Green is Keady’s Winning Colour
Danske Bank Casement Cup final
St Patrick’s Keady 1-16 Rathmore Grammar 2-6
St Patrick’s Keady pulled away from Rathmore Grammar during the second half of this entertaining Danske Bank Casement Cup final last evening at the Queen’s Arena to clinch the school’s first title in six seasons.
Pauric McNaughton’s goal in the 21st minute was the difference at the break and, despite a goal on the re-start from Oisin McIlhatton, Keady responded with the excellent Paul Green turning in a Player of the Match performance with a ten points’ haul, six of which came from placed balls.
Green was pushed for the top individual honour by Odhran Fullerton, while his defence and midfield also contributed handsomely to the win.
Rathmore’s defence was sound, but were under constant pressure. They also overly depended on the excellent Donal McKernan for scores, but, placed at centre-half back on Green, the Sarsfield’s clubman had a tough enough defensive job on his hands.
McKernan contributed all four of Rathmore’s first half total from frees – and Green equalled that as well as adding a single from open play to see Keady into a 1-5 to 0-4 interval lead.
McIlhatton’s goal at the start of the second half livened the game up, but Green turned the screw with some beautiful points, while Shane Morgan also shot four points from play.
McKernan banged in a second Rathmore goal in the 54th minute, but there was little chance of the Armagh school allowing the game to slip from them at that stage and they responded with points from half-back Odhran Fullerton and that man Green to run out winners by a margin of seven points.
St Patrick’s Keady : O Fegan, S McNaughton, D Dynes, D Harnett, J Short, O Keenan, O Fullerton 0-1, P Lennon 0-1, T O’Neill, S Morgan 0-4, P Green 0-10, 0-6 frees, P McNaughton 1-0, B Devlin capt., O McKee, J Molloy.
Subs : C McGrory for O McKee (ht), F Donnelly for J Molloy (45), S óg McGuinness for B Devlin (45).
Rathmore: D Stevenson, M Campbell, L Heenan, P Malloy, M Jones, D McKernan 1-4, 0-4 frees, E Donnelly, C Bohill, A Gallagher, O Donnelly, C Derby 0-1, L Mulvenna, O McIlhatton 1-1, D Matthews, R Gilligan.
Subs : C Dwyer for R Gilligan (49), J Drayne for O McIlhatton (54)
Referee : Colin Murray (Down).
Picture from Rafael Gatt: Sean McGourty presents the Danske Bank Casement Cup to St. Patrick’s, Keady captain, Ben Devlin
