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pilule serif; font-size: medium;”>A hat-trick of goals in the opening quarter proved decisive as St. Vincents claimed their quarter final ticket of the Dublin Senior Football Championship with a comfortable 4-11 to 1-12 victory over UCD.
It was always likely to be a tall order for the College to upset the odds against a strong Vincents outfit including Dublin stars Diarmuid Connolly, Mossy Quinn, Eamon Fennell and an injured Ger Brennan. Moreover as the game ran its course it was clear that the experience of having played a full club campaign together stood in good stead for Vincents against a talented but comparatively unsettled Belfield team.
A goal each for trio Ciaran Downey, Mossy Quinn and the pacy centre forward Padraig Lee left the students with a mountain to climb inside the first twenty minutes. Despite the best efforts of Laois’ Donie Kingston and Carlow’s Daniel St Ledger Vincents dominated from kickouts and took full advantage of a strong breeze putting UCD’s defenders under constant pressure. UCD did however receive a lifeline before the break when they were awarded a penalty kick which Galway’s Cathal Kenny duly dispatched beyond ‘keeper Michael Savage.
UCD manage to slim the Vincents advantage to six points after half time with scores from Roscommon U-21 dual star Niall Kilroy and Meath’s Ciaran Kelly.However a fourth goal from St. Vincents from Diarmuid Connolly after a defensive mix up put the game beyond UCD.
St Vincent’s Scorers: T. Quinn 1-2 (0-2f), D. Connolly 1-2 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45’), C. Dorney 1-3, P. Lee 1-1, S. Carthy 0-1, P. Lee 0-2.
UCD Scorers: C. Kenny 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f) N. Kilroy 0-5 (0-f), C. Kelly 0-2 (2f), D. St. Leger (1f), M. Brazil 0-1 each.
St. Vincents: M. Savage; R. Stapleton, E. Brady, W. Lowry; M. Concarr, T. Diamond, N. Billings; E. Fennell, M. Loftus; K. Golden, P. Lee, S. Carthy; C. Dorney, D. Connolly, T. Quinn. Subs: C. Brady for Carthy (ht), A. Baxter for Quinn (47), D. Ó Murchú for Loftus (54), N. Mullins for Golden (57), K. Bonnie for Lowry (59).
UCD: M. McGinley; M. Fitzsimons, C. Forde, M. Furlong; J. Hayes, C. Brady, D. Maguire; D. Kingston, M. Brazil; C. McConnell, C. Kenny, D. St Leger; N. Kilroy, M. O”Hanlon, C. Kelly. Subs: M. McGowan for Hayes (ht), J. Cocoman for Brazil (ht), R. Mallon for St. Leger (37), L. Cawley for O”Hanlon (40), L. Keaney for Maguire (47).
Referee – B. Carroll (Fingal Ravens).
The Belfield men managed to pick themselves up in spectacular fashion with a midweek Ryan Cup victory against their bitter rivals DCU with the scoreline 1-10 0-4. A tenacious all round team performance limited DCU to just 0-3 with a strong wind advantage in the first half and in the second dangermen Niall Kilroy and Mayo’s Lewis Cawley terrorised the DCU defence to great effect. The College now have NUI Maynooth to look forward to as they build towards the O’Byrne Cup and coveted Sigerson Cup in the spring once more.
