INTERMEDIATE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

ST VINCENT’S……………….. 1-15

ST PEREGRINE’S…………… 2-09

VINCENT’S FIND THE EXTRA GEAR

BY DAIRE WALSH

A STRONG final quarter made all the difference for St Vincent’s at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon, when the Marino club secured the Dublin IHC crown following a nail-biting encounter with St Peregrine’s.

Opening-half goals from corner-forwards Brian Kelleher and Mark Sweeney had provided Peregrine’s with a strong platform heading into the second period, but after outscoring their northside rivals 0-8 to 0-1 from the 43rd minute onwards, Vincent’s ultimately reigned supreme.

BRIGHTER

However, although their shooting was explemary during the latter stages, it was their Blakestown opponents who made the brighter start to the proceedings, as Mark Sweeney, Cillian Byrnes (two) and Davy McGovern combined to give Peregrine’s a four-point lead after eight minutes.

Vincent’s challenge soon burst intolife, though, and wing-forward Conor Mullins fired emphatically to the net after full-forward Seán ó Cuanacháin had knocked the sliotar into his path.

This was precisely the tonic that Prionsias De Poire’s charges required, and following swapped scores between ó Cuanacháin and Fiachra Byrnes, Vincent’s displayed mettle to register three points in succession courtesy of Dermot Kinahan, Keith Connolly and Shane Kiernan (’65’).Peregrine’s were not prepared to relinquish their challenge just yet, however, and Kelleher pulled to the net six minutes before the interval after Colm Foley had been denied by James Daniels.

Further traded efforts from Fiachra Byrnes and Kiernan kept the scoreboard ticking away, but Mark Sweeney’s outstanding major offered Peregrine’s a four-point cushion (2-6 to 1-5) upon the resumption.

This advantage remained intact when points by Dublin footballer Eric Lowndes and Colm Foley arrived either side of Vinnies scores from sub Niall Brennan and Kiernan.

Peregrine’s had played with great intent up to this point, but within the space of four minutes, Vincent’s completely turned the game on its head through a brace of white flag contributions from Niall Brennan and the exceptional Kinahan, as well as a single point by the reliable Kiernan.

Peregrine’s eventually halted this scoring sequence with a magnificent Joe Fitzmaurice score from distance, but a brace of Kiernan frees, in the 54th and 59th minutes respectively, left them in a perilous position.

Keith Connolly’s second point of the hour looked like being the insurance score, but when Fitzmaurice was primed to cancel out their lead deep into second-half stoppage-time, netminder Daniels made a superb point-blank stop for the victorious Vinnies.

Scorers – St Vincent’s: S Kiernan 0-6 (4f, 1 ’65’), C Mullins 1-0, D Kinahan, N Brennan 0-3 each, K Connolly 0-2, S O Cuanachain 0-1. St Peregrine’s: B Kelleher 1-1, M Sweeney 1-0, C Byrnes (f), F Byrnes 0-2 each, E Lowndes, D McGovern, C Foley, J Fitzmaurice 0-1 each.

ST VINCENT’S: J Daniels; C ó Frighil, E Clerkin, Cathal Brennan; D Higgins, S Perry, J Collins; S Kiernan, T Hunter; D Kinahan, S MacHugh, C Mullins; C O’Flaherty, S ó Cuanachain, K Connolly. Subs: N Brennan for Mullins, C Brennan for O’Flaherty (both h-t), D Perry for MacHugh (37), P Donnelly for Cathal Brennan (41).

ST PEREGRINE’S: G Kavanagh; S Sweeney, J McAnaw, K Foley; E Lowndes, N McCarthy, B Goodwin; C Byrnes, D McGovern; C Foley, F Byrnes, E Comerford; B Kelleher, D Cody, M Sweeney. Subs: D Cawley for K Foley (10), J Fitzmaurice for Cody (40), D Lynch for Kelleher, C O’Hara for (both 52), E O’Connor for Kavanagh (57).

MENTORS – St Vincent’s: P De Poire, J Walsh, G Quinn. St Sylvester’s: M McCarthy, C Kenneally, G Dalton.

REF: Peter Smyth (O’Toole’s).

WIDES – St Vincent’s: 13 (9+4). St Sylvester’s: 9 (2+7).

CONDITIONS: Cloudy, but warm and dry.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Dermot Kinahan (St Vincent’s).