Ratoath deserve top spot in SFC power rankings

With the 2021 GAA season set to be split into definitive inter-county and club campaigns and a possible start date still up in the air due to Covid-19 restrictions clubs have been delayed in commencing their preparations for league, knockout cup and championship campaigns.

Of the 52 clubs that will contest the football competitions less than half can harbour realistic ambitions of winning anything, while on the hurling front only a handful of teams can justifiably claim to have a shot at the big prize in their respective grades.

The Meath Chronicle will examine the credentials of all the contenders in the various championships, assess the chances of glory and rate their standings on the respective championship ladders in the Meath GAA Power Rankings for 2021.

First up for evaluation are the 16 contenders for the SFC Keegan Cup.

Only four or five have a realistic chance of claiming outright success, another six or seven have sole ambitions of survival while the remainder will be hoping for huge slices to either pull them into the Keegan Cup picture or keep them clear of the relegation zone.

Next week will focus on the IFC.

2021 SFC ratings (1-16)

1 - RATOATH

Lost to St Colmcille's in their first game of 2020 in the opening round of the Feis Cup, but that proved to be only a temporary blip as they recovered to secure top spot in their group with victories over Seneschalstown and Moynalvey. With so many players involved with Meath in both hurling and football they were edged out by Wolfe Tones in the semi-final. When play resumed after the first Covid lockdown they hit the ground running again with victories over Navan O'Mahonys and a 31-point drubbing of Syddan in A FL Div 1C to secure their place in the knockout stages that never happened. As defending Keegan Cup champions they had a massive target on their back and while their performances weren't of the highest order in the group stages they still managed wins over Simonstown, Skryne and Nobber to secure their semi-final spot. It was when the going got tough that Brian Farrell's side managed to up their game. An impressive second-half display saw them past Summerhill and they showed true champions spirit to stun Gaeil Colmcille in the closing minutes of the SFC final to retain their title and the right to be called the number one senior club in the county. Won nine of the 11 competitive games they played.

2 - GAEIL COLMCILLE

In terms of consistency there isn't a more reliable side in Meath football over the last five or six years. They have consistently reached the semi-finals of championships and won Feis Cups and Leagues and in 2020 they were a major force again beating Na Fianna, Nobber and Dunshaughlin to secure a Feis Cup semi-final spot where they had nine points to spare against Navan O'Mahonys. When the A FLs resumed they hinted that 2020 really could be their year when they hammered Simonstown and Seneschalstown to top their group. Group D of the SFC proved to be another successful campaign with wins over Dunshaughlin, St Colmcille's and most notably Dunboyne earning a semi-final place where they again displayed their credentials with victory over Na Fianna. However, they were cruelly edged out on the final by Ratoath and it was that disappointment at the last hurdle that keeps them off top spot despite winning nine of the 10 competitive games they played in 2020.

3 - SUMMERHILL

After a run of three successive SFC finals and a charge to the semi-final last year Summerhill have long been considered to be the side to beat in the championship and for the last four years it is the team that has beaten them that has won the Keegan Cup. They were far from their best in the 2020 SFC, but still managed to scrape wins over Moynalvey, Wolfe Tones and Curraha when it mattered most. They fell short against Ratoath in the semi-final, but will hope to build again under new manager Pascal Kellaghan. At the start of 2020 they relinquished their Feis Cup title, losing to Simonstown and Wolfe Tones before drawing with Donaghmore/Ashbourne. In the league they beat Oldcastle before losing to Dunboyne. While their record of four wins and a draw from nine games doesn't make solid reading, it's their ability to do it when it matters most that puts them ahead of others with better win percentages.

4 - WOLFE TONES

Being in the top eight is all about consistency and while Wolfe Tones are one of the most consistent sides in the SFC over the last decade. It was only a late, late collapse against Summerhill in their second game of the championship that denied them progress to the semi-finals as they had scored goals aplenty in their wins over Curraha and Moynalvey. They had started the year so impressively with Feis Cup wins over Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Summerhill and Simonstown, three sides above them in the power rankings, and then booked their place in the final with victory over Ratoath. That winning run continued when play resumed with a win over Skryne in A FL Div 1D, but then a hammering by Donaghmore/Ashbourne hinted at a dip in form and despite two wins from three in the SFC they finished just behind Summerhill and missed out on a semi-final spot - a very dangerous side with seven wins from their nine games, it's hard to argue against their high ranking.

