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Tom Cunniffe of Castlebar surrounded by Tomas Quinn, Diarmuid Connolly and Ciaran Dorney of Vincent's. Donall Farmer/INPHO

Masterful Diarmuid Connolly the hero as St Vincent's clinch SFC club title

The Dublin forward was too hot to handle for Castlebar Mitchels at Croke Park this afternoon.

St Vincent’s 4-12

Castlebar Mitchels 2-11

DIARMUID CONNOLLY DELIVERED a virtuoso performance in the St Vincent’s attack to give the Dublin side a richly deserved SFC club final win. The Dublin forward scored 2-5 and set up his team’s two other goals in a seven point win over Castlebar Mitchels.

Shane Carthy opened the scoring for the Dubliners. Mitchels first notable contribution to the match was to lose Richie Feeney to a black card after only five minutes. They responded to the set-back when Patrick Durcan lofted over a point. Conolly and Tom King traded points before the Dublin forward found wing-back Michael Concarr, who calmly slotted home Vincent’s first goal.

The following 15 minutes were dominated by the Connacht champions as King and Durcan kept up their scoring contributions. Points from Neil Lydon and Neil Douglas had Mitchels 0-8 to 1-2 after 25 minutes. Vincent’s finished the half on a high, however, as Connolly set up Ciaran Dorney to ram home another goal. Ruairi Trainor and Mitchels’ Barry Moran traded points and the scores were level, 2-3 to 0-9, at the break.

King opened the scoring for the Mayo side after 31 minutes but Carthy soon levelled matters and Mossy Quinn put Vincent’s ahead with two points on the spin. Conolloy extended the advantage before Lydon knocked over a steepler to keep his side in the hunt. Mitchels were right back in the match after 43 minutes, however, as Danny Kirby pounced on a rebound to make it 2-7 to 1-11.

Michael Concar of Vincent's score's the first goal of the game Michael Concarr scores for Vincent's. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Conolly’s growing influence would soon show in dramatic fashion on the Croke Park scoreboard. A hopeful punt bounced over the Mitchels defence and the forward got a crucial flick on to direct the ball past Ciaran Naughton. He added two more points and, with 10 minutes left, Vincent’s looked home clear. Conolly then weaved through the Castlebar defence and slotted home. He added yet another point to make it an 11-point game going into the last five minutes.

Kirby scored a close range goal for Mitchels to give them hope of a late comeback but Vincent’s closed out the game and the final scores went to them as Carthy and Kevin Golden pointed.

Scorers for St Vincent’s: Diarmuid Connolly 2-5, Shane Carthy 0-3, Ciaran Dorney, Michael Concarr 1-0 each, Tomas Quinn 0-2 (0-1f), Kevin Golden (0-1f), Ruairi Trainor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Castlebar Mitchels: Danny Kirby 2-0, Neil Lydon 0-3, Tom King (0-2f), Patrick Durcan 0-2 each, Barry Moran, Neil Douglas, Fergal Durcan, Aidan Walsh 0-1 each.

ST VINCENT’S: Michael Savage; Kevin Bonnie, Jarlath Curley, Hugh Gill; Ger Brennan, Brendan Egan, Michael Concarr; Daithi Murphy, Eamon Fennell; Gavin Burke, Diarmuid Connolly, Shane Carthy; Ruairi Trainor, Ciaran Dorney, Tomas Quinn.

Subs: Tiernan Diamond for Burke (35), Cameron Diamond for Fennell (inj) (43), Kevin Golden for Trainor (50), Adam Baxter for Dorney (58), Nathan Mullins for Carthy (60).

CASTLEBAR MITCHELS: Ciaran Naughton; Alan Feeney, Eoghan O’Reilly, Ray O’Malley; Donal Newcombe, Tom Cunniffe, Patrick Durcan; Gerard McDonagh, Barry Moran; Neil Lydon, Aidan Walsh, Richie Feeney; Danny Kirby, Neil Douglas, Tom King.

Subs: Fergal Durcan for Feeney (black card) (5), James Durcan for Douglas (49), David Joyce for O’Malley (55), Shane Hopkins for McDonagh (58), Kevin Filan for Fergal Durcan (61).

