by Ronan Fagan: St. Martin’s 2-8, Glynn-Barntown 1-7
A strong finish to the first-half catapulted 2013 winners St. Martin’s past neighbours Glynn-Barntown in Sunday afternoon’s quarter-final of the Tom Doyle Supplies county SFC at sunny Innovate Wexford Park.
Glynn-Barntown were seeking to make amends for their exit at the same stage to the Martin’s last year, and the Killurin-men led 1-2 to 0-3 before their opponents reeled-off 2-4 without reply inside the last eleven minutes of the first-half to advance to the semi-finals for the fourth straight campaign.
An enterprising start by Glynn-Barntown yielded a penalty forced by Rioghan Crosbie, which the no.13 duly smashed to the Clonard-end net in the third-minute.
But St. Martin’s quickly responded through Barry O’Connor, Ciarán Lyng and Jamie Carty (free) to tie matters 0-3 to 1-0 in the seventh-minute.
A keenly contested but lengthy scoreless spell followed before Craig Doyle pointed Glynn-Barntown back in front on 16 minutes. But the fluid opening to this derby saw wing-back Rowan White effect a fine block on a subsequent goaling effort by St. Martin’s no.7, Patrick O’Connor.
Michael O’Regan increased Glynn-Barntown’s lead to 1-2 to 0-3 before St. Martin’s began to rule the roost.
Indeed, the Martin’s seized the initiative in the next attack, when a long delivery found Ciarán Lyng racing through with options before his stinging drive crashed back off an upright. But the unmarked Jamie Carty was in the right place to plant the rebound on 19 minutes, and Barry O’Connor, Daithí Waters’ and Lyng points added to a 1-6 to 1-2 transformation after 24 minutes.
The maroon-clad men were now in flying form, and they bolted 2-6 to 1-2 clear moments later when Jamie Carty’s deft pass found Jack O’Connor racing in alone to coolly slot to the town-end rigging.
St. Martin’s were simply masterful at this stage, and Barry O’Connor’s third personal point three minutes into added-time moved them ahead 2-7 to 1-2 at the break.
Glynn-Barntown encouraged when striking with points from Rioghan Crosbie and Michael O’Regan (free) inside the first two minutes of the restart.
But truly the half was devoid of any genuine excitement.
St. Martin’s eventually ended their scoring impasse when Peter Barry made it a double-scores game after 45 minutes (2-8 to 1-4).
The winners finished with 14 men.
But while Rioghan Crosbie (free), John Leacy and sub Stephen Lyne pegged back points, there was no real danger to St. Martin’s advancement, although Glynn-Barntown had cause to rue some woeful free-taking.
St. Martin’s – Luke White, Mark Maloney, Willie Devereux, Philip Dempsey, Peter Barry (0-1), Aaron Maddock, Paudie Kelly, Daithí Waters (0-1), Ben Maddock, Patrick O’Connor, Ciarán Lyng (0-2), Jake Firman, Jamie Carty (1-1, 0-1 free), Jack O’Connor (1-0), Barry O’Connor (0-3, 1 free).
Subs: Harry O’Connor for Patrick O’Connor; Joe O’Connor for Ciarán Lyng; Darren Codd for Peter Barry; Jack Devereux for Jamie Carty; Kyle Firman for Philip Dempsey.
Glynn-Barntown – Matt Doyle, David Clarke, Pádraig Donnelly, Jack Fenlon, Rowan White, John Leacy (0-1), James Stafford, Michael Doyle, Craig Doyle (0-1), Fionn Cooney, Barry Doyle, Aaron Breen, Rioghan Crosbie (1-2, 1-0 penalty, 0-1 free), Brendan Doyle, Michael O’Regan (0-2 frees).
Subs: Rob Tierney for Jack Fenlon; Shane Wilde for Brendan Doyle; Alan Cowman for Michael O’Regan; (black-card, Nigel Usher for Craig Doyle); Dylan Lyne for Rioghan Crosbie; Stephen Lyne (0-1) for Barry Doyle.
Referee – Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).
