Rampant Ratoath take Leonard Cup in style
If further evidence was required to underline the fact that hurling in Ratoath is on the way back it was provided at Pairc Tailteann today when they defeated Kilskyre/Moylagh in the IHC final by 1-21 to 0-11.
Ratoath led all the way in a final that was delayed because of extra time in the SHC semi-final between Trim and Killyon.
Ratoath were in front by 1-9 to 0-9 to at the interval their goal arriving on 19 minutes when Bobby O'Brien passed to Gavin McGowan who fired home.
The opening half was a relatively close affair but after the break Ratoath cut loose and exerted their superiority in most sectors of the field.
A very disappointing afternoon for Kilskyre/Moylagh was completed in the closing stages of the game when one of the best players, Ronan McGuinness, received a second yellow card and had to make the long walk.
By then Ratoath led by 1-17 to 0-11 and were home and dry. Throughout the afternoon Ratoath were sharp and alert and nobody personified this more than Ciaran O'Hanrahan who capped a fine display with three points.
The other Ratoath candidate for man-of-the-match was centre-half-back Darragh Kelly who scored a booming point from a free from well inside his own half. He also mopped up a huge amount of ball.
Gavin McGowan was also excellent for the winners with 1-6 from play with Ben McGowan and Sean O'Hanrahan others to score points.
Padraig O'Hanrahan was Ratoath's main marksman with nine points, seven from frees.
Kilskyre/Moylagh stayed in the game mainly through McGuinness's five excellent points from play but they lacked a cutting edge in attack.
Sean Geraghty and Michael Geraghty had find games for them however, they struggled to keep up with the tempo set by their opponents.
Joe Melia, Dereck Muldoon, Eanna Brody and Thomas Shine pointed for Kilskrye/Moylagh but they needed lot more to knock a well-motivated Ratoath side off course.
Afterwards captain Gavin McGowan accepted the Mick Leonard Cup and described how the set up at the club was 'savage' this year.
In 1981 Kilskyre, containing players from Moylagh, defeated Ratoath in the IHC final but today there was no question of where the silverware - and the plaudits - were going.
Ratoath - Gearoid Crowley; Turlough O'Neill, Brian Murphy, Brian Farrelly; Paddy Dowd, Darragh Kelly (0-1 free), Conor Ward; Bobby O'Brien, Jack McGowan; Ben McGowan (0-1), Ciaran O'Hanrahan (0-3), Sean O'Hanrahan (0-1); Padraig O'Hanrahan (0-9), Gavin McGowan (1-6), Bryan McMahon. Subs - Neil O'Dowd for Ward half-time, Sean Keogh for S O'Hanrahan, Paddy Coady for B McGowan both 60m.
Kilskyre/Moylagh - Kieran Hannon; Lorcan Maguire, Kevin Foley, Padraig Muldoon; Brendan Smith, Michael Geraghty, Patrick Briody; Ronan McGuinness (0-5), Sean Geraghty; Paddy Gilsenan, Paddy Rahill, Joe Melia (0-2); Eanna Brody (0-1), Simon Deevy, Dereck Muldoon (0-2 one free). Subs - Thomas Shine for Deevy, Peadar Byrne for Rahill both half-time, Jack Tunney for D Muldoon 45m, Gary Reilly for Gilsenan 53m, Philip Grall for Foley 61m.
Referee - Martin Bartley (Trim).
In the SHC semi-final at Pairc Tailteann Killyon booked their place in the final against Kiltale with a 2-20 to 1-16 victory over Trim but only after extra-time.