Navan O’Mahony’s 1-13
Rathkenny 0-14

O’Mahony’s came out on top in a hard-hitting encounter in the Div 2 FL in ideal conditions in Paddy O’Brien Park on Saturday evening, making it four from four so far. 

Rathkenny were quick off the blocks, scoring from the throw in and had four points on the board in the first six minutes. A Robbie Keelaghan free got O’Mahony’s on the scoreboard in the fourteenth minute before Rathkenny got one back. 

After Keelaghan pointed from a free on the twenty-one minute mark, Rathkenny responded almost instantly to leave four in it again. Against a slight wind, O’Mahony’s had two balls drop short before Evan Coffey pointed from play. 

Rathkenny kicked an impressive two-pointer from a free to leave five in it. In the twenty-seventh minute, a great block from Paddy Dillon and a save from Niall Devlin were crucial in keeping Rathkenny at bay, while Dean Halpin also delivered a ball to safety. Aodhán Mallon narrowed the gap with a free on the cusp of half time.

Navan O’Mahony’s 0-04
Rathkenny 0-08

Just as they had done in the first half, Rathkenny split the posts within thirty seconds of the resumption to leave five points in it again. In the thirty-third minute, Mallon reduced the gap to three with a two-pointer following a foul on Christy Dillon. The sides then exchanged points, with Keelaghan and Mallon scoring for O’Mahony’s. Both Paddy and Brian Dillon made impressive interceptions for O’Mahony’s in this period

On the midway mark of the half, Shane McCarthy gave his side the lead for the first time when he beat the Rathkenny keeper. This lead wasn’t to last long, with Rathkenny kicking two points in four minutes to swing the pendulum back in their favour. They extended the lead to two points a few minutes later.

A Keelaghan point and a Duggie Dillon point from play drew the sides level with the clock ticking down. The visitors edged ahead before Mallon, after a good run, took the safe option with a fisted point to draw level. Both sides finished with fourteen men following two yellow cards, with Coffey being ordered to the line for O’Mahony’s.

Injury time had started when Keelaghan kicked the final score of the game, a two-point free. With Rathkenny needing a score to salvage something from the match, Darragh Murphy pulled off a textbook block, diving to the foot of the Rathkenny player. A high ball into the square from a 45 was sent to safety through a great catch by McCarthy and O’Mahony’s hung onto the lead.

Navan O’Mahony’s: Niall Devlin, Darragh Murphy, Paddy Dillon, Diarmuid O Bric, Ronan Clarke, Dean Halpin, Brian Dillon, Conor Finnegan, Aodhán Mallon (0-05, 1 2PF, 2F) , Christy Dillon, Evan Coffey (0-01), Louis Collins, Cormac Nugent, Shane McCarthy (1-0), Robbie Keelaghan (0-06, 12PF, 4F)

Subs: Duggie Dillon (0-01) for Clarke

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