Rathkenny 4-19  St. Marys 5-3

When these teams last met in the group stage, Rathkenny ran out 8 point winners on a score line of 3-22 to 4-11 so would understandably take the favourites tag going into this game. 

 St Mary’s came into the final on the back of a convincing 7-point win over Simonstown with Rathkenny getting over Bective/ Dunsany with 5 points to spare.

This game started off at a breath-taking pace with Rathkenny racing into a two point lead with well taken scores from Max McKenna and Danny Gavigan. It took St Mary’s until the 7th Minute to register their first attack which resulted in a well taken goal. Rathkenny responded immediately with Joey Curtis pointing after a solo run through the heart of St Marys defence and a further point by Finn Moore to edge Rathkenny ahead again by the minimum.

St Mary’s overlap play was starting to find gaps in the Rathkenny defence which resulted in another goal putting St Marys ahead by two points and whilst also testing Sean Gillespie on a couple of occasions where the Rathkenny stopper stood firm inside the small square.

The strength of Max McKenna and shear speed of Luke Kealy at midfield started to take over going into the second quarter where Rathkenny added 1-03 without reply- Moore grabbing 1-01, Gavigan 0-02 and Curtis 0-01. St Marys hit back yet again with 1-01 of their own to edge in front once more.

A Patrick Knowles point and a Finn Moore goal either side of an excellent score started and finished from Ciaran O’Hare from the half back line put daylight between the teams.

St Marys again went up the field and forced another fine save from Gillespie when the goal was there for the taking.

The resulting kick out was plucked by Joey Curtis and move into attack via the pacey Kealy which lead to Liam Clancy opening his account for the day, the final score of the half went to St Marys leaving the teams 3-02 – 2-11 at the halfway point after an excellent display of football by both teams.

The Second half started exactly where the first half ended with Patrick Knowles 0-01, Oisin Cummins- Fuller 0-01 and Luke Kealey 0-01 getting the scoreboard moving for Rathkenny after great link up play by the energetic and hardworking Connor Moore and Corbin Jenkins across the half back line. St Marys yet again refusing to lie down hitting another 1-01 from play to reel Rathkenny back in again to reduce the gap.

The Rathkenny full back line in Cathal Keeley, Arron Johnstown and Rian Timmons held strong against a very physical St Marys forward line holding them scoreless for the next 14mins where Rathkenny kicked on with further scores from Luke Kealy with a fine individual goal, Oisin Cummins- Fuller 0-02, Finn Moore 0-01 ( 45) and Danny Gavigan 1-01.

St Marys came back with another conciliation goal with only minutes remaining where Patrick Knowles then closed the show with another fine score from play to end the match on a Final score of Rathkenny 4-19- 5.03 St’Marys

A Fantastic score racked up by the Raths and a dominant performance from start to finish.

Captain Max McKenna lifted the shield to the delight of the travelling Rathkenny support and management team of Bernard O’Hare, Mick Reid and selectors Jack Gore and Mark Byrne

Rathkenny: Sean Gillespie, Cathal Kealy, Arron Johnstown, Rian Timmons, Conor Moore, Corbin Jenkins, Ciaran OHare (0-01), Luke Kealy (1-01), Max McKenna (C, 0-01) Oisin Cummins-Fuller (0-03), Patrick Knowles (0-03), Joey Curtis (0-02), Danny Gavigan (1-04), Liam Clancy (0-01) , Finn Moore (2.03), Subs Sean Clancy for Liam Clancy, Finn Kealy for Danny Gavigan, Arron Keogh for Oisin Cummins- Fuller

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