St Vincent’s 0-22
Na Fianna 2-9
Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park
DIARMUID CONNOLLY GAVE another master class of scoring as back to back Leinster champions St Vincent’s moved within an hour of a three-in-a-row of Dublin SFC titles.
Sam Maguire winner Connolly fired five points from play at Parnell Park as the holders advanced with ease to next weekend’s final clash against Ballyboden St Enda’s.
Na Fianna were competing in their first semi-final since the mid-2000s but were beaten in most sectors by a classy and ultra experienced Vincent’s side.
Connolly oozed quality as ever as Vincent’s breached the 20-point barrier for the second weekend running though, like last weekend against Lucan Sarsfields, they also leaked two goals.
But there was rarely any danger of an upset as Vins raced into a three-point lead before Na Fianna got their opening score from county man Tomas Brady.
But it was a brief reprieve as Vins tacked on three points to move ominously 0-6 to 0-1 clear after 16 minutes. That sixth point came from Cormac Diamond and ensured that all six of the starting Vincent’s forwards had made the score sheet.
Tommy Conroy’s side breezed 0-9 to 0-2 clear before Na Fianna fired 1-1 to give themselves some hope, Adam Caffrey converting a free before palming in a goal after Conor McHugh’s clever pass across.
It was the Mobhi Road side’s last score of the opening half though as Vincent’s fired three more points to lead 0-12 to 1-3 at half-time. One of those points was a trademark beauty from Connolly as he chipped the ball up with his left foot before firing over with his right foot from a tight angle on the left wing.
Sub Odhran O Maoleidigh scored a second Na Fianna goal with 10 minutes to go but it only reduced their arrears to six.
And Vins, typically, responded with back to back points from sub Joe Feeney to stamp out any revival. Feeney scored three in total and made a pressing case for inclusion in the final.
Scorers for St Vincent’s: Diarmuid Connolly 0-5, Ruairi Trainor 0-4, Joe Feeney 0-3, Gavin Burke, Ciaran Dorney and Tomas Quinn 0-2 (0-1f), Cormac Diamond, Michael Concarr, Shane Carthy and Brendan Egan 0-1.
Scorers for Na Fianna: Adam Caffrey 1-2 (0-2f), Odhran O Maoleidigh 1-0, Aaron Byrne 0-3 (0-1f), Tomas Brady, Jack Caffrey (0-1f), Niall Cooper and Glen O’Reilly 0-1.
ST VINCENT’S
1. Michael Savage
2. Hugh Gill
4. Michael Concarr
3. Jarlath Curley
5. Brendan Egan
6. Ger Brennan
7. Nathan Mullins
8. Daithi Murphy
9. Shane Carthy
10. Gavin Burke
11. Diarmuid Connolly
12. Cormac Diamond
13. Ruairi Trainor
14. Ciaran Dorney
15. Tomas Quinn
Subs
23. Joe Feeney for Dorney (36)
21. Kevin Golden for Murphy (54)
22. Adam Baxter for Cormac Diamond (59)
20. Mark Loftus for Carthy (60)
NA FIANNA
1. Ryan O’Flaherty
2. Jonny Cooper
3. Niall Cooper
4. Eoin Murchan
5. Emile Mullan
6. Niall McGovern
7. Glen O’Reilly
8. JJ Martin
9. Carol O’Connor
12. Tomas Brady
11. David Quinn
10. Jack Caffrey
15. Conor McHugh
14. Adam Caffrey
13. Aaron Byrne
Subs
29. Odhran O Maoleidigh for Quinn (39)
24. Eoghan Neville for McHugh (41)
17. Eoin Connolly for Jack Caffrey (50)
23. Neil Flannery for Mullan (50)
28. Aengus Farrell for O’Reilly (57)
21. Al Fitzgerald for Brady (59)
Referee: Darragh Sheppard (Round Towers, Lusk)
