Josh and Jim shine for rampant Rathnew men
CARTER, CULLETON AND SCHWEPPES CUP FINALS
RATHNEW FERGAL ÓGS 5-12 1-08
RATHNEW were comfortable winners of the Schweppes Cup final played in Newtown on Thursday, September 21, against the Fergal Ógs club from Bray.
The final scoreline is a fair reflection of the gap between a Junior ‘B’ team preparing for a county final in the grade and their opponents who have been eliminated from the junior C championship.
Rathnew got off to a flying start putting 1-2 on the board by the third minute.
Josh Graham opened their account with a point in their first attack.
Accurate full-forward Jim Hunter added a second point and followed this up with a goal straight from the kick out.
Fergal Ógs looked like they might be completely overwhelmed at this stage but centre-forward Gavin Harris steadied them after five minutes with a point from play.
When Cormac Kelly after seven minutes and Gavin Harris from a free a minute later, tacked on two points, Fergal Óg had weathered the opening storm.
Cormac Kelly had Fergal Og’s fourth point after 12 minutes but midfielder Brian Murphy responded with another Rathnew point almost immediately.
Centre-forward Josh Graham pointed again a minute later and followed up straight from the kick out with a great goal off his left foot.
Jim Hunter had another point on 20 minutes followed by a Josh Graham pointed free a minute later. Gavin Harris added another Fergal Ógs point just before the break to leave the Rathnew men comfortably ahead by 2-6 to 0-5 at the break.
Jim Hunter had another Rathnew point right from the second half throw in but midfielder Mark Doyle responded with a Fergal Ógs point.
Rathnew goalkeeper John Sayers brought off a great save from Cormac Kelly to deny Fergal Og a badly needed goal.
In the ninth minute Jim Hunter netted his second goal and from here on Rathnew got very much on top.
Hunter pointed again and centre forward Josh Graham notched his second goal with a great left footed goal after 11 minutes.
Hunter pointed again after 14 minutes and substitute Jason Stafford with a point on 17 minutes left the scoreline at 4-10 to 0-6 at this stage.
Wing back Ronan Twohig goaled for Fergals but Josh Graham completed his hat trick of goals a minute later, once again with a great shot off his left foot. Rathnew’s final two points came from Nigel Daragh and Jason Stafford.
Substitute John O’Toole and wing forward David Carroll added Fergal Og’s final two points. While the Bray men battled gamely throughout this game, the gap in standard between the two junior grades proved too much for them. Final score was 5-12 to 1-8 in favour of the Rathnew men.
Michael Murphy from the Competitions Control Committee presented the Schweppes Cup to the victorious Rathnew side
Scorers – Rathnew: Josh Graham 3-3, Jim Hunter 2-5, Jason Stafford 0-2, Brian Murphy 0-1, Nigel Darragh 0-1.
Fergal Ógs: Gavin Harris 0-3, Ronan Twohig 1-0, Cormac Kelly 0-2, Mark Doyle 0-1, John O’Toole 0-1, David Carroll 0-1.
John Sayers; Chris Murphy, Alan Clarke, Eric Doyle; John Healy, James Kavanagh, Luke Corcoran; Brian Murphy, Gavin Byrne; Dean Breen, Josh Graham, Nigel Darragh; Charlie O’Brien, Jim Hunter, Keith Byrne. Subs – Dale Franey for Keith Doyle, Ivan Kelly for Luke Corcoran, Jason Stafford for Jim Hunter, Jamie White for Charlie O’Brien, Michael Doyle for Dean Breen.
David Dixon; John Doran, Paul Melia, Stephan Jenkins; Ronan Twohig, Chris Carroll, Aaron Kane; Paul O’Brien, Mark Doyle; David Carroll, Gavin Harris, Cormac Kelly; Fay Kelly, Patrick Mullen, Cameron Griffin. Subs – Rob Wasson for Chris Carroll, Jason Somers for Fay Kelly, John O’Toole for Cameron Griffin.
C. O’Ceidigh.