St Loman’s 2-10 Rathnew 1-06
St Loman’s led throughout as they booked an AIB Leinster SFC semi-final with Ballyboden St. Enda’s following a 2-10 to 1-06 win over Rathnew in Aughrim.
Lomans moved 1-04 to 0-00 ahead after 16 minutes, with David Windsor netting their goal.
Rathnew worked hard in the second quarter, with James Stafford finishing to the net, though, Loman’s led by 1-06 to 1-01 at the break and never looked back.
Adam Gaffney netted their second goal on the stroke of injury time to confirm a seven-point win.
After Rathnew had overcome a fancied Edenderry side by a point a fortnight ago, hopes were high of yet another win for the Wicklow champions.
But Loman’s showed from the off why a Westmeath title isn’t the only silverware on their minds for 2015.
They were immense in the opening quarter, with this strong start proving key on the way to a comfortable seven point victory.
Seven points clear after 16 minutes, with Windsor finding the back of the Rathnew net, Loman’s conceded their first score three minutes later from Jody Merrigan.
Both Merrigan and James Stafford saw red in the closing 10 minutes of this match, at a crucial stage for the Wicklow outfit.
Rathnew pulled the gap back to three points on a 1-08 to 1-05 score-line after 51 minutes, and again that was the margin separating the teams with four minutes left on the clock.But Merrigan’s 59th minute red card, coupled with a late Gaffney goal saw St Loman’s advance to the last four.
St Loman’s: J Daly; G Grehan, S Flynn, J O’Toole; G Glennon, P Dowdall, D Whelan; A Gaffney (1-00), P Sharry (0-01, 1 ‘45’); K Lynam (0-01), J Heslin (0-04, 4f), D Windsor (1-00); K Casey (0-01), K Reilly (0-02), S Dempsey (0-01, 1 ‘45’).
Subs: C Reilly for P Dowdall (42); R O’Toole for Windsor (44); C Kilmurry for S Dempsey (56).
Rathnew: P Dignam; P Merrigan, D Power, J Snell; W Kavanagh, R O’Brien (0-01), J Manley; A Merriman (0-4, 4f), J Stafford (1-00); E Glynn, L Glynn, T Smyth; N Mernagh (0-01), J Merrigan, S Byrne.
Subs: Graham Merrigan for S Byrne (HT); J Byrne for T Smyth (56).
Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)
