The decline of St Brigid’s as Connacht and All-Ireland club football champions at the weekend contrasted with the rise again of St Vincent’s.
Few club teams stay at the top for long. Yet in setting up a Leinster final showdown with Portlaoise, on Sunday week, St Vincent's have set themselves up with the chance to claim the provincial title in the same year as winning the county title.
Leinster title
They've also positioned themselves to become the fifth Dublin champions in seven years to claim the Leinster title, and following on from their last success, in 2007.
That may be a reflection of Dublin’s increasing dominance at intercounty level but after Ballymun Kickhams (last year), and Kilmacud Crokes (in 2008 and 2010), it is becoming more difficult for other counties to get a look in.
Portlaoise, however, who top the Leinster roll of honour, with seven titles – the last in 2009 – won’t fear the challenge of St Vincent’s, and no one is more aware of that than the Dublin side’s corner forward Tomás Quinn.
After scoring 1-8 in the semi-final win over Summerhill on Sunday, Quinn was keen to stress that Portlaoise are one of the few clubs in the country who measure success not so much in county titles as in the provincial sort.
“They’re probably at the stage now where they don’t benchmark themselves in winning Laois championships,” said Quinn, “they’re looking for Leinster and All-Irelands.
“They’ve also showed the same kind of character we’ve showed at times this year where they obviously don’t give up and they stick to their game plan.”
Indeed it was a slow start for St Vincent's on Sunday; they trailed for much of the opening half before Quinn's goal, on 24 minutes, swung the momentum in their favour. That they won through without the suspended Ger Brennan and Diarmuid Connolly – who will be back for the Leinster final on Sunday week – also hints at more to come the next day.
Opportunity
"I suppose it is a cliché that you are only as strong as your panel," added Quinn, "and we are putting it to the test at the moment. Ideally you don't want to have to do that. You don't get better without those lads there but in fairness to the lads that have come in it has provided an opportunity for somebody else.
“I think any team that comes out of Dublin will feel they’ve got a chance at winning a Leinster title. The Dublin championship is so competitive. Like we had two games against Ballymun, and if you stay injury-free, you’ve got a chance and thankfully we’re still there.”
Quinn is one of several survivors from the St Vincent’s team that won the All-Ireland club title outright, in 2008, the main difference now being his retirement from intercounty football this time last year: Quinn is clearly relishing the twilight of his club career, with no regrets about exiting the intercounty stage.
“Well I didn’t expect to wind down. I came out of intercounty football and it was the right time for me. My body was in good shape, I felt good. I had a couple of years of serious training under my belt. Thankfully I’ve been injury-free and the challenge was to stay injury-free and try and make an impact at club level.”
What is certain is whoever wins in Tullamore on Sunday week will next February face the winners of this Sunday's Ulster football final between Ballinderry (Derry) and Glenswilly (Donegal) – assuming the winners there overcome London champions Kingdom Kerry Gaels in the All-Ireland quarter-final on Sunday week.
Three-time
Newly-crowned Connacht champions Castlebar Mitchels, who on Sunday ended St Brigid's run as All-Ireland and three-time provincial champions, will go into the other All-Ireland semi-final next February against the winners of Sunday's Munster football final between Dr Crokes (Kerry) and Cratloe (Clare).
