Big win for super Saints
SEEMINGLY on the verge of a Tom Doyle Supplies Senior Football Championship relegation final, St James’ summoned on all their reserves to battle past Glynn-Barntown in Hollymount on Friday evening last.
The Ramsgrange boys were eight points down at the interval (2-6 to 0-4) and frankly looked devoid of ideas.
In reality the Killurin side should have been further ahead having coasted through the first thirty minutes.
It was probably the ease in which they cruised into the lead that left them in a false state of security. They were simply unable to go up the gears when St James’ increased the tempo after the break and eventually the incessant pressure told.
Over the course of the sixty minutes there can be no argument that the St James’ didn’t deserve to take the win.
When they absolutely had to find something special every one of their fifteen, plus their confident subs, dug deep and they simply willed themselves to victory.
They actually opened the scoring through Mark Molloy but managed just two frees and a Donal Barron point from play in the rest of the first half.
Most of the action was happening at the other end where Barry Doyle fired his side into the lead with an eighth minute goal after being played into the clear by Mark Fanning.
Fanning netted himself with a fisted effort from Brendan Doyle’s hand-pass across goal to make it 2-1 to 0-1 after ten minute.
They were awarded a penalty when Doyle was hit while shooting and also appeared to possibly be foot-blocked but bizarrely referee Billy Dodd changed his mind after consulting with his umpire.
Alan Cowman and John Leacy scores helped their side into that eight point lead at the break but St James’ came roaring back, dominating midfield, winning all the high ball and scoring seven unanswered points in sixteen second half minutes, with Darragh Lyons on target three times, to pull within one.
The Wexford district side seemed to have weathered the storm and led 2-9 to 0-13 with four minutes left but Brian Molloy’s major fired St James’ ahead for the first time since the seventh minute and Emmet Dunning punched home from Graeme Molloy’s pass to rubber stamp the victory a minute later.
Glynn-Barntown, who had Craig Doyle dismissed for a second yellow in injury time, should still safely progress.
They can not drop to last place and into the relegation final and, given their score difference, it’s highly unlikely that they will come up short in their bid for a knockout spot, even if they lose their final game against Shels.
Things are more complicated for St James’.
They will avoid a relegation final with victory against Starlights - a result which may well see them into the last eight - a draw should also grant them that luxury of evading a drop decider while a loss will leave them facing Sarsfields regardless of other results.
ST JAMES’: John Ryan; Paul Barron (capt.), Jason Barron, Greg Doyle; Darragh Lyons (0-4, 3 frees), Robbie Barron, David Doyle; Matthew O’Hanlon (0-1), Brendan Doyle; Daniel Keating, Donal Barron (0-2), Brian Molloy (1-0); Tommy Walsh (0-3, 2 frees), Graeme Molloy (0-1), Mark Molloy (0-2). Subs. - Alan Walsh for Keating, inj (54), Liam Murphy for B. Doyle (57), Emmet Dunning (1-0) for D. Barron (57), Michael O’Grady for M. Molloy (60), Shane Murphy for Lyons, inj (60+3).
GLYNN-BARNTOWN: Richie Ryan; David Clarke, Padraig Donnelly, Stephen Donnelly; James Stafford, John Leacy (0-1, capt.), Alan Cowman (0-1); Jack Fenlon, Michael Doyle; Fionn Cooney, Barry Doyle (1-0), Rioghan Crosbie (0-1); Mark Fanning (1-2, 0-2 frees), Brendan Doyle (0-1), Robbie Dempsey (0-3, 2 frees). Subs. - Rowan White for Crosbie, temp (26-35), R. White for Fanning, inj (35), Craig Doyle for Barry Doyle, inj (37), Nigel Usher for S. Donnelly (44), Gary Delaney for Cooney (56).
REFEREE: Billy Dodd (Sarsfields)