Rathkenny came out on top in this Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship Relegation Play Off Semi Final played in Cortown last Thursday evening October 3rd. 

Rathkenny 0-18 Ballinabrackey 0-11

Referee Cormac Reilly threw up the ball and Ballinabrackey won it and attacked at pace to send over the opening score with twenty seconds on the clock. Rathkenny levelled matters through the boot of Noah Jenkinson with two minutes played. A free from Ballinabrackey put them back in front and they extended that lead from another free in the seventh minute. From the kickout Rathkenny won possession and with slick passing found Jack Gore who sent over to reduce the gap. After three consecutive wides, Rathkenny finally levelled matters through a free from Keith Curtis with thirteen minutes gone. Rathkenny edged in front for the first time through James O’Hare on sixteen minutes. It was a lead they would not lose. On eighteen minutes Keith Curtis extended the gap to two from another free. Ballinabrackey replied with a free of their own and the clock showed twenty minutes gone. A brace of frees from the boot of Keith Curtis left three between the sides with three minutes left of the half. There was enough time for Ballinabrackey to send over a free before referee Cormac Reilly blew for half time. 

Rathkenny 0-7 Ballinabrackey 0-5

Two minutes into the second half Keith Curtis sent over from a free. Back came Ballinabrackey with a brace of points one from play, one free, and the gap was back down to the minimum. Within the space of a minute Rathkenny went three in front courtesy of James O’Hare and Noah Jenkinson. With forty-one minutes showing on the clock Ballinabrackey managed to break through the Rathkenny rearguard and were through on goal. Up stepped netminder Charlie Cullen to save a goal bound effort by tipping it round his right-hand post and out for a 45. The Ballinabrackey netminder sent over the subsequent 45 and the gap was down to two points. In the following seven minutes the game ebbed and flowed, Keith Curtis from a free, Ballinabrackey from a free, Ciaran O’Hare from play, Ballinabrackey from play, and Jack Gore from play. So, with ten minutes remaining Rathkenny led by three. Keith Curtis sent over from a free and then from play and Rathkenny were up by five, with the clock showing fifty-three minutes played. Back came the Bracks with a free and the gap was four. Rathkenny upped the tempo, tackling hard and turning over ball repeatedly. Keith Curtis sent over his ninth of the evening and when James Macken sent over on fifty-eight minutes, it felt like it was Rathkennys night. Indeed, try as they might Ballinabrackey could not breach the strong Rathkenny rearguard and the icing on the cake came when Keith Curtis sent over a stoppage time free.

Cormac Reilly brought proceedings to a close and Rathkenny will be playing Senior Football once again in 2025. It is a credit to the management team of Donal Curtis, Ivan Lenehan, Aidan Young, John McCabe, and the full panel of players who finished the year as Division 3 league winners and retained their senior status.

Rathkenny – Charle Cullen; Ross Gore, Adam Byrne, Ciaran O’Hare (0-1); Sean O’Hare, Donal Keogan, Niall Branigan; James O’Hare (0-2), James Macken (0-1); David Curtis, Jack Gore (0-2), Christy Meade; Noah Jenkinson (0-2), Max McKenna, Keith Curtis (0-10, 7 frees). Subs – Eoghan Heavey for Noah Jenkinson (50), Brian Meade for Niall Branigan (55), Oisin Cummins Fuller for Max McKenna (59), Corbin Jenkinson for Jack Gore (61).

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