Castletown 2-9 Rathangan 1-2

After narrowly losing to Poulfur last year, Castletown were firmly a team with a dream in this year’s Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Rackard League Boys’ Football Minisevens final. Standing in their way were regular finalists Rathangan who had ambitions of their own.

Rathangan started the brighter but were soon overwhelmed by a constant wave of Castletown attacks. Rathangan goalie David McDonagh almost survived the first attack but his fine double save still presented PJ Crotty with a rebounded goal. Points from the impressive Michael Kavanagh and Doran Daly O’Toole opened up an eight point halftime lead.

Within seconds of the restart, Castletown scored their second goal of the final after a team move of blistering speed and skill. Further points from Crotty and Kavanagh asserted their dominance. Rathangan rallied through the workrate of Justin McMahon and Bobby Reville and managed to finish strongly enough to worry the Castletown crowd.

Lively sub Conor Sidney scored a good point from a narrow angle just before Justin McMahon lobbed the ball into the top corner of the Castletown goal. McMahon put another clinical score over the bar to give his team some serious momentum coming into the closing stages of the game. Further saves from David McDonagh ensured that Castletown would not score again.

The gap was too big and the time too small however and Castletown did enough defensively to close out the game. With further games to come in the business end of the Roinn A competition, Castletown continue to dream about days like this.

Castletown: Niall O’Shaughnessy, Fionn Kavanagh, Ross Higgins, Michael Kavanagh, Doran Daly O’Toole, PJ Crotty, Dylan Bealin, David Byrne, Keenan Kenny, Kyle Fegan, Diarmuid Brady

Rathangan: David McDonagh, Aidan Brennan, Eoin Browne, Joe Cunningham, Ciarán Doyle, Jack Kelly, Jason McKevitt, Justin McMahon, Robert Moore, Darragh O’Brien-Roche, Bobby Reville, Corey Ryan, Conor Sidney, Conor Stone-Walsh