Wicklow kingpins Rathnew had a comfortable margin to spare over their Longford counterparts, Dromard, after an entertaining game at Pearse Park.
Rathnew got off to a dream start with fisted goals from Trevor Doyle and Kevin Gill in the opening six minutes and appeared to be coasting when they added a further four points. Dromard's only l reply in the first 15 minutes was a point by James Martin.
However, the gutsy north Longford side came storming back in the second quarter to score 1-5 on the trot, with Martin slotting home a well-taken goal in the 18th minute.
Ronan Coffey pointed to leave Rathnew leading 2-5 to 1-6 at the break and they had much the better of exchanges in the second half, with man of the match Darren Coffey a dominant force at midfield.
Rathnew: T Murphy; D Doyle, E White, E Jameson; E Franey, M Coffey, C Murphy; D Coffey (0-2, one free), D Byrne; M Doyle (0-1), T Doyle (1-1), S Byrne; T Gill (0-3, one free), R Coffey (0- 4), K Gill (1-1). Subs: J O'Connor for Jameson (half-time); J Snell for M Doyle (59 mins).
Dromard: D Sheridan; E McNaboe, C Conefrey, Padraig Jones; J Toole, C Macken, Paul Jones; R Donoghue, N Reynolds; D Conefrey (0- 1), J Kiernan, B Kiernan (0-1); J Martin (1-4, three frees), S Hagan (0-2), E Macken. Subs: G Owens for E Macken (36 mins); J McNaboe for J Kiernan (52 mins).
Referee: P Fox, Westmeath.
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