5 - SIMONSTOWN

In 2016 and '17 Simonstown were all-conquering. Dunboyne took advantage of the tired champions to end their reign in 2018, but 2020 was meant to be Simonstown's year - it never really happened, but they remain one of the main contenders for outright honours in every competition. 2020 started well with victory over Summerhill in the Feis Cup and continued with another win over Donaghmore/Ashbourne, but then goal-hungry Wolfe Tones sunk them in their third outing to deny the Navan men a semi-final spot. When play resumed after the 'break' they struggled to rediscover their form and were hammered by Gaeil Colmcille in A FL Div 1 and also lost out to Moynalvey. That led into the championship where Simonstown's only win came against Skryne and after losing in a shock to Nobber they then missed out on a semi-final place following a one-point loss to Ratoath. A 4-5 record hardly warrants a fifth place ranking, but you can't write off a side of such enormous talent.

6 - DUNBOYNE

When they ended a 13-year wait to reclaim the Keegan Cup in 2018 Dunboyne looked set for a sustained spell at the top, but they quickly returned to their old inconsistent ways. On their day Dunboyne are unplayable, an abundance of top quality players and supremely coached. However, they are also capable of inexplicable slip ups and 2020 summed them up. In the Feis Cup they drew with O'Mahonys, lost to Skryne and then beat Curraha - the model of inconsistency. When play resumed in July they looked on top of the world with A FL wins over Na Fianna and Summerhill.

The championship looked well within their reach when they hammered Dunshaughlin in round one, but then they lost the big one against Gaeil Colmcille and even though they hit back against St Colmcille's it was that lack of consistency in the 'big one' that came back to haunt them. They ended with four wins and a draw from their seven games - sums them up perfectly.

7 - NA FIANNA

When they are good, they are very, very good, when they are off it, they are average - at best. Na Fianna have all the ammunition to shoot down any side, but it's getting them all firing on the same day that appears to be the problem. Abysmal in the opening round of the championship when losing to Seneschalstown Na Fianna recovered brilliantly to secure a semi-final spot with wins over O'Mahonys and Donaghmore/Ashbourne. They even gave Gaeil Colmcille a tough test in the semi-final, but fell at the penultimate hurdle. They had started the year with a win over Dunshaughlin in the Feis Cup, but then lost their way when drawing with Nobber and losing by two to Gaeil Colmcille. They resumed with defeat to Dunboyne in the league, but got back to winning ways with victory over Oldcastle in the last league game ahead of the championship. Four wins and a draw from nine games needs work, especially as two of those defeats came in the championship.

8 - DONAGHMORE/ASHBOURNE

Given their undoubted abundance of exceptional talent more is expected of Donaghmore/Ashbourne and that is probably why their ranking maybe flatters them a little bit.

SFC finalists in 2014 and 2016 and consistently in the running for Feis Cup and league honours Donaghmore/Ashbourne are capable of winning a Keegan Cup, but not on 2020 form.

They started the year poorly, losing to Wolfe Tones and Simonstown before concluding their Feis Cup campaign with a draw against Summerhill.

In the A FL Div 1 they resumed by drawing with Ballinabrackey before gaining revenge Wolfe Tones, but it was in the championship where they flattered to deceive.

After beating O'Mahonys and limping over the line against Seneschalstown they lost out to Na Fianna in the crucial final game of the group and missed out on a semi-final.

Three victories, three defeats and two draws from their eight-game season shows what they are capable of and where they need to improve to have a chance.

9 - MOYNALVEY

Five wins from eight games could be considered a decent return for Moynalvey, but with two of their three losses coming in the SFC against Summerhill and Wolfe Tones they found themselves in a disappointing position with their victory over Curraha keeping them out of relegation trouble.

After opening their year with a loss against Ratoath, Moynalvey recorded wins over St Colmcille's and Seneschalstown in the Feis Cup and Seneschalstown and Simonstown in the league.

They are well aware of their potential and might consider that they should be higher in a tightly bunched midfield in the power rankings.

10 - NAVAN O'MAHONYS

Maybe it's reputation alone that has O'Mahonys so high in the power rankings because their form in 2020 might suggest they deserve to be further down the ratings.

After all they did lose to Dunshaughlin in the league before producing an encouraging display when losing to Ratoath.

Earlier in the year O'Mahonys were going well under Davy Nelson.

A draw with Dunboyne in the Feis Cup was followed by victories over Curraha and Skryne to secure top spot, but they then lost out heavily in the semi-final.

That was the start of a run that saw them lose twice in the league and then to Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Na Fianna in the championship before victory over Seneschalstown ended their five-game losing streak and saved them from a relegation play-off.

Three wins and a draw from nine games - O'Mahonys expect more from themselves.

