Champions stunned by resolute Rathkenny

SFC

Rathkenny................ 2-4-8 (22)

Dunshaughlin ...........2-2-9 (19)

For all its faults the Meath SFC can be great sometimes and Saturday evening in Pairc Tailteann was one of those times as Rathkenny produced the shock of the round with a stunning and fully deserved victory over champions Dunshaughlin.

Keith Curtis will be hailed the hero, and rightly so with a personal return of 2-11, but the men in red and black had stars all over the field and showed remarkable character to steady their nerves and rally again when Dunshaughlin launched a third quarter comeback.

From back to front Rathkenny were sensational. Goalkeeper Finn Moore made a number of fine saves in the opening half, while the full-back line put their bodies on the line throughout.

Christy Meade dropped from his number 15 position to play the sweepers role to near perfection and with James Macken, Jeaic Timmons and Luke Kealy pulling the Dunshaughlin rearguard all over Pairc Tailteann they caused the champions problems they couldn't rectify.

Under the guidance of Joey Farrelly and Colm Coyle Rathkenny had a toughness that got them through the rough spells.

When Keith Curtis landed the second of his four two-point frees in the sixth minute of the second period to stretch Rathkenny's half-time leads to eight points they looked to be coasting, but that score jolted Dunshaughlin into life.

Ruairi Kinsella and Conor Gray grew into the game and after Gray bagged his side's second goal Kinsella (two), Conor Duke (two), Gray (two-pointer) and Charlie O'Connor (two-pointer) fired Dunshaughlin into a 2-12 to 2-10 lead, with Rathkenny's sole reply in that spell from Keith Curtis.

Rathkenny's race looked to have been run. They had put in a brave performance, but Dunshaughlin were on a roll.

Even after Max Kenna and Tadhg O Dushlaine traded points in the 54th minute it was still Dunshaughlin in the box seat.

However, Rathkenny refused to lie down.

Dunshaughlin failed to score again as Donal Keogan and the outstanding James O'Hare excelled.

David Curtis made it a one-point game in the 57th minute and when Keith Curtis landed another two-point free with 57 minutes on the clock it edged Rthkenny ahead again.

James O'Hare's brilliant turnover on Charlie O'Connor halted Dunshaughlin and in the 64th minute Keith Curtis hit his fourth two-point free to leave Dunshaughlin needing a goal.

Ruairi Kinsella tried for a two-pointer, but fired wide with 90 seconds remaining and while Dunshaughlin had two bites at a '45' to put the ball in the square to try for a goal it was David Curtis who won possession and Donal Keogan who booted into the stand to spark wild celebrations.

It was exactly what Rathkenny deserved. They used the wind to good effect and despite suffering the setback of conceding an early goal to a Kinsella penalty they always looked in control with Keith Curtis (two) and Kealy ensuring parity after 12 minutes.

John McDonagh restored Dunshaughlin's lead, but Rathkenny never panicked with great play from David Curtis and Kealy setting up Keith Curtis for his side's bundled first goal, although a Rathkenny defender might have got the decisive touch.

Kinsella responded with a free, but Dunshaughlin managed just two more points from Mathew Costello and McDonagh in the half as Keith Curtis finished a good move to the net to make it 2-3 to 1-3 and then David Curtis and Christy Meade added points before the first of Keith Curtis's two-pointers.

Rathkenny looked comfortable with their 2-7 to 1-4 lead and the character shown to survive Dunshaughlin's rally indicates they are a team going places.

Rathkenny - Finn Moore; Ciaran O'Hare, Adam Byrne, Sean O'Hare; Robbie Garry, Padraig McKeever, James O'Hare; Donal Keogan, David Curtis (0-2 one free); Luke Kealy (0-1), Keith Curtis (2-11 four two-point frees), Aaron Johnson; Jeaic Timmons, James Macken, Christy Meade (0-1). Subs - Oisin Cummins Fuller for Timmons 41m, Max McKenna (0-1) for C Meade 46m, Daniel Gavan for Byrne 54m, Corbin Jenkinson for Macken 62m.

Dunshaughlin - Tim O'Sullivan; Niall Murphy, Fursey Blake, Fiach Hartigan; Niall Byrne, Conor Gray (1-2 one two-pointer), David Fildes; Adam Kealy, Charlie O'Connor (0-2 two-pointer); Mathew Costello (0-1), Tadhg O Dushlaine (0-1), Conor Duke (0-2); John McDonagh (0-2), Adam Hanley, Ruairi Kinsella (1-3 1-0 penalty, one free). Sub - Ben Duggan for Byrne 5m.

Referee - Kieran Olwell (Moynalty).