Referee: Eddie Kinsella (Laois)

Portumna are the 2014 SHC club champions after victory over Mount Leinster Rangers

As it happened: St Vincent’s v Castlebar Mitchels, AIB All-Ireland SFC club final

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43 Comments
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    Mute John McCabe
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:12 PM

    Connolly gave an exhibition of football

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    Mute P O Leary
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:32 PM

    Well done St Vincents. Its the greatest honour in GAA in my opinion. Must be a great feeling…

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    Mute Darragh Brennan
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:39 PM

    Connolly was untouchable today..Ger Brennan also showed why he’s vital to the dublin defence. Don’t party to hard lads, your county needs you!!

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    Mute Shane O'Donnell
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:29 PM

    Congratulations to the Vincent’s lads

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    Mute Steve M
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    Mar 17th 2014, 7:06 PM

    Two Mayo clubs have lost an all Irelands already this year and it’s only March….please this will change later in the year. Getting fed up of leaving croke park on final day depressed.

    Well done Vincent’s though on a deserved win. If Connolly plays like that for Dublin this year they will win Sam no question.

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    Mute Gizmo mac
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:40 PM

    Die he break anyone’s jaw?

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    Mute Gus Lynch
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:15 PM

    No.

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    Mute Brian Fitzmaurice
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    Mar 17th 2014, 9:13 PM

    No: Just the Mayo hearts AGAIN

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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:54 PM

    Connolly was superb yet again,a well deserved win for Vincents.

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    Mute Critical Thoughts
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:08 PM

    Hate to say it but Connolly is a different class. If he could do what he did today and cut all the other shite out of his game he’ll be player of the year come September. I’d imagine every lad that marks him will wind him up something terrible though. I know I would!!

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    Mute Stephen Duggan
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:54 PM

    Some year for Dublin football,all four major titles held at same time. Has that been done before anyone know ?

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    Mute Edmund Dantes
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    Mar 17th 2014, 5:56 PM

    ger brennan is a typical howaya, ignorant and displaying a shocking lack of class with that speech, hopefully most people cant understand that howaya accent.

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    Mute Peter Murtagh
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:17 PM

    Even though I know you’re a troll I think you should know that ger brennan is studying theology and as far as I’m aware he doesn’t drink either. That’s from a meath fan who doesn’t like st vins, but credit where it’s due they were more than worthy winners

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    Mute Confused dotcom
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:20 PM

    Ridiculous comment.

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    Mute Edmund Dantes
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:23 PM

    how does any of that useless information change the nature of his speech? , he’s just perpetuating the stereotype.

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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:23 PM

    Ger Brennan also does outstanding charity work and is an inspiration to the kids he teaches.A gifted player who well deserves his medal today.

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    Mute Paul Kenny
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:27 PM

    Ah, cmon.put your your real name up if you want to engage in that vile trolling .you bellend.

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    Mute Edmund Dantes
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:33 PM

    whatever you howayas say, a dig hinting at the gooch, when the man is recovering from a cruciate injury is pathetic and shows up the mans ignorance and lack of class. Put the mic down if you can’t put together a coherent sentence that doesn’t ridicule other players.

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    Mute Neil Duffy
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:43 PM

    Sorry, but do you recall how many times has he been sent off for violent behaviour. Along with this hypocritical behaviour and spouting of religious crap. He should most definitely not be an inspiration to kids.

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    Mute Darragh Donnelly
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:55 PM

    He is a well educated man, NUI Maynooth, a post primary teacher, spends huge amount if time coaching young kids. Not everyone is great at making speeches, in fact few are – it certainly doesn’t make him ignorant ? If anyone is ignorant it’s you !

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    Mute Conor Gallagher
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:56 PM

    It was the first time I heard a winning football captain thank the support the players received from their girlfriends, boyfriends and families.

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    Mute Aideen Thornton
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    Mar 17th 2014, 7:15 PM

    Ger Brennan (and Diarmuid Connolly) is now Dublin, Leinster club, All-Ireland club, NFL, Leinster and All-Ireland champion all at the same time… Call him a ‘howaya’ all you like, us Dubs just see him as a Champion.

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    Mute Darragh Donnelly
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    Mar 17th 2014, 7:35 PM

    Haters will always hate !

