JUDE’S DISPATCH VINCENT’S IN AFL DIVISION ONE TIE
ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
ST JUDE’S 2-15 ST VINCENT’S 0-11
By Daire Walsh
St Jude’s moved up to fifth in the Adult Football League Division One table courtesy of a 10-point victory over St Vincent’s at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn on Tuesday evening.
Despite a slow start to this rescheduled contest, the Wellington Lane outfit rallied to eventually record their first win on the road in 2019. Corner-forwards Niall Coakley and Padraic Clarke amassed a combined total of 1-10 for the southsiders, while substitute Simon King found the net in the dying stages to put the seal on their triumph.
The two sides have been familiar foes in recent times, with some high-profile championship clashes surrounding their regular battles in the league. Vins defeated Jude’s en route to claiming the Dublin SFC title in 2017, before being turned over by the same opponents in last year’s semi-final encounter at Parnell Park.
Vincent’s subsequently bounced back to claim the league crown and thanks to three wins in their four games to date, they entered this tie within touching distance of early pace-setters Ballinteer St John’s.
Having earned the spoils away to Fingallians last Wednesday, the Marino men were in a buoyant mood. Jude’s had the measure of Lucan Sarsfields on the same night, but struggled to find their feet during the initial stages of this round five affair.
Inside the opening 60 seconds of play, Vins set their stall out with a brace of points. After midfielder Albert Martin completed a patient team move, Diarmuid Connolly – once again positioned at centre-back – released Shane Carthy for a fisted effort.
Martin was dominating the early aerial exchanges and he helped to set up Adam Baxter for a well-worked point. Wing-back Eddie Duffy superbly curled between the posts on six minutes as a rampaging Vins sought to create clear daylight.
Coakley finally opened the Jude’s account off the resulting restart, however, and he swiftly added to his tally with an outstanding strike on the left-wing. Raiding corner-back Sean Lambe combined with Baxter for another Vins point but, either side of the first-quarter mark, the Jude’s challenge truly took flight.
Ronan Joyce, Colm Murphy and Coakley all found the target in quick succession to wipe out the home team’s lead and they maintained their attacking momentum for the remainder of the half.
Kieran Doherty joined his centre-field partner Murphy on the scoresheet – preceding Clarke (free) and Coakley singles for the visitors. Their chances of success gained a massive boost on 19 minutes when Coakley was picked out in front of goal and calmly fired beyond the reach of Vins netminder Josh O’Neill.
Tom Lahiff and Clarke found the range in the closing minutes of the opening period and even though Baxter and Lorcan Smyth cancelled out their efforts, Jude’s held a 1-10 to 0-7 advantage at the interval.
In addition to James O’Donnell – who replaced the injured Carthy in the 26th-minute – Tomas Quinn and Lorcan Galvin were introduced on the resumption in a bid to get Vins back on track. Cormac Diamond lifted their spirits with a superb point, though Clarke calmly slotted over a resulting free at the opposite end to keep Jude’s firmly in the ascendancy.
Following a driving run by Connolly, Quinn opened his own tally with a routine score in the front of the posts. Further points from Clarke and full-back Jack McGuire ensured Jude’s continued to hold the aces, albeit Vins were not to be easily dismissed.
After picking up possession off a sublime Connolly delivery, Quick bagged his second pointed free of the half. A fifth point for Clarke looked set to be the insurance for Jude’s, although a fierce Martin shot marginally drifted over the woodwork on 55 minutes.
A Vins goal could have served up a dramatic conclusion to the action. Instead, it was St Jude’s who finished the stronger.
A Coakley free increased the gap to seven points and King staked his claim for a starting berth by rolling a close-range shot to the Vincent’s net in stoppage-time.
Next up for Jude’s is a home meeting on May 22 against Ballinteer St John’s, who remain unbeaten with five wins from five. Vincent’s will resume their own league campaign on the same evening – St Brigid’s providing the opposition at Russell Park.
SCORERS – St Jude’s: Niall Coakley 1-5 (0-1f), Padraic Clarke 0-5 (3f), Simon King 1-0, Jack McGuire, Colm Murphy, Kieran Doherty, Tom Lahiff, Ronan Joyce 0-1 each. St Vincent’s: Tomas Quinn (0-2f), Adam Baxter (0-1f), Albert Martin 0-2 each, Sean Lambe, Eddie Duffy, Shane Carthy, Cormac Diamond, Lorcan Smyth 0-1 each.
ST JUDE’S: Paul Copeland; Andy Sweeney, Jack McGuire, Rian Wallace; Alex Hassett, Mark Sweeney, Aidan Fitzmaurice; Colm Murphy, Kieran Doherty; David Sheehy, Tom Lahiff, Ronan Joyce; Niall Coakley, Brian Coakley, Padraic Clarke. Subs: Ciaran McLoughlin for Hassett (35-37, blood), Simon King for Sheehy (50), McLoughlin for Hassett, Dara Kavanagh for Murphy (both 56).
ST VINCENT’S: Josh O’Neill; Sean Lambe, Gavin Burke, Michael Concarr; Cameron Diamond, Diarmuid Connolly, Eddie Duffy; Albert Martin, Joe Feeney; Shane Carthy, Tiernan Diamond, Cormac Diamond; Sean Lowry, Adam Baxter, Lorcan Smyth. Subs: James O’Donnell for Carthy (26), Tomas Quinn for Baxter, Lorcan Galvin for Feeney (both half-time), Sean O’Meara for Lowry (40).
REF: J King (Garda/Westmanstown Gaels).