WICKLOW SFC FINAL Rathnew 2-8 Baltinglass 0-6:TWO SUPER strikes by county star Leighton Glynn set up his team for this eight-point win over their arch-rivals Baltinglass in a tense senior football final battle at Aughrim yesterday.
This was the sixth meeting of the teams in a county final and reigning champions Rathnew were levelling the score, as it is now three wins each.
Overall, Rathnew showed the better team work than their opponents but, in a low-scoring contest, it was the two goals by Glynn that made all the difference against a Baltinglass side who led for only a brief period at the start after Henry Sinnott grabbed their only point from play after 30 seconds.
Almost immediately, the Baltinglass goal came under severe pressure as Mark Doyle saw his punched effort for a goal strike the crossbar then the butt of the goalpost before being eventually scrambled clear.
The reprieve lasted just 13 minutes until Glynn drilled a low shot to the corner of the net after good approach work by his brother and wing back Enan Glynn and full forward Mark Doyle set up the opportunity.
Baltinglass used centre forward Ciarán Foley as a sweeper in front of his full-back line in the first half and he mopped up a lot of ball while full back Alan Nolan was the stand-out player in defence for Baltinglass throughout.
Rathnew led by 1-2 to 0-3 at half-time, a scoreline that reflected the tense battle between these rivals with the other two points for Baltinglass scored by John McGrath from a 45 after 15 minutes and Joey Kelly from a free after 18 minutes.
Tommy Gill, who is having a great year for Rathnew, stretched the champions' lead after the restart but then Baltinglass suffered a huge blow to their chances on 39 minutes when centrefielder Mikey English was sent off on a second yellow card.
The Slaneysiders needed English to be firing on all cylinders if they were to curb the dominance of county star James Stafford and Stephen Kavanagh, who was very impressive.
And both clubs could be facing sanction from Wicklow Competitions Control Committee over the number of mentors and subs hugging the touchline instead of being in the dugout with the referee having to hold up play on one occasion to escort a Rathnew official to the dugout.
Rathnew effectively wrapped up their 30th title on 47 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Doyle was pulled down with the Baltinglass goalkeeper Ken Quirke off his line. Despite being injured in the attack, Glynn still fired a super strike to the far corner of the net.
Baltinglass had a half chance for a goal after 55 minutes but full forward Peadar Burke hooked his volley wide at the far post. And Baltinglass's cup of woe was filled to overflowing in the last few minutes as top scoring forward John McGrath was dismissed on a straight red card.
RATHNEW: P Dignam; A Clarke, D Power, S Byrne; D Franey, S Canavan, E Glynn; J Stafford, S Kavanagh (0-2); B Mernagh, N Mernagh (0-1), P Merrigan; T Gill (0-2, frees), M Doyle, L Glynn (2-2). Subs: C Healy for Franey, Jody Merrigan (0-1)for B Mernagh, P Ronan for P Merrigan.
BALTINGLASS: K Quirke; R Nolan, A Nolan, I Sheerin; P Flemming, G Foley, B Cullen; T Murphy, M English; J Kelly (0-2, frees), C Foley, J McGrath (0-3, two frees); H Sinnott (0-1), P Burke, S Wall. Subs: James Sheerin for Wall, J Flynn for Murphy
Referee: D Peppard(Hollywood).
