Shane Ryan stars as Rathmore seal All-Ireland intermediate football crown

STAR TURN: Shane Ryan of Rathmore in action against Conor Quinn of Galbally Pearses during the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final match between Galbally Pearses of Tyrone and Rathmore of Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

AIB All-Ireland club intermediate football championship final 

Rathmore (Kerry) 1-11 Galbally Pearses (Tyrone) 0-11 

A tale of two goalkeepers finished with a happy ending for Rathmore who held firm at Croke Park to secure the AIB All-Ireland intermediate club football title.

Two fantastic saves from veteran netminder Kenneth O'Keeffe and 1-3 from attacker Shane Ryan, who is the reigning All-Star goalkeeper with Kerry, added up to a landmark win for the east Kerry outfit.

There wasn't quite the same drama of the earlier junior decider, which was also won by the Kingdom representatives, but it was a full blooded encounter all the same which went right to the wire.

Rathmore suggested that they might win comfortably when they opened up a seven-point lead after 53 minutes but in a game that stretched to almost 70 minutes because of a couple of lengthy injury stoppages, Galbally got the margin down to three points at the death.

Fittingly, with Galbally desperate to win possession from the last kick-out in a bid to conjure an equalising goal, it was Ryan that rose highest to claim the ball around midfield and full-time was called moments later.

VICTORIOUS: Rathmore celebrate after their side's victory in the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final match between Galbally Pearses of Tyrone and Rathmore of Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Rathmore's actual goalkeeper, O'Keeffe, pulled off two stunning saves throughout the game which were also crucial.

He firstly tipped Enda McGarrity's 15th minute shot around the post and, even more importantly, stood tall and blocked Daniel Kerr's shot in the 55th minute.

Galbally still refused to throw in the towel and their late comeback was doubly impressive as they were reduced to 14 players from the 51st minute after McGarrity's black card dismissal.

Ryan's 23rd minute goal was fortunate as Galbally goalkeeper Ronan McGeary prevented a point attempt from going over the crossbar but spilled the ball in front of him, allowing the inter-county man to nip in and palm to the net.

That major left Rathmore narrowly ahead at half-time, 1-5 to 0-4 and they stretched the gap out to seven points after a strong third quarter, limiting Galbally to just a point from open play until the 54th minute.

Derry native Chrissy Spiers was on the mark in that period for Rathmore with his third score of the day from a free despite apparently dislocating a finger minutes earlier.

Ryan kicked a great score in the 53rd minute to leave his side 1-9 to 0-5 up but it wasn't the easy run in from there that fans in the 8,123 crowd had hoped for as the Pearses rallied with free-taker Conor Donaghy excellent on the placed balls.

Scorers for Rathmore: S Ryan (1-3); C Spiers (0-3, 3 frees); J Darmody (0-2); M Ryan, B O'Keeffe, M Reen (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galbally Pearses: C Donaghy (0-7, 6 frees, 1 45); D Kerr (0-3, 1 free); R Nugent (0-1).

Rathmore: K O'Keeffe; J O'Sullivan, A Moynihan, D Murphy; B Friel; F Holohan, P Murphy, A Dineen; M Ryan, C Ryan; B O'Keeffe, C Spiers, J Darmody; J Moynihan, S Ryan.

Subs: C O'Connor for J O'Sullivan (35); M Reen for Moynihan (55); O'Sullivan for Dineen (56); A Darmody for J Darmody (61); D Rahilly for Spiers (66).

Galbally Pearses: R McGeary; C Quinn, C Donnelly; C Morris; J Hetherington, L Rafferty, M Lennon; E McGarrity, C Donnelly; C Donaghy, R Nugent, S Wylie; D Kerr, S Murphy, B Carberry.

Subs: A Carberry for B Carberry (h/t); F McGarrity for Donnelly (50); S Og Mulgrew for Wylie (55).

Referee: B Tiernan (Dublin).