Anne’s pip last season’s wasteful finalists by point
St. Anne’s stunned last year’s beaten finalists with a strong start, racing into a 1-5 to nil lead by the 13th minute after Mayo native Seán Kelly pointed his side in front with an early free.
They went on to kick four successive points without reply through Jonathan Fogarty, Redmond Barry (free), Mark Furlong and Fogarty once again with a fine long-range effort to lead by 0-5 to nil after just twelve minutes, with Glynn-Barntown wide with four point attempts.
Glynn-Barntown were coughing up the midfield possession where Jonathan Fogarty and Ben Moore were in command.
And the leaders got a crucial breakthrough after 13 minutes when Kelly turned his marker before shooting low across ‘keeper Matt Doyle into the opposite corner of the net, leaving his side leading by 1-5 to nil.
A Rioghan Crosbie 14th-minute point opened his side’s account. After James Stafford added a point, a fine catch, turn and low shot from Craig Doyle brought his side back into contention as he found the corner of the net after 28 minutes.
Michael O’Regan pointed a free minutes later to leave the eventual winners leading by 1-5 to 1-3 at the interval.
Glynn-Barntown were at the centre of the early second-half attacking, leading to points from Fanning (two, one free) and Rioghan Crosbie to push them in front by 1-6 to 1-5 after 41 minutes.
St. Anne’s regained their composure, responding with points from Seán Gaul (45-metre free) and Redmond Barry (two, one free) to regain the lead (1-8 to 1-6) by the end of the third quarter.
The sides continued to trade points, with a Robert Dempsey effort leaving the minimum separating them, but Redmond Barry and Andy Kennedy responded with points, as Fanning converted a free in between.
With one minute remaining Fanning’s free left it 1-10 to 1-9, and then came those late missed chances as St. Anne’s held out for a deserved victory, defending the final minutes with 14 players after Jack Murphy received a second yellow card.