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Image Courtesy Paul Lundy
BALLINTEER ST JOHN’S 1-23
ST VINCENT’S 1-11
Ballinteer St John’s produced an accomplished display when comfortably getting the better of St Vincent’s by twelve points in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship clash at a blustery Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was Ballinteer that held a narrow 0-11 to 1-7 lead at half-time with Gavin Burke netting in the 29th minute to hand his side a lift at the turnaround.
However, St Vincent’s failed to build on that score with a glut of scores approaching the three-quarter mark proving more than enough for a dominant St John’s and a goal by Liam Fenton in the dying seconds added gloss to the final scoreline.
St Vincent’s wasting little time in availing of the wind at their backs as Paul Reynolds Hand opened the scoring with a superb two-pointer within forty seconds.
They doubled that lead in the 4th minute as James Brady fired over another two-pointed score but their opponents settled into the match a minute later with Johnny Quirke’s shot deflected over the crossbar by Vinnies goalkeeper Josh O’Neill.
St John’s assumed complete control from that juncture, drawing level by the 9th minute following well-worked scores from Mark McNally, Luke Breathnach and Glenn Whelan.
The procession towards the St Vincent’s goal continued unabated as points followed in the ensuing four minutes from Eoghan Fitzpatrick, Breathnach and McNally as Ballinteer pushed three points clear by the end of the first quarter.
St Vincent’s ended a barren period of fifteen minutes through a score from their captain Gavin Burke but they remained on the back foot for the large part as St John’s extended their lead through Quirke and Jack Lundy (free).
Crucially, the Marino side finished the half strongly and after spurning one goal chance, Burke made amends with a rising shot beyond Aodhan Clabby, reducing his team’s deficit to the bare minimum by the interval.
The contest resumed with the sides exchanging points through Cillian O’Grady of Vincent’s and Ballinteer’s Luke Cullen before Nathan Mullins levelled matters with a powerful effort that was diverted over the crossbar by Clabby.
Both McNally and Quirke impressed on the right flank throughout for St John’s and they added to their respective tallies in the 42nd minute to help regain the initiative.
St John’s built on that momentum as Lundy added a sideline ball before landing a sumptuous two-point free and in an instant, his side had stretched six points clear by the end of the third quarter.
While a point at the opposite end from substitute Kalem O’Brien stemmed the tide briefly, the marauding Quirke kicked his fourth point from wing-back to keep Ballinteer’s lead at a healthy level.
They were allowed to close the game off in relative comfort and added a late goal into the bargain as substitute Liam Fenton raced through from deep before planting an impeccable finish into the bottom corner.
Scorers – Ballinteer St John’s: J Lundy 0-6 (2 F2, 0-1f, 0-1 sideline); J Quirke, M McNally 0-4 each; L Fenton 1-0; L Cullen 0-3; L Breathnach, G Whelan 0-2 each; E Fitzpatrick, S Fenton 0-1 apiece.
St Vincent’s: G Burke 1-2; J Brady (P2), P Reynolds Hand (P2) 0-2 each; M L’Estrange, N Mullins, C O’Grady, S Lowry, K O’Brien 0-1 apiece.
Ballinteer St John’s: A Clabby; C McDonnell, L Smith, M Gardiner; J Quirke, D O’Leary, D Devereux; E Fitzpatrick, J Sweeney; M McNally, J Lundy, S Fenton; L Cullen, G Whelan, L Breathnach. Subs: F Nolan for McDonnell (half-time), N Devereux for Smith (50), L Fenton for Whelan (50), F Duffy for Cullen (56), C Fitzpatrick for D Devereux (56).
St Vincent’s: J O’Neill; S O’Leary, M L’Estrange, S Keogh; J Brady, D Cummins, C Wilson; N Mullins, A Cummins; C O’Grady, J McCusker, H Curley; S Lowry, G Burke, P Reynolds Hand. Subs: K O’Brien for Reynolds Hand (38), C Dunne for O’Grady (41), R O’Neill for Mullins (50), J Curley for A Cummins (50), C O’Connor for McCusker (53).
Referee: Dave Feeney (Pobal Parnell).