ST VINCENT’S 0-16 PALATINE (Carlow) 0-8

A scoring surge at the three-quarter mark put Dublin champions St Vincent’s on their way to victory in Sunday’s Leinster club SFC quarter-final at Netwatch Cullen Park.

The Marino men 0-8 to 0-6 ten minutes into the second half before they hit five unanswered points to give themselves the breathing space as they progress to a provincial semi-final away against Longford’s St Columba’s, Mullinalaghta in two weeks (who defeated Westmeath’s St Loman’s 0-14 to 1-9).

Vincent’s lost Diarmuid Connolly to a black card in the 19^th minute of the opening half as they led 0-5 to 0-3 the break.

Early points from Enda Varley and Cormac Diamond got Vins out of the traps but the Carlow champions worked their way into the contest.

Vins restarted the second half well with points from Tomás Quinn and sub Albert Martin before Palatine responded with scores from Jason Kane and a Shane O’Neill free.

But it was the Vincent’s scoring spree from the 40^th minute that ensured the safe passage of Tommy Conroy’s men.

Quinn struck three points in this period, two frees, with the influential duo Shane Carthy and Cormac Diamond also on target.

Diamond had an outstanding game and in the absence of team captain Connolly really stepped into the lead role when scoring five points from play as well as playing his part in three other scores.

SCORERS – St Vincent’s: T Quinn (0-3f), Cormac Diamond 0-5 each, S Carthy 0-3, E Varley, A Martin, R Trainor 0-1 each. Palatine: S O’Neill 0-3 (0-1f), B Kelly (0-1f), J Kenny, J Kane, S Reilly, C Crowley 0-1 each.

ST VINCENT’S: M Savage; C Wilson, J Curley, M Concarr; B Egan, G Brennan, Cameron Diamond; D Murphy, S Carthy; G Burke, D Connolly, Cormac Diamond; R Trainor, E Varley, T Quinn. Subs: J Feeney for Connolly (black card, 19), A Martin for Murphy (34), A Baxter for Varley (41), K Golden for Burke (48), J McCusker for Trainor (55), F Breathnach for Brennan (57).

PALATINE: C Kearney; M Rennick, C Lawlor, C O’Doherty; J Brennan, C Crowley, S Reilly; N Reid, J Kane; S O’Neill, C Moran, D Reid; C Crowley, J Kenny, T Kenny. Subs: P Reid for J Kenny (40), J Reid for Reilly (54), B Kelly for O’Neill (59).

REF: N Ward (Westmeath).

(Above: Diarmuid Connolly signs autographs for young supporters from both clubs after the game)