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Routine Win

The Brian Mullins era at St Vincent's begins with a 15-point hammering of Round Towers

It was a first championship game for Dublin legend in charge of the Vinnies today.

St Vincent’s 3-19

Round Towers Clondalkin 3-4

Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park

ST VINCENT’S BEGAN their defence of the Dublin SFC with a routine win over Round Towers this evening.

Vincent’s led by seven points at the break but eventually their class told and they bagged 1-6 in the final 10 minutes as Round Towers ran out of steam.

Diarmuid Connolly Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

The Vinnies will play the second round of the championship in two weeks’ time, before they take a hiatus for the summer. The championship will resume once Dublin’s interest in the All-Ireland is over.

It was a first game for four-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin Brian Mullins in charge of the Marino club. Former boss Tommy Conroy and his management team resigned in the wake of their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Slaughtneil in February.

It’s likely the Vincent’s squad took a break after their extended 2016 campaign, so they’ll be pleased with this convincing 15-point win.

In the second period they kicked seven wides and dropped two shots short, but still ran up a tally of 3-19.

St Vincent’s conceded three sloppy goals, but they don’t need to peak for another six months. There’s plenty of time for Mullins to mould this team in his image.

Albert Martin, who only made his senior debut last year, impressed with 2-3 from play while Diarmuid Connolly finished with six points. Shane Carthy kicked a couple of wides but finished with three points and had a good hour at midfield.

Brian Mullins New Vinnies boss Brian Mullins James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Both teams played a relatively conventional 15-on-15 and the result was an open affair.

Round Towers had nippy forwards in the form of Michael Walsh and Thomas Galvin, while Darragh Kinnevey was a menace at 14. He scored two goals and set up the third.

The reigning Leinster and Dublin champions raced into an early 0-6 to 0-1 lead, with Connolly on target twice inside the opening 12 minutes.

Both of Round Towers’ goals in the opening-half arrived after they fielded a ‘mark’ in midfield. Kinnevey clinically dispatched both efforts past Michael Savage.

Fiachra Breathnach Former Galway defender Fiachra Breathnach came off the bench for the champions today Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

That only served to awaken the beast. Connolly ran 30 metres and slipped a ball to Martin for an easy finish, before the latter doubled his tally with a palmed goal after a fine pass from Gavin Burke.

Round Towers netted a third goal from a James Kelly penalty early in the second-half after Kevin McGibney was hauled down in front of the posts.

The remainder of the game was a relatively low-key encounter with scores from open play at a premium until the final ten minutes.

As the clock ran out, Fiachra Breathnach, Tiernan Diamond, Martin and Connolly all chipped in with scores, before Craig Brennan bagged a late goal.

Scorers for St Vincent’s: Albert Martin 2-3, Diarmuid Connolly 0-6 (0-2f, 0-1 45), Enda Varley 0-3 (0-2f), Craig Brennan 1-0, Shane Carthy 0-3, Gavin Burke, Cormac Diamond, Fiachra Breathnach and Tiernan Diamond 0-1 each.

Scorers for Round Towers Clondalkin: Darragh Kinnevey 2-1, James Kelly 1-0 (pen), Thomas Galvin 0-2f, Ian Ward 0-1f.

St Vincent’s

1. Michael Savage

2. Craig Wilson
3. Jarlath Curley
4. Michael Concarr

5. Cameron Diamond
6. Ger Brennan
7. Nathan Mullins

8. Daithi Murphy
9. Shane Carthy

10. Gavin Burke
11. Diarmuid Connolly
19. Cormac Diamond

13. Ruairi Traynor
24. Albert Martin
15. Enda Varley

Subs

20. Tiernan Diamond for Cormac Diamond (35)
17. Fiachra Breathnach for Mullins (42)
25. James McClusker for Cameron Diamond (47)
26. Lorcan Smith for Traynor (50)
18. Craig Brennan for Burke (58)
20. Joe Feeney for Martin (60)

Round Towers Clondalkin

1. Gary Cleary

2. Niall Byrne
3. Derek Murray
4. Dan Gregg

5. Niall Corless
6. James Kelly
7. Barry Keane

8. Shane Byrne
9. Liam Connolly

10. Michael Hallows
11. Ian Ward
12. Michael Walsh

13. Thomas Galvin
14. Darragh Kinnevey
15. Kevin McGibney

Subs

21. Adam Doyle for Galvin (47)
20. Darren Gilligan for McGibney (47)
18. Trevor Clendenning for Connolly (49)
23. Matthew McLoughlin for Byrne (50)
24, Brian Costello for Corless (55)


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