WOLFE TONES…1-12
RATHKENNY…0-13
If memory serves me correctly, Kyle Moran came on as a substitute in a Meath SFC knockout game a few years back and netted a crucial goal for Wolfe Tones as they progressed to a Meath SFC Final against Dunshaughlin/Royal Gaels. As it happened, before the corresponding phase of competition for the Keegan Cup got underway this time around, if offered a free punt, that would’ve been my pick for the final pairing.
However, if my read of matters above is on the money, history repeated itself in another way in that Moran – now a starting and very exciting corner forward – netted the crucial ‘Major’ as Shane McCoy’s side eventually saw off neighbours Rathkenny after a pulsating encounter which belied the wintry weather conditions in Devenish Park, Dunganny on Saturday afternoon.
Not only neighbours, but for a large percentage of the season, teammates. Allow me to explain. As is often the case with smaller rural clubs, if one is football only, it’s generally routine for players who also hurl to do so with the nearest unit of the small ball geographically.
For example, former Meath All Star Mark O’Reilly (Summerhill) partook of the small ball with Longwood, so too Caoimhin King (Dunshaughlin/Drumree), Jody Devine (Ballinlough/Kilskryre-Moylagh), the Donnelly brothers (Dunsany/Skryne/Kilmessan), the Moyles brothers (St Paul’s/St Peter’s, Dunboyne and later Kiltale) and – in a reverse of sorts of those listed above – former Meath hurler and recently appointed manager Mick Cole played football with Summerhill for a period.
Similarly, presently, the two most influential hurlers in the county, Podge O’Hanrahan and Jacksie Regan, play football with Curraha and Summerhill respectively. And so we arrive at the fact that any prospective dual players in the Rathkenny/Castletown area have tended to have their stick swinging needs met in the home of the Tones, Pairc Mhic Eoin Kilberry.
Which in the case of Saturday last meant the likes of Donal Keogan (yes, he’s a damn good hurler too), the O’Hare brothers and the various members of the Curtis family directly opposing their hurling buddies. Mind you, as if to make a mockery of the narrative laid out by yours truly when it was none of the above, but in fact, the evergreen Tomas O’Reilly, who opened the scoring.
The former? county man then chipped in with a two point score before Rathkenny’s Mr Fixit, Keith Curtis, got them up and running. Then the Ward brothers, Caolan and Fiachra, chipped in as did Oisin Martin while Keith Curtis kept the scoreboard ticking for Joey Farrelly’s side but, all told, it was the purple and gold who led by 0-08 to 0-06 as the sides scarpered for whatever degree of shelter is to be attained at the venue in question.
When the sides once again re-emerged into the elements, county man Curtis immediately picked up where he had left off slotting a double to restore parity. Mind you, what the quick response also did was prompt the best spell in the game for the black and red as he very quickly thereafter pulled the old chef’s trick here’s one I made earlier out of the bag and rinsed and repeated.
Thereby leaving the rank outsiders 0-10 to 0-08 to the good heading down the stretch. That said, you don’t be possessed of the reputation for obduracy and being proven winners that the Tones have acquired over more than two decades without it being earned and they weren’t long about pointing out why.
Points from O’Reilly, Tom Gavigan and the introduced Cian O’Neill got the 2006 and 2021 winners back to a state of deadlock before Moran broke through at speed to plant the all important goal beyond the grasp of Finn Moore. When O’Reilly quickly followed up to push the lead out to four it was as good as job done.
Not, however, before KC once again struck up the sunshine band with another two pointer which left the eventual victors looking over their shoulders until David Gough called a halt on proceedings.
Scorers – Wolfe Tones: K. Moran (1-1), T. O’Reilly (0-4), C. Ward (0-3), F. Ward, T. Gavigan and C. O’Neill (0-1 each)
Rathkenny: K. Curtis (0-11), D. Curtis and J. Curtis (0-1 each)
Referee – David Gough (Slane)
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