Visitors hold edge in AHL1 contest

Daire Walsh

Dublin AHL 1

St Vincent’s…………………..2-23

Faughs……………………….0-21

ST VINCENT’S produced a strong finish at Tymon Park on Sunday morning to finally see off the stubborn challenge of Faughs in an enjoyable Dublin Adult Hurling League Division One clash.

Nine points in front at half-time, Vins came under pressure from the hosts on the resumption and a Cian McBride goal was all that separated the sides with two minutes of normal time remaining. However, Tom Connolly subsequently shook the net from a penalty and this helped the visitors to keep Faughs at bay.

The attacking triumvirate of Connolly, McBride and Alan Moore contributed 2-14 of Vins’ final tally, while James O’Brien led the way for Faughs with a personal haul of 0-8.

Vincent’s were playing for the first time since sharing the spoils with Craobh Chiarain at Clonshaugh on February 27 and edged in front early on courtesy of back-to-back points by Cian McBride and Connolly – the young brother of former Dublin footballer Diarmuid. O’Brien and Eamon Hennessy were also on target at the opposite end during a frantic opening that saw the sides on level terms on no fewer than four occasions.

A superb Ciaran Nagle effort from halfway cancelled out Connolly’s third score of the opening period, before a two-point salvo by the Vins centre-forward offered his side some much-needed leeway. Faughs (managed by former Westmeath camogie supremo Johnny Greville) were doing their utmost to remain in touch, with Ciaran Brennan, Hennessy, O’Brien and Carl O’Mahony finding the target in the second quarter.

Yet Vincent’s grew in confidence the longer the action wore on and three points from Moore gave them a firm stranglehold on the proceedings. Darach McBride, Brian Bolger and Mark O’Keeffe also added their names to the scoresheet in advance of a Cian McBride goal that propelled Vins into a 1-15 to 0-9 interval lead.

Faughs remained nine points in arrears during the early stages of the second half but the introduction of Jamie Maloney and Scott McConnell off the bench did inject significant energy to their attack. Both substitutes split the uprights to supplement five points from O’Brien as Vins suddenly found themselves in a dogfight.

Points courtesy of Cian McBride, goalkeeper Dara Perry (a monstrous effort from distance) and Connolly helped to settle the Marino men but with Niall Fitzgibbon, Colm Foley and O’Brien responding to each of these scores, Faughs weren’t out of contention just yet.

Connolly’s clinically-dispatched penalty in the 59th-minute effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt, however, and they also added quickfire points through Connolly himself, Johnny Walsh and Darach McBride. Foley capped a fine cameo for Faughs with his second point, but the home team ultimately couldn’t build on their recent win over Na Fianna.

Matchfile

SCORERS – St Vincent’s: T Connolly 1-7 (1-0 pen, 0-6f), C McBride 1-4, A Moore 0-3 (1 s/line), D McBride, B Bolger 0-2 each, D Perry (f), E O’Neill, M O’Keeffe, S Mulcahy, J Walsh 0-1 each. Faughs: J O’Brien 0-8 (5f), E Hennessy 0-3, C O’Mahony, C Brennan, C Foley 0-2 each, C Nagle, N Fitzgibbon, J Maloney, S McConnell 0-1 each.

ST VINCENT’S: D Perry; M Glackin, M O’Farrell, B Moorehouse Carroll; E O’Neill, O Lanigan, D McBride; A Dunne, M O’Keeffe; B Bolger, T Connolly, S McCurry; S Mulcahy, A Moore, C McBride. Subs: J Walsh for Dunne (h-t), K Ward for McCurry (42), O Mulcahy for Moore (54).

FAUGHS: E Hogan; B Cusack, S O’Brien, J Kenny; J McVeigh, E McKenna, D Croke; C O’Shea, J O’Brien; C O’Mahony, E Hennessy, C Nagle; N Fitzgibbon, C Brennan, L Mostyn. Subs: J Maloney for Cusack (h-t), S McConnell for Brennan (40), C Foley for O’Mahony (52).

MENTORS – St Vincent’s: F Perry, JJ Hayes, J Quirke, C Oates, S McBride. Faughs: J Greville, K O’Brien, J Kelly, P Smith, R Dunne.

REFEREE: Dave Aston (Naomh Mearnog).

WIDES – St Vincent’s: 7 (1+6). Faughs: 5 (2+3).

CONDITIONS: Sunny throughout with a gentle breeze.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Cian McBride (St Vincent’s).