Colmcille’s overcome Rathkenny in opening Feis Cup clash

MEATH GAA CLUB ROUND-UP ST COLMCILLE’S RATHKENNY 1-11 0-8

BOTH sides were vastly understrength for this opening round Feis Cup tie that was switched from Rathkenny to Piltown on Saturday afternoon.

It took a while for either team to find the target and it was Max McKenna (free) who opened the scoring for the visitors after 10 minutes. Cille’s eventually settled into the game and hit three successive points to lead by 0-3 to 0-1 after 15 minutes.

However, Rathkenny then enjoyed a productive spell with scores by Jack Gore and Patrick Knowles before Gore pointed Rathkenny ahead on 19 minutes.

Gore’s third point extended the lead and substitute Joey Curtis had their final point of the half as they led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break after being aided by a stiff breeze.

Cille’s wasted little time in getting back into contention in the second half and two quickfire points had them level within four minutes of the restart.

BRENNAN POINTS

Ben Brennan then pointed the hosts ahead and doubled their advantage from a 45 shortly after. Brennan’s third point of the half left it 0-9 to 0-6 after 41 minutes.

Rathkenny found it increasingly difficult to carve out scoring chances against the elements and there was no way back for them after Godfrey Ehichoya netted to leave it 1-10 to 0-6 on 46 minutes.

Gore (free) and Christy Meade hit late scores for the visitors who face another tough assignment away to Ratoath this

Thursday evening at 8pm. RATHKENNY: Cathal McCabe; Corbin Jenkinson, Mark Byrne, Aaron Johnson; Michael Dineen, Ross Gore, Pádraig McKeever; James O’Hare, Christy Meade 0-1; Daniel Gavagan, Jack Gore 0-4, Noah Jenkinson; Max McKenna 0-1, Noah McBride, Patrick Knowles 0-1. Subs: Joey Curtis 0-1 for N Jenkinson, Andrew Bellew for McBride, Ciarán O’Hare for Johnson, James McCabe for Gavagan, Adam Brennan for Meade, Meade for Dineen.

SIMONSTOWN CURRAHA 3-12 0-5

CURRAHA were seriously depleted as they made the trip to Navan to take on the hosts in this Feis Cup tie on Thursday night.

The Curraha line-up featured only seven players who were involved in the final championship game of last year. Eoghan Burke lined out at corner back for his first competitive senior appearance and put in an excellent performance.

He was joined by another four debutants in the second half as Tadhg O’Sullivan, Shay O’Connor, Daigh Fitzpatrick and Jared Roche all took to the field.

The hosts led by 10 points at half-time, with Curraha’s scores coming from Niall Murphy and Seán Keogh (two).

NEW MANAGER

New manager Damien Flanagan will be frustrated at the wastefulness in front of goals as over the course of match Curraha racked up a very high number of wides and efforts that dropped short.

Simonstown were far more clinical and pulled away to win by a commanding score line in the end, with Gavin Coyle and Niall Murphy completing the scoring for Curraha.

Next up for Curraha is a trip to Dunshaughlin this Thursday at 8pm.

Liam Hogan; Oisín Fay, Matthew Webb, Eoghan Burke; Seán Ronan, Conor Moriarty, Ben Heagney; Brian Joyce, Niall Murphy 0-2; Ronan Flynn, Seán Keogh 0-2, Seamus Hogan; Ruairí O’Sullivan, Eric O’Donoghue, Gavin Coyle 0-1.

ROUND-UP

ALSO in the Feis Cup, holders Gaeil Colmcille easily overcame the challenge of Ballinabrackey, 1-15 to 0-5.

Dunboyne and Ratoath shared the spoils, 0-14 to 2-8, while there were also wins for Donaghmore/Ashbourne over Summerhill, 2-16 to 0-3, Skryne against Seneschalstown, 3-15 to 1-13, while Wolfe Tones defeated Trim by 1-12 to 0-9.

In the Corn na Boinne, St Patrick’s defeated Bective with seven points to spare, 2-9 to 1-5.

Duleek-Bellewstown’s game against Blackhall Gaels was called off due to an unplayable pitch and has been refixed for next Monday night at 8pm.