Sport

McGrath keeps his cool to draw back Rathnew

Wicklow SFC Final/Baltinglass 0-12 Rathnew 1-9: Baltinglass and Rathnew, who have won 17 of the last 20 Wicklow senior football…

Mon Nov 05 2007 - 00:00

Wicklow SFC Final/Baltinglass 0-12 Rathnew 1-9:Baltinglass and Rathnew, who have won 17 of the last 20 Wicklow senior football titles between then, could not be separated when the sides met at Aughrim yesterday.

It took an injury-time pressure point by John McGrath from a free to give Baltinglass a draw with their arch-rivals and ensure a replay next Sunday.

As the match ticked towards the allotted two minutes of additional time, Rathnew were clinging to a one-point lead (1-9 to 0-11) and looking good to collect their 29th senior crown.

Baltinglass then won a 20-metre free out wide on their left flank and the 20-year-old university student showed nerves of steel as he coolly squeezed the free just inside Peter Dignam's right-hand post to gain parity.

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The draw means that Wicklow will not now have a team to play Dublin champions St Vincent's in the Leinster Club competition on Tuesday night in Parnell Park, but neither club are unduly worried about that at this juncture as their focus is on winning the Wicklow senior title.

Before McGrath's equaliser, Rathnew looked to have struck the killer blow when their star forward and top scorer Trevor Doyle (who scored 1-7) blasted a disputed penalty to the net with six minutes left to play, giving his side a two-point lead, 1-9 to 10.

But Baltinglass showed a lot of character in that second half. Trailing by 0-5 to 0-6 at the break, JP Kelly brought them level with a point in the first minute of the second period and they took the lead on three occasions before being hit by Doyle's late sucker punch.

Baltinglass lifted themselves, however, and hit back for two vital points from full forward CiaráWalsh and McGrath to ensure a rematch.

In an evenly-contested first half Doyle had the opening point for Rathnew after a minute and he went on to score five of his club's six points but Baltinglass always remained in contention.

BALTINGLASS: K Quirke; B Whelan, A Nolan, M O'Shaughnessy; P Fleming, C Foley, B Nolan; A Nolan (0-1), T Murphy; JP Kelly (0-5), S O'Brien, J McGrath (0-2, frees); H Sinnott (0-1), C Walsh (0-3), T Cullen. Subs: Peadar Burke for T Cullen.

RATHNEW: P Dignam; A Clarke, D Power, S Canavan; B Mernagh, S Byrne, L Glynn; J Stafford, D Byrne; A Mernagh, T Gill, T Doyle (1-7); N Mernagh, R Dignam (0-2), C Gregory. Subs: S Doherty for B Mernagh, E Doyle for C Gregory, S Kavanagh for D Byrne.

Referee: D Green (Kilcoole).