THE PROSPECT of a titanic county SFC final was on the boil for just 27 minutes in Dr. Cullen Park on Sunday; until 22 year old Danny Molloy drilled a low shot under the diving frame of possibly unsighted James Clarke in the Dublin-end goal.

Before more than 3,000 fans the game was virtually over in four minutes after lofty Brendan Murphy curled over his only point from the right after good play by Kevin Byrne and Ken Doyle and two minutes later the wind was knocked of Old Leighlin lungs by superbly pointed line ball from the same flank by Alan Kelly.

The title was heading for the Wicklow border in the five minutes before and after the interval which Rathvilly went through 1-5 to 03, and although Seamus Kinsella split scores from Brian Murphy (60 seconds) and Gary Dempsey by the fifth minutes, the dye was cast and the green and gold preparing for the celebrations.

It had been a tense contest for those 27 minutes with JJ Smith (free) countering Aidan Nolan's opening score after 90 seconds, doing the same after David Dowling's point from the right, which might well have been a goal after skying a pass from Mark Brennan, and three minutes converting his third free to see Rathvilly go ahead.

Pat Hickey took a Kinsella pass on 27 to tie the teams again – Old Leighlin's only flag over a 24 minutes spell, and the paucity of the Kilkenny border attack was well illustrated by just one point from the starting six forwards.

The final 30 minutes were not exactly dazzling with the new champions posting just two scores in that time and the losers just three, and indeed the solidity of defences restricted scoring to just that late, late Rathvilly goal approaching the final whistle and a pointed free from Seamus Kinsella moments previously.

Molloy's goal did the damage with Seán Kavanagh – winning his fifth medal – finding Smith on the left wing and the No. 14's cross fell to Molloy who thumped a low shot through two defenders and inside the left post.Old Leighlin looked as if they found some reserves when pointing in the 46th and 48th minutes to close to 1-7 to 0-6 but there was little ignition from there on with the winner's defence in serious mode.

Old Leighlin were on he wrong side of a few decisions, one in particular when a forward was hauled down by the collar of his shirt while heading for goal, but that said they would have required he luck of all the sporting gods to extricate themselves from the tentacles of an excellent defence and the final goal was salt in wounds when an effort by Molloy and blocked and the rebounding ball fell left to Alan Kelly who blasted it to the net in the 64th minute.

It was far from a vintage final but one dominated by the now legendary green defence, one of the meanest in the county and anchored in the jousting stages by Tony Bolger at No. 3 with veteran Seán Kavanagh, the oldest player on view, nullifying one of the youngest Cathal Coughlan.

Murphy and Ken Doyle were midfield masters, to the extent that Aidan Nolan was removed, but Murphy was fortunate only to see yellow after a late collision with Pat Hickey.

The winners limped along in attack for most of the first half and but for Molloy's goal who knows how long that struggle would have continues. Molloy was in superb form and with Smith moving outfield they created oodles of space but failed to capitalise to the same extent because of another good defence in which Richie Burke had a storming opening half and John Hayden putting the handcuffs on Alan Kelly for most of the trip.

Not even the arrival of Mark Brennan to the middle could force penetration and the tale of just three forwards scoring a total of three points from tells its own story.

Notable was the contribution of the Rathvilly reserves with particularly Daniel O'Brien in the 19 shirt adding vigour to the attack.

Not even the springing of veteran Johnny Nevin could lift Old Leighlin spirits although skipper Declan Kelly put in a vigorous 25 minutes when he joined the cause which perished on a well drilled defence which recovered in almost every situation to frustrate Old Leighlin.

The winners were awarded ten of the 24 frees and kicked 12 of the 21 wides and took five of he seven line balls. Cards were issued to Brendan Murphy and Ed Finnegan.