11 - SKRYNE

There were stages last year when the longest continuous tenure in senior football looked under threat as Skryne were well beaten by Simonstown Gaels in their opening game and were then edged out by Ratoath. It was only their comprehensive victory over eventually relegated Nobber that kept them out of the play-off places.

The year 2020 had started reasonably well for the Tara men with wins over Curraha and Dunboyne in the Feis Cup, but then they slipped up against O'Mahonys to miss out on a semi-final spot.

When play resumed with the A FLs they lost to Wolfe Tones before beating Ballinabrackey.

It was really a mixed bag for Skryne with four wins and four losses, but they will be hoping for better this year.

12 - SENESCHALSTOWN

After finding themselves involved in the SFC relegation play-offs for the second year in success Seneschalstown will be hoping for brighter days ahead with their talented group of young players.

After stunning Na Fianna in the opening round of the SFC Seneschalstown faded badly, losing to Donaghmore/Ashbourne and O'Mahonys to find themselves bottom of the group and they managed to escape the drop by defeating Dunshaughlin in the first play-off.

The writing was on the wall early in the year for Seneschalstown when they lost to St Colmcille's, Ratoath and Moynalvey in the Feis Cup and then to Moynalvey again in A FL Div 1 and to Gaeil Colmcille in their second game back after the lockdown. Two wins from nine games shows their is plenty of room for improvement under new manager Anthony Malone.

13 - DUNSHAUGHLIN

The start of the 2000s must have felt like a long time ago for Dunshaughlin last year and it certainly has brought about great change. Back at the turn of the millennium Dunshaughlin were a powerhouse and went on to a three-in-a-row as champions, but in 2020 they found themselves escaping relegation by virtue of a play-off win over Nobber. Losses to Gaeil Colmcille, Dunboyne and St Colmcille's left them in that relegation mire and their early season form wasn't impressive either as they lost to Gaeil Colmcille, Na Fianna and Nobber in the Feis Cup. They did recover to score wins over Syddan and Navan O'Mahonys in A FL Div 1C, but it was their championship form that let them down.

With plenty of good young players coming through, they can have hope for the future despite just managing three wins from 10 games last year.

14 - ST COLMCILLE'S

Despite their abundance of talent and a couple of decent performances there is a concern about St Colmcille's that they have failed to build on their IFC success in 2018. They are capable of springing the odd surprise and in the opening game of 2020 they did just that when they beat Seneschalstown in the Feis Cup.

However, as if to underline their inconsistency they followed that victory with a loss to Moynalvey before surprising Ratoath in round three, but they lost out on a semi-final place on scoring difference.

They also showed unreliability in A FL Div 2A as they lost out to Nobber, but then beat Curraha before the championship started.

The SFC opened with a loss to Gaeil Colmcille, no shame in that, and they bounced back with victory over Dunshaughlin before being hammered by Dunboyne in their final group game. After a year where they failed to win back-to-back games, their competitive record read WLWLWLWL.

While they did fare better than Dunshaughlin, it is Dunshaughlin's marginally better prospects coming through that keeps them ahead of the Seasiders in the rankings.

15 - CURRAHA

Last year was a constant struggle for Curraha.

It started poorly with Feis Cup losses to Navan O'Mahonys, Skryne and Dunboyne while in Div 2A of the A FL they were edged out by St Colmcille's in the first game back after the initial lockdown.

They did manage a rare victory over struggling Castletown to avoid propping up the group, but their poor form continued into the championship where Wolfe Tones hit them for four goals early on in their first game and they never recovered slumping to further defeats against Moynalvey and Summerhill despite brave performances.

Those results plunged Curraha into the relegation play-offs, but they survived with a three-point victory over Nobber.

That second win from eight competitive outings in 2020 was enough to secure their senior status.

16 - BALLINABRACKEY

Some sides have found it notoriously tough to retain their new-found senior status after making the jump from intermediate.

Just ask Nobber who were relegated after one year in the top flight. Ballinabrackey were slight surprise winners of the IFC last October. Many expected Trim to win through, but the 'Bracks were outstanding and deservedly won their place at the top table for the first time.

Playing in A FL Div 1 in 2020, where they drew with Donaghmore/Ashbourne, but lost to Skryne, was a learning curve and they will surely benefit from operating out of Div 1 again this year.

In last year's Corn na Boinne they drew with Oldcastle, beat Blackhall Gaels and had a walkover against Ballinlough, they then lost to Walterstown in the play-offs, so that type of form suggests they might find life tough at the top. However, heart and spirit will drive them on.