Rathgormack retain Conway Cup in windswept Dungarvan
Back-to-back county senior football final titles for Rathgormack. Photo: Sean Byrne.
Second-half goals from Peter Walsh and James Power saw Rathgormack keep hold of the Conway Cup in high winds against a battling Abbeyside/Ballinacourty this afternoon.
Kenny Hassett's men scored 2-3 into the elements to capture the twelfth title in the club's history. Hard running wing forward James Power caught the eye with 1-1 while Willie Hahessy, Peter Walsh, Michael Curry and Willie Hahessy also made sizeable contributions. Michael O'Halloran hit three points for Ballinacourty while Michael Kiely and Willie Beresford put in big shifts around the middle.
There were only three points between the teams, with nine minutes left, when Jason Gleeson set off on a solo run and offloaded to James Power. He passed to the unmarked Peter Walsh who slipped the ball under Aaron Beresford. Ballinacourty nearly cancelled it out straight away as Patrick Hurney punched a Brian Looby delivery off the crossbar.
Substitute Billy Power, who returned from Dubai last week, added a point. Two minutes into injury time, Courty keeper Aaron Beresford was caught off his line and James Power kicked the ball into the unguarded net.
Wind assisted Rathgormack led 7-3 at the break. Jason Curry, Jason Gleeson and Conor Murray all split the posts from outside the 45. Courty dug in and second half points from Aaron Beresford (45), Michael O'Halloran and Diarmuid Mackle narrowed the gap to two. Rathgormack went 26 minutes without a score but a Cathal Crowch single settled them.
