter-attack at times to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

The opening half concluded in great drama with Ger Brennan being harshly black-carded while giving away a penalty in first half injury-time for a foul on Niall McNamee.

However, Michael Savage pulled off a superb save to deny Rory McNamee from the spot and the Marino men broke forward with intent for Gavin Burke to fire over a fine point off his left.

The energetic Burke had opened Vinnies account in the third minute before Paul McPadden equalised for Rhode two minutes later.

The only goal of the game arrived in the seventh minute when TG4 Man of the Match Diarmuid Connolly rifled clinically to the net under the attempted block of Shane Sullivan following good, unselfish work by both Enda Varley and Shane Carthy.

Rhode responded well with two Niall McNamee points, the first a free, but back came the Dublin champions again with points from Connolly, following a clever ball from Tomás Quinn and Quinn himself after good interplay with Burke to lead 1-3 to 0-3.

Three points in quick succession from the 16th to the 22nd minute had Vincent's 1-6 to 0-4 clear with Shane Carthy, after being placed by a superb Connolly free, Enda Varley and Cormac Diamond, following good defence by Jarlath Curley and the Vins defence, pushed their side five in front.

However, Savage's save was a critical turning point in the game especially when they immediately when the full length of pitch for Burke to move his side five up at the break.

Victory book-ended a remarkable year for Vincent's captain, Diarmuid Connolly, who led his team to both county and provincial honours after an intercounty season that saw him central to Dublin's NFL Division 1, Leinster and All-Ireland honours as well as winning the Leinster GAA Footballer of the Year and being selected on both the All Stars team and Dubs Stars selection.

SCORERS - St Vincent's: D Connolly 1-2, T Quinn 0-4 (0-2f), G Burke 0-3, S Carthy, E Varley 0-2 each, Cormac Diamond, J Feeney, R Trainor 0-1 each. Rhode: N McNamee 0-6 (0-5f), D Garry 0-2, P McPadden, C McNamee, N Darby, C Heavey 0-1 each.

ST VINCENT'S: M Savage; M Concarr, J Curley, C Wilson; N Mullins, G Brennan, Cameron Diamond; D Murphy, S Carthy; G Burke, D Connolly, Cormac Diamond; R Trainor, E Varley, T Quinn. Subs: F Breathnach for Brennan (31, black card), A Martin for Murphy (39), J Feeney for Martin (44, inj), J McCusker for Cormac Diamond (57), K Bonnie for Varley (60).

RHODE: K Garry; B Darby, S Sullivan, N Darby; J McPadden, E Rigney, C Heavey; A McNamee, C McNamee; D Garry, N McNamee, P Sullivan; P McPadden, R McNamee, S Hannon. Subs: G O’Connell for P Sullivan (40), D Kavanagh for Heavey (55), G McNamee for S Sullivan (56), S Lowry for P McPadden (60), E Byrne for C McNamee (60, black card).

REF: B Cawley (Kildare).