Leinster club SFC: 14 man Vincent's escape from Mullingar with a win

November 10, 2013

St Lomans' Steven Gilmore with Adam Baxter of St Vincent's.
©INPHO/Morgan Treacy.
St Vincents (Dublin) 0-11
St Lomans (Westmeath) 0-9

St Vincent's booked an AIB Leinster Club SFC semi-final date with Summerhill of Meath, despite being reduced to 14 men after six minutes this afternoon at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Vincents' captain Ger Brennan saw red after just six minutes of this tie, in a game where the Marino outfit were forced to dig deep, with a brace of points from scorer-in-chief Tomás Quinn handing the Dublin champions a vital lead late on.

Loman's first venture into Leinster Club action began brightly with their scorer in chief John Heslin bagging the first score of this tie after just a minute.

Tomás Quinn levelled matters a minute later, with the first of his three first half points from frees.

The Westmeath champions continued to impress in the early stages and caused havoc in the Vincent's defence, with Reilly through for a goal in the fourth minute, following a Shane Dempsey pass.

However, St Vincent's goalkeeper Michael Savage was fully alert pulling off two saves from efforts by the Loman's half forward.

Loman's search for a second score continued to prove difficult, but they were handed a lifeline following the dismissal of Vincent's defender Ger Brennan after six minutes.

The Vincents captain was shown a straight red card following an off the ball incident, after Brennan landed a punch into the stomach of St Loman's forward Kelvin Reilly.

Reilly edged Loman's back ahead with a well struck point in the ninth minute, before Ciaran Dorney brought the sides level at 0-2 apiece after 11 minutes.

Although Loman's edged in front at the end of the first quarter following a Dempsey score, Vincent's hit back with four unanswered points.

Tommy Conroy's charges also had a goal chance during this spell, with Dorney setting up Adam Baxter, but the latter's shot blazed wide of the target.

Scores from Quinn (2), Dorney and Burke handed Vincents a 0-6 to 0-3 lead after 23 minutes, but a Willie McGovern score ensured two points separated the sides at the interval.

Scores were at a premium in the third quarter, as both sides struggled in front of the posts during the opening minutes of the second half.

Vincents registered three wides during this spell, while their Westmeath counterparts had two.

A trio of Loman's points between the 39th and 44th minutes, including two Heslin pointed frees handed the Westmeath champions a 0-7 to 0-6 lead.

A second Dempsey point handing Loman's the lead after a superb save by Stephen Gallagher from a Dorney goal shot at the opposite end.

St Vincent's eventually broke their second half scoring deadlock in the 48th minute following a Quinn point, and although Loman's regained the lead following a second Reilly point, Quinn ensured a grandstand finish as he tied the game for the sixth time.

Quinn continued to impress late on, with back-to-back points ensuring a late 0-10 to 0-8 lead.

Although Heslin bagged his fourth point to cut the gap to the minimum, Vincent's held on for victory, with Ruairi Treanor claiming a late insurance score.

Scorers for St Vincents: T Quinn (5f, 1 45) 0-7; C Dorney 0-2; G Burke, R Treanor 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Lomans: J Heslin (3f) 0-4; K Reilly, S Dempsey 0-2 each; W McGovern 0-1.

ST VINCENTS: M Savage; M Concarr, J Curley, H Gill; C Diamond, G Brennan, B Egan; M Loftus, E Fennell; G Burke, T Diamond, A Baxter; R Trainor, C Dorney, T Quinn. Subs: K Bonnie for T Diamond (20); S Carthy for Burke (33); K Golden for Loftus (36); D Murphy for Baxter (41); N Mullins for Dorney (56).

ST LOMANS: S Gallagher; S Gilmore, S Flynn, J O'Toole; P Dowdall, G Glennon, D Rushe; C Kilmurray, W McGovern; E Price, K Reilly, C Reilly; P Sharry, J Heslin, S Dempsey. Subs: C Cochrane for Rushe (29); A Carroll for Dowdall (49); G Hickey for C Reilly (56).

REFEREE: Damien Brazil (Offaly)

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