Rathvilly 2-9
Old Leighlin 1-10

Rathvilly got their hands on the Conlon Cup for the eight time at the expense of defending champions Old Leighlin at Dr Cullen Park.

Diarmuid Cronin and Alan Kelly struck for two first-half goals for Rathvilly but the sides went in level at the break - Rathvilly 2-3, Old Leighlin 1-6 - after Hughie Gahan pulled a goal back for the Karl O'Dwyer coached reigning champions.

Four unanswered points at the start of the second-half laid the foundations for Rathvilly's first outright success in five years.

JJ Smith, Diarmuid Cronin, Ed Finnegan and Gary Dempsey raised white flags for the winners during that purple patch.

Try as they might, Old Leighlin were unable to recover from the concession of those scores.

Rathvilly - R Molloy; BJ Molloy, A Sibbald, K Byrne; J Leonard, Brendan Murphy, J O'Donoghue; K Doyle, Brian Murphy (0-2, 1f), A Kelly (1-0), E Finnegan (0-2), W O'Donoghue; D Cronin (1-1), G Dempsey (0-2, 1f), JJ Smith (0-2, 1f). Subs: C Byrne for Brendan Murphy, E Molloy for K Doyle, P Byrne for W O'Donoghue, D Molloy for D Cronin.

Old Leighlin - J Clarke; G Hickey, M Meaney (Blackbush), R Burke; D Dowling, J Hayden, D Kelly; D Bambrick, H Gahan (1-1); M Brennan, P Hickey, M Meaney (Monemore); C Coughlan (0-4, 1f), W Minchin (0-1), S Kinsella (0-4, 3f). Subs: E Fitzgerald for R Burke, S Bambrick for G Hickey, S Kennedy for M Meaney (Monemore).

Referee - J Hickey.

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