SFL DIV FINAL Rathvilly 1-16 Old Leighlin 1-11 The much and often maligned Senior Football League Division 1 reached it’s 2024 conclusion with Rathvilly’s better overall scoring threat securing the chance for Josh Moore to accept early season silverware. Jake Elliott’s well taken major on 12 minutes the platform to keep an often sticky opponent […]
SFL DIV FINAL
Rathvilly 1-16
Old Leighlin 1-11
The much and often maligned Senior Football League Division 1 reached it’s 2024 conclusion with Rathvilly’s better overall scoring threat securing the chance for Josh Moore to accept early season silverware. Jake Elliott’s well taken major on 12 minutes the platform to keep an often sticky opponent in Old Leighlin at arms length .
If a good start is half the battle then breeze assisted Rathvilly were on the right road from the start. A pair of Diarmuid Gavin marks sandwiched a Brandon Kelly’s double by the 9th minute, in reply a hither to rare Old Leighlin (the injured Cathal Coughlan and Niall Roche absent from their semi final victory over Clonmore) foray up field resulting in the clinical James Dowling opening their account. His particular account in the black to the tune of a staggering 1-6 from play by the end of play. Dowling was also Old Leighlin’s sole scorer in the first half.
The afore mentioned goal from Elliott arrived giving the safety blanket of a two score game. Dowling’s subsequent 3 first half points by Patrick Murphy’s half time whistle bettered by Kelly. Darragh Murphy and Ryan Sibbald had the radar in also with Regan Murphy keeping his goal intact smothering a Darragh Fitzgerald goal effort meaning Rathvilly led 1-8 to 0-4 at the break.
Old Leighlin started the new period brightly, substitute Ben Stanley and Seamus Kinsella from a free reducing the deficit, Darragh Murphy in reply before a rare Ian Atkinson point from the 45 on the 40th minute had it at 1-9 to 0-7 before Steven Scallan stood strong to a Brandon Kelly rocket.
A pair of Kinsella frees from direct Sean Taylor runs had Murphy interrupt in between before Roy Sheehy’s challenge on Murphy meant a card was on the way and black it was, the impressive Murphy pointing the resultant free.
Gavin and Kelly both pointed with a little bit more space now appearing, the recently returned county duo of Josh Moore and Dara Curran fisting over efforts as well, Dowling then with a couple in reply before Fitzgerald fed Dowling to goal on the 64 minute.
It was left to Ryan Sibbald to conclude proceedings with another boxed score, 1-16 to 1-11 Rathvilly prevailing, retaining their league title ( thanks to Kieran Murphy for that pre match…! )
* Footnote* Rathvilly got 0-3 first half from advanced mark and 0-3 in the second half from fisted points, clinical use of two Marmite rules.
Scorers – Rathvilly
B Kelly 0-4
D Murphy 0-4 ( 0-1m, 0-1f)
D Gavin 0-3 ( 0-2m )
R Sibbald 0-3
J Elliott 1-0
J Moore 0-1
D Curran 0-1
Subs – E Curran, R Coleman, A Burgess, K Byrne
Old Leighlin
J Dowling 1-6
S Kinsella 0-4f
I Atkinson 0-1
Subs B Stanley, J McDonald, D Gough
