Rathkenny cleared the first hurdle in the Leinster Club IFC on Saturday at Pairc Tailteann where Keith Curtis' nine points got them out of a potentially sticky situation.

Rathkenny ........1-14
Naomh Eanna ......0-4

A week on from winning the Wexford IFC, Naomh Eanna were missing eight of the side that lined out in the county final due to a stag weekend involving many club members.

Despite that burden of absence, the Gorey-men put upt a good show, particularly in the first half, before fading in the second-half. 

Rathkenny took some time to make their presence felt on the field and on the scoreboard. Backed by whatever assistance the diagoonal breeze offered from the off, they struggled early on to make an impact on their diminished opponents.

Curtis opened the scoring from a free, into the town end, before Eoin McGuckin countered from play to tie the scores for the only time. A second Curtis point, this time from a mark, earned Rathkenny a lead they took to the finish.

Rathkenny outscored Naomh Eanna by 0-4 to 0-2 over the remainder of the half. The Meath IFC winners were guilty of five wides in the opening half with the Wexford side off target just once.

Rathkenny led by three points on as many occasions before reaching the interval with a 0-6 to 0-3 lead with Jack Gore getting the final score of the half.

Following the change of ends, Naomh Eanna opened positively with Brian Cushe's third minute point, assisted by Cathal Stokes.

Hopes for James Flood's men gradually evaporated as they failed to scored again while Rathkenny added 1-8.

Rathkenny registered six second-half wides while putting more distance between themselves and the visitors.  Heading into the final quarter, it was 0-10 to 0-4.

The final quarter offered a few highlights, such as Pedro Travers block on a Sean O'Hare scoring attempt.

Before a 10-minute scoring lull was ended by a Curtis effort from play, Naomh Eanna lost goalkeeper Rory Turbitt to a 54th minute black card thereby closing out the game with just 14-men.

Rathkenny had long sealed their quarter-final trip to Longford-side Kenagh in two weeks time when Sean O'Hare goaled in stopppage time assisted by Corben Jenkinson and Niall Brannigan.

Scorers: Rathkenny - Keith Curtis 0-9 (5 fs, one mark); Sean O'Hare 1-0; Jack Gore 0-2; Christy Meade 0-1; Eoghan Heavey 0-1; James Macken 0-1.

Naomh Eanna - Eoin McGuckin 0-1; Cathal Stokes 0-1; Mick Molloy 0-1 (f); Brian Cushe 0-1.

Rathkenny - Charlie Cullen; Sean O'Hare, Adam Byrne, James O'Hare; Corben Jenkinson, Mark Byrne, Noah Jenkinson;Donal Keogan (c), Christy Meade; Jack Gore, Padraig McKeever,  Daniel Gavagan; Keith Curtis, Brian Meade, Eoghan Heavey. Subs - Oisin Cummins-Fuller for Gavagan (ht), Niall Brannigan for McKeever (40), Aaron Johnson for C Meade (46), James Macken for B Meade (49), Andrew Bellew for N Jenkinson (54).

Naomh Eanna - Rory Turbritt; Conor Kelly, Stephen Drake, Cian Kenny; Luke Darley, Brian Cushe, Cian O Tuama; Rian Fitzpatrick (vc), Cathal Stokes; Dylan Cooke Leonard, Mick Molloy, Pedro Travers; Cian Browne, David O'Brien, Eoin McGuckin. Subs - Ruairi Martin for Darley (ht), Shane Flood for McGuckin (43), Sean Dowling for O Tuama (48), Evan Dwyer for Cooke Leonard (52), Caellum Travers Devlin for Browne (55).

Referee - Dan Stynes (Dublin)

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