Vins snap out of slumber to progress to Leinster final

ST VINCENT'S 3-9 GARRYCASTLE (Westmeath) 1-10

St Vincent's are through to the Leinster final after surviving a second half scare in this provincial AIB Club SFC semi-final at Parnell Park on Sunday.

The Marino side, much like they did against Portlaoise in their quarter-final, began at a different pace than their opponents and within three minutes Tomas Quinn turned brilliantly after a Diarmuid Connolly pass before driving a superb shot to the far top corner of the net to give his side a dream start.

In the ninth minute Gavin Burke charged through the middle of the Garrycastle defence but his side hit the sidenetting.

Points from Connolly and Burke had their side 1-3 to 0-1 to the good inside 13 minutes and five minutes later Ciaran Dorney went close to raising a green flag as Vincent's continued to dominate.

With seven minutes remaining in the opening half Dorney again found himself in pole position for goal but his rasping shot cannoned off the crossbar as Garrycastle continued to live a charmed life in defence.

The second goal eventually arrived in the 24th minute when Quinn played a through ball to Shane Carthy who finished impressively to the net.

Ger Brennan's point five minutes before the break gave his side an emphatic ten-point lead, 2-6 to 0-2, but then they course of the game began to change.

Slowly but surely Dessie Dolan began to lead his Garrycastle men back into the game and points from James Dolan (two), Justin Barrett and Dessie Dolan cut the lead to 2-6 to 0-6 by the interval.

It was a momentum the Westmeath champions built on for the restart as points from Dessie Dolan (two, including one free) continued to reel in the reigning Leinster and All-Ireland Club champions.

In the 42nd minute Garrycastle punished Vincent's for being caught in possession in defence for Dessie Dolan to slot expertly past Mick Savage.

However, three minutes later Savage pulled off a brilliant and very important save to deny James Dolan.

The jitters continued for a spell for Vinnies as Michael Monaghan brought the sides level after a misplaced Eamon Fennell handpass as the Marino side's ten-point advantage was fully wiped out.

But Vincent's showed the confidence of champions to arrest their slide when Quinn (free) and excellent Ger Brennan point, from a move he originally initiated after linking well with Connolly.

Four minutes from time Vincent's sealed it when Quinn converted a penalty after a foul on Ruairi Trainor that saw Garrycastle keeper Cathal Mullins black-carded.

With time almost up Brennan was also black-carded before Vincent's advanced to play Offaly's Rhode in the Leinster final on December 12.

SCORERS - St Vincent's: T Quinn 2-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), S Carthy 1-1, G Burke, G Brennan, D Connolly (0-1f) 0-2 each. Garrycastle: D Dolan 1-5 (0-3f), J Dolan 0-2, J Barrett, M Guiheen, M Monaghan 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 Trainor, C Dorney, T Quinn. Subs: Cameron Diamond for Dorney (37), Cormac Diamond for Murphy (37), T Diamond for Burke (56), M Loftus for Fennell (60), S Byrne for Brennan (black card 64).

GARRYCASTLE: C Mullin; J Donohue, M McCallon, A Fox; K Henson, J Gaffey, G McCallon; J Barrett, A Browne; M Guiheen, D Dolan, D Rushe; M Monaghan, J Dolan, G Dolan. Subs: A Gardiner for Rushe (ht), D O’Shaughnessy for Browne (47), J Duignan for Gardiner (47), S O’Connell for Mullin (black card 54), C Cosgrove for Monaghan (61).

REF: J Hickey (Carlow).