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    Mute Damien Mongey
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    Mar 17th 2014, 8:33 PM

    And I say he is at home crying over ur comment. U clown. SEE U ALL IN COPPERS

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    Mute Uridium_Max
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    Mar 17th 2014, 9:44 PM

    Perhaps if you took the sod of turf off your shoulder you might have realised that he was having a go at the aib add that was having a go at gooch. The exact opposite of what you wanted to hear, but you obviously were’nt able to understand his refined dublin accent. He also showed he is a fluent irish speaker and made a reference to players boyfriends which is to be commended. A natural speaker and leader and a good footballer to boot.

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Mar 17th 2014, 10:42 PM

    Uridium_Max — Exactly. His speech was spot on.

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    Mute Aideen Thornton
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    Mar 17th 2014, 10:47 PM

    http://balls.ie/gaa/video-ger-brennan-gives-progressive-gaa-winning-speech-ever/

    Possibly one of the most well spoken ‘howaya’ accents I’ve ever heard! As for being ‘ignorant’ I think it’s clear based on what he said that couldn’t be further from the truth.

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    Mute P O Leary
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    Mar 18th 2014, 7:40 AM

    Lads. Will you stop feeding all these sad, pathetic,attention seeking fools. Just ignore there comments and let them live there sad little lives. If they dont get a reaction they will get bored and move on.

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    Mute Brian maher
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    Jun 10th 2014, 1:24 PM

    Howya

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    Mute Neil Peckham
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    Mar 17th 2014, 6:26 PM

    Well Done Vins, Well deserved. Thought they were up against it at half time and goals were keeping them in it but they turned it around in the 2nd half. Connolly is class.

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    Mute The whistler
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    Mar 17th 2014, 8:21 PM

    Not only is Connolly a great forward but he’s also the worlds leading popeye impersonator

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Mar 17th 2014, 7:03 PM

    Brilliant display of football and shooting by Vincents today. Connolly a class apart from everybody else today he was untouchable. Will be glad to see him back in a Dublin jersey soon and helping us win Sam again…hopefully :)

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    Mute TK Maxx To Castlebar
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    Mar 18th 2014, 1:08 AM

    3 times in 18 months I have left croke park broken dreading the trip back to Castlebar, please god let it end soon. Well done Vincent’s, you deserved it.

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    Mute baz newham
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    Mar 17th 2014, 9:23 PM

    Don’t care what anyone says , the man should be in jail ! Anyone one that’s man enough to leave a red thumb please leave an answer why !! He was a born thinker

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    Mute baz newham
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    Mar 17th 2014, 9:24 PM

    Is a born

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    Mute Aideen Thornton
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    Mar 17th 2014, 9:42 PM

    He’s a thinker alright! I’m sure he thinks a lot about how best to take all his points/goals.

    As for your other point, maybe wait till he’s actually been sentenced before you moan about the fact he’s ‘not in jail’.

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    Mute Darragh Donnelly
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    Mar 17th 2014, 10:12 PM

    He’s a young man who made a mistake – you ever make a mistake baz or are you one of these perfect people ? We all make mistakes & try to learn from them !

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    Mute Darragh Donnelly
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    Mar 17th 2014, 10:32 PM

    @Aideen
    Well said !

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Mar 17th 2014, 10:43 PM

    “He was a born thinker”

    Unlike yourself, Baz.

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    Mute Keith Mac Laithimh
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    Mar 17th 2014, 10:44 PM

    If everyone that’s ever threw a dig should be put in jail, then the world would be a small place

    No ones condoning what he did, he made a mistake, a big one, but people make mistakes, that’s life. He’s accepting his punishment, what else do you want?

    As for the Ger Brennan comments above..they just show people’s ignorance. The man is a class act off the pitch. Yet a few isolated incidents on the pitch make people’s minds up that he’s a so and so, and a ‘howiya’ (nice dig at Dublin). Christ. As for the speech, so what, some people are rubbish at speeches.

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    Mute rose
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    Mar 18th 2014, 2:24 AM

    2 great goals from Kirby,mitchels lost it in the last 20 mins,but a great clean football final

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    Mute Lashes
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    Mar 17th 2014, 11:59 PM

    Is Tim Doyle playing with Vincent’s anymore?

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