Rathmore (Kerry) 2-16

St Mogue’s, Fethard (Wexford) 1-10

RATHMORE’S RYAN BROTHERS scored 1-8 as the Kerry champions stamped their ticket to Croke Park for next Sunday’s All-Ireland intermediate club football final.

Bar a purple patch before half time when St Mogue’s, Fethard, scored 1-4 without reply, Rathmore were well deserving of their final spot against Tyrone champions Galbally Pearses, with 10 different scorers across the hour including the entire middle eight; half-back line, midfield, and half-forwards.

It’s the ninth time in the last 16 years a Kerry club will contest the final. A Leinster club has never won the title and they have lost 16 out of 19 semi-finals.

It was a first half of three acts. The first, St Mogue’s on top but wayward. They kicked five early wides which seemed desperately necessary in light of what was to follow.

Once Rathmore’s press began to pen Mogue’s in from kick outs, they struck for 2-5 without reply. Shane Ryan had the first goal in the 12th minute, showing his goalkeeping instincts by rising high over Mogue’s keeper William Doyle to bundle the ball home.

It was the Ryan brothers dominating, between Mark (who kicked 0-2) and Cathal in midfield and Shane, with John Moynihan adding a goal after Cathal caught a mark from another Mogue’s kick-out. Moynihan could have instead claimed an attacking mark and easy point but his instinct to zig-zag toward goal proved correct.

But then Mogue’s began to make headway. Joe Sutton and Richard Waters provided the drive forward. County hurler Mikie Dwyer, left thigh heavily strapped, logged their first point after 23 minutes. Morgen Ellis had a shot on goal blocked down by Dan Murphy. Then, in the 28th minute, Waters charged behind the cover to rattle the net. Cian Byrne dropped a free onto the crossbar, tapped over by John Tubritt.

The gap, once 11, back to four at the half; 2-5 to 1-4.

Mogue’s kept with Rathmore a while longer but never closed within that four-point deficit. Mark and Shane Ryan kicked two points apiece and Cathal added another as Rathmore stretched nine ahead with a four-point streak around the three-quarter mark.

Cian Byrne, scorer of three second-half points, squirreled inside the Rathmore cover but Kenneth O’Keeffe saved to deny Mogue’s a lifeline.

Shane Ryan, who ended with 1-3, dropped behind the full-back line for the closing minutes; the ‘double-keeper’ formation coming up trumps when he made a diving block on Graham O’Grady in the last attack.

Galbally Pearses, meanwhile, were 4-4 to 1-9 victors over Dunmore MacHales of Galway.

Scorers for Rathmore: Shane Ryan 1-3 (0-1f, 0-1m), Mark Ryan 0-4, John Moynihan 1-0, Chrissy Spiers 0-3 (1f), Brendan O’Keeffe 0-1, Paul Murphy 0-1, Fionn Holohan 0-1, Cathal Ryan 0-1, Mark Reen 0-1, Brian Friel 0-1.

Scorers for St Mogue’s: Richard Waters 1-0, John Tubritt 0-3 (1f), Cian Byrne 0-3 (1f), Jake Molloy 0-1, Joe Sutton 0-1, Mikie Dwyer 0-1, Graham O’Grady 0-1.

Rathmore

1. Kenneth O’Keeffe

4. Dan Murphy, 3. James O’Sullivan, 2. Mike Joe Kelliher

7. Fionn Holohan, 6. Paul Murphy, 5. Brendan O’Keeffe

8. Mark Ryan (capt), 9. Cathal Ryan

10. Mark Reen, 11. Chrissy Spiers, 12. Brian Friel

15. Shane Ryan, 14. James Darmody, 13. John Moynihan

Subs

17. Cillian O’Connor for Holohan (51)

19. Darragh Reilly for Darmody (51)

22. Anthony Darmody for Friel (53)

20. George O’Keeffe for Reen (57)

21. Jimmy O’Mahony for M Ryan (60+3)

St Mogue’s

1. William Doyle

5. Christopher Molloy, 3. Daniel Mullan, 4. Martin Doyle

2. Seán Nunan, 6. Garrett Foley (capt), 7. Jake Molloy

9. Richard Waters, 8. Joe Sutton

10. Morgen Ellis, 14. John Tubritt, 15. Graham O’Grady

13. Cian Byrne, 11. Mikie Dwyer, 12. Eoin Whelan

Subs

19. Adam Swan for Nunan (24)

21. Daire Barden for Whelan (49)

Referee: James Molloy (Galway)