Dogged Rathkenny are undone by Achilles’ heel
Gl Colmcille 0-15 Rathkenny 0-8
DESPITE having nothing to play for, Rathkenny put it up to already qualified Gaeil Colmcille for long spells of this SFC tie at Meath Hill on Friday evening.
Rathkenny were just two points, 0-6 to 0-8, in arrears after 40 minutes, but the Kells men dominated the final quarter to end convincing winners. As has been their Achilles’ heel for most of what was a disappointing campaign, Rathkenny again found scores difficult to come be and they had only two contributors, Caolach Halligan and Brian Meade, with half of their tally coming from placed ball.
The losers had no one of the ability of Seamus Mattimoe who scored five of his eight points in the first half, at the end of which Gaeil Colmcille led 0-7 to 0-4.
Rathkenny’s opening three points came from Halligan and it left them level after 10 minutes. However, Lar Wall’s side outscored their opponents 4-1 in the next 20 minutes, Rathkenny’s final point of the half coming from Brian Meade. Meade registered two further points, but the game gradually went out of reach.
Rathkenny’s last point came from Halligan, while Fionn Ferguson and Ryan Farnham added to the winners’ tally.
GAEIL COLMCILLE: Justin Carry-Lynch; Cormac Ferguson, Barry Smith, Jordan Muldoon; Barry Tormay, Johnny Quigley, James Reilly; Liam Ferguson, Cormac Keegan; Seamus Mattimoe 0-8, Seanie Curran, Fionn Reilly 0-2; Oisin Reilly, Brian Hanlon, Martin Barrett 0-2. Subs: Ryan Farnham 0-2 for O Reilly, Paul Tormay for Quigley, Fionn Ferguson 0-1 for Hanlon, Stephen Reddy for Curran, Michael Foley for L Ferguson.
RATHKENNY: Richie Timmons; Joe Gore, Ross Gore, Niall Brannigan; Stephen Crosbie, Donal Keogan, Thomas McGuinness; Brian Meade 0-3, James Macken; Caolach Halligan 0-5, Christy Meade, Robbie Garry; Brian Lenehan, Jack Gore, Keith Timmons. Subs: Jack Thompson for Meade, Donal Curtis for Jack Gore, Cathal McCabe for McGuinness, Sean Mongey for Timmons, Mark Byrne for Brannigan.
REF: Liam O’Brien (Duleek-Bellewstown)