Rathmore rarely troubled as they see off St Mogue’s

It’s the ninth time in the last 16 years a Kerry club will contest the All-Ireland IFC final. A Leinster club has lost 16 out of 19 semi-finals

NO CATCHING HIM: Mark Reen of Rathmore races clear of Joe Sutton and Eoin Whelan, St. Mogue's Fethard, with referee, James Molloy. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final: Rathmore (Kerry) 2-16 St Mogue’s, Fethard (Wexford) 1-10  

Rathmore’s Ryan brothers scored 1-8 as the Kerry champions stamped their ticket to Croke Park for next Sunday’s All-Ireland Intermediate Football final.

Bar a purple patch before half-time when St Mogue’s, Fethard, scored 1-4 without reply, Rathmore were well deserving of their final spot against Tyrone champions Galbally Pearses, with 10 different scorers across the hour including the entire middle eight; half-back line, midfield, and half-forwards.

It’s the ninth time in the last 16 years a Kerry club will contest the final. A Leinster club has never won the title and they have lost 16 out of 19 semi-finals.

It was a first half of three acts. The first, St Mogue’s on top but wayward. They kicked five early wides which seemed desperately necessary in light of what was to follow.

Once Rathmore’s press began to pen Mogue’s in from kick outs, they struck for 2-5 without reply. Shane Ryan had the first goal in the 12th minute, showing his goalkeeping instincts by rising high over Mogue’s keeper William Doyle to bundle the ball home.

It was the Ryan brothers dominating, between Mark (who kicked 0-2) and Cathal in midfield and Shane, with John Moynihan adding a goal after Cathal caught a mark from another Mogue’s kick-out. Moynihan could have instead claimed an attacking mark and easy point but his instinct to zig-zag toward goal proved correct.

But then Mogue’s began to make headway. Joe Sutton and Richard Waters provided the drive forward. County hurler Mikie Dwyer, left thigh heavily strapped, logged their first point after 23 minutes. Morgen Ellis had a shot on goal blocked down by Dan Murphy. Then, in the 28th minute, Waters charged behind the cover to rattle the net. Cian Byrne dropped a free onto the crossbar, tapped over by John Tubritt.

The gap, once 11, back to four at the half; 2-5 to 1-4.

Mogue’s kept with Rathmore a while longer but never closed within that four-point deficit. Mark and Shane Ryan kicked two points apiece and Cathal added another as Rathmore stretched nine ahead with a four-point streak around the three-quarter mark.

Cian Byrne, scorer of three second-half points, squirreled inside the Rathmore cover but Kenneth O’Keeffe saved to deny Mogue’s a lifeline.

Shane Ryan, who ended with 1-3, dropped behind the full-back line for the closing minutes; the 'double-keeper' formation coming up trumps when he made a diving block on Graham O’Grady in the last attack.

Scorers for Rathmore: S Ryan (1-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark); M Ryan (0-4); J Moynihan (1-0); C Spiers 0-3 (1 free); B O’Keeffe, P Murphy, F Holohan, C Ryan, M Reen, B Friel (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Mogue’s: R Waters (1-0); J Tubritt, C Byrne (0-3, 1 free, each); J Molloy, J Sutton, M Dwyer, G O’Grady (0-1 each).

RATHMORE: K O’Keeffe; D Murphy, J O’Sullivan, MJ Kelliher; F Holohan, P Murphy, B O’Keeffe; M Ryan (capt), C Ryan; M Reen, C Spiers, B Friel; S Ryan, J Darmody, J Moynihan. Subs: C O’Connor for Holohan (51), D Reilly for Darmody (51), A Darmody for Friel (53), G O’Keeffe for Reen (57), J O’Mahony for M Ryan (60+3).

Black card: P Murphy (55).

ST MOGUE’S: W Doyle; C Molloy, D Mullan, M Doyle; S Nunan, G Foley (capt), J Molloy; R Waters, J Sutton; M Ellis, J Tubritt, G O’Grady; C Byrne, M Dwyer, E Whelan. Subs: A Swan for Nunan (24), D Barden for Whelan (49).

Referee: J Molloy (Galway).