Curtis points Rathkenny to senior survival
SFC RELEGATION SEMI-FINAL
Rathkenny......0-18
Ballinabrackey .....0-11
Rathkenny finished like a train to preserve their senior status in their first year back in the top flight with an impressive victory over Ballinabrackey.
Keith Curtis was outstanding for the winners with 10 points, but it was far from a one man show as Rathkenny retained their SFC position in fine style.
The play ebbed one way and flowed the other throughout this entertaining contest in Cortown on Thursday evening, but it was Rathkenny's strong finish that gave them the edge and sends Ballinabrackey into the relegation final where they will have one more chance to save their skins.
Ballinabrackey opened the scoring inside 20 seconds, but Noah Jenkinson replied for Rathkenny two minutes later. Ballinabrackey hit two on the trot before Jack Gore closed the gap back to one.
Keith Curtis opened his account with the leveller after 13 minutes and when James O'Hare edged Donal Curtis's side ahead three minutes later it proved to be a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Keith Curtis traded frees with Ballinabrackey, but in the lead up to the break the Rathkenny marksman added two more frees before Ballinabrackey pulled one back to trail 0-5 to 0-7 at the break.
Keith Curtis extended that lead after the resumption, but Ballinabrackey refused to lie down and fired over successive scores to leave just the minimum between the sides.
O'Hare and Jenkinson restored Rathkenny's three-point lead, but at the end of the third quarter Rathkenny were indebted to a great save from Charlie Cullen as they preserved their advantage.
Ballinabrackey goalkeeper Dean Pluck converted the resultant '45' and as Keith Curtis, Ciaran O'Hare and Jack Gore continued to trade scores with Ballinabrackey the three point gap remained with 10 minutes remaining.
Two points from Keith Curtis, one from play, extended Rathkenny's lead to five, but the Bracks came storming back again and it wasn't until Curtis lofted over his ninth of the evening and James Macken added another that Rathkenny could finally believe they were safe.
Rathkenny – Charle Cullen; Ross Gore, Adam Byrne, Ciaran O’Hare (0-1); Sean O’Hare, Donal Keogan, Niall Branigan; James O’Hare (0-2), James Macken (0-1); David Curtis, Jack Gore (0-2), Christy Meade; Noah Jenkinson (0-2), Max McKenna, Keith Curtis (0-10). Subs – Eoghan Heavey for Jenkinson, Brian Meade for N Branigan, Oisin Cummins Fuller for McKenna, Corbin Jenkinson for J Gore.