Making their debut in the Leinster club championship after recently winning the Longford title for the first time, Abbeylara sprang a surprise when they beat a fancied St Joseph's side by the minimum of margins in miserable wet and windy conditions at Pearse Park.
The winners only trailed by the narrow margin of two points, 0-5 to 0-3, at the interval after playing against a stiff breeze.
Goalkeeper John Joe Reilly saved a penalty from the boot of St Joseph's midfielder PJ Dempsey in the 41st minute and Abbeylara hit the front when Peter Lynch fired over a brace of long-range frees in the space of a couple of minutes. While St Joseph's drew level, Peter Lynch landed what proved to be the winning point in the final minute of normal time.
ABBEYLARA: JJ Reilly; C Drake, D Ledwith, S Higgins; J McEntire, E Ledwith, K Brady; A O'Connor, D Smyth; E Farrell (0-1), P Lynch (0-3, frees), J O'Brien (0-1); G Fay (0-1), N Sheridan (0-2, 1 free), M O'Connor. Subs: G Gilligan for Higgins (43 mins); B Cunningham for O'Brien (59).
ST JOSEPH'S: E Burke; C George, F Lacey, P Rowan; A Lacey (0-1), L Stapleton (0-1), W Hooney; N Garvan, PJ Dempsey; Mark O'Brien (0-1), M Dempsey, J Murphy; S Kelly (0-2, frees), W Knowles, C Kelly (0-1). Subs: Michael O'Brien for Knowles (half-time); T Kelly (0-1) for C Kelly (50 mins).
Referee: B Duff (Kildare).
