St Vincent’s 0-11
St Loman’s 0-09
On the face of it St Loman’s were rightfully installed as outsiders for this Leinster quarter-final showdown with Dublin kingpins St Vincent’s. Yet when the dust had settled there was a certainly a feeling of the one that got away about this game as 14-man St Vincent’s just about did enough to progress to a place in the last four.
A number of factors levelled the playing field and gave the home side a genuine opportunity to progress. Vincent’s were playing their third big game in a week and were without their tally man Diarmuid Connolly who was red-carded in the Dublin final. The dismissal of Ger Brennan after six minutes must have had the northside club thinking the gods were very much against them. Yet for all of Vincent’s woes St Loman’s, perhaps due to their inexperience at this level, failed to take advantage and were left wondering what might have been.
Lomans missed a good goal opportunity in the fourth minute but it was 14 man Vincent’s who held the upper hand throughout the opening half carrying a 0-4 to 0-2 lead into the break.
Midway through the second half Declan Rowley’s side got their noses in front for the first time but the lead was short lived. Vincent’s hit three unanswered points to move 0-10 to 0-08 ahead. John Heslin, who was more subdued than usual, narrowed the gap to one but the Marino men had the final say with a late point which saw them deservedly advance.
Opportunities like this don’t come along too often in a player’s career and I can’t help feeling that a number of Loman’s players will have regrets about letting the chance of playing in a provincial club semi-final slip.
Defeat brings the curtain down on what has been a memorable year for St Loman’s who captured their first county title in 50 years. They acquitted themselves well in the provincial campaign beating Old Leighlin and pushing Vincent’s to the limit. They can now enjoy a well-deserved winter break.
