Knights earn Shield

Knightsbrook needed extra-time to survive the challenge posed by Rathkenny in the final of the Fiacre O'Neill Memorial Shield at Navan on Sunday. Hardly the type of extra exertions the players needed as they prepare for the biggest game in the club's short history this Saturday night at Hunky Dorys Park, Drogheda. Red-hot favourites to cruise to an effortless victory on Sunday, Knightsbrook had to dig deep to get back into a game in which they were out-played in the first-half. Gutsy Rathkenny ignored the formbook and recovered from the concession of a 13th minute goal which Knightsbrook's Eddie Murray powered to the net. That should have signalled the onset of a comfortable afternoon for the Trim side, but Rathkenny had other ideas and Brian Lenehan fired home a sensational equaliser midway through the half. That injected the jitters into the Knightsbrook rearguard and they were punished again in the 26th minute when Thomas McCormack, who travelled from Cork to play in the final, unleashed a ferocious 30-yard free to the top corner. The shots rained down on Knightsbrook's Eugene Goulding as Cody Reilly went close and then Stephen Lynn just failed to connect with a Thomas Rowan flick. Shane Cournane's header bounced across the goal-line and hit the post before it was hoofed to safety and Knightsbrook were relieved to get to the break only a goal down. Within a minute of the resumption Murray had them on terms and for the remainder of the second-half the play was all in one direction. Knightsbrook peppered the Rathkenny penalty area with shots, crosses and long throws, but everyone was a hero for the team under siege. A goal looked inevitable, but Keith Nolan produced some fine saves, Mattie Brien always managed to get a touch and centre-forward Rowan frequently popped up in the heart of the defence to head away the danger. Rathkenny held out in normal time and the pattern remained for 19 minutes and 40 seconds of extra-time. With the penalty shoot-out looming and the ball resident in the Rathkenny penalty area, James Curran finished to the net with the aid of a deflection. There was hardly time to kick-off. Perfect timing or bad timing, it depended which side you were supporting. McCormack's lead goal for Rathkenny was worthy of winning any game, but unfortunately for them it didn't work out that way. A disappointed McCormack reflected on the game after the presentation of the trophy. "I drove from Cork, it was my brother's wedding and I travelled home early especially for the game," he told the Meath Chronicle. "It was a good goal, but I think I might be running out of opportunities to win a final at this stage, the years are rolling by," he suggested. The sentiments were completely different a few yards away as Knightsbrook manager Mick Craig looked forward to another big game on Saturday. "Maybe that's just the type of game we needed before we face Clones Town in the cup final, it was cruel on Rathkenny to give away the winning goal in the last seconds of injury-time, hopefully we can repeat the performance in Drogheda," he told the Meath Chronicle. Knightsbrook - E Goulding; D Gibney, T Dempsey, D Blaney, A Gilbane, J Curran, G O'Neill, C Keegan, C O'Hanlon, E Murray, A O'Brien. Subs - A Craig for O'Brien and J Moynihan for O'Neill 55 mins; TJ Garry for Dempsey extra-time. Rathkenny Rovers - K Nolan; S Lenehan, A Carry, G Hickey, M Brien, T McCormack, B Lenehan, S Cournane, C Reilly, T Rowan, S Lynn. Subs - S Casey for Lynn 55 mins; C McCabe for Carry extra-time. Referee - Camillus Perry (Meath Branch ISRS). The Fiacre O'Neill Memorial Shield was presented to the MDL by Ratoath Harps in memory of one of the club's founder members. It was first played for in 1987/'88 when Trim Town 2nds won the final. More than 20 years later, the trophy has returned to Trim.