Ratoath breeze past Seasiders to top group

The result in Stamullen confirmed Ratoath as Group B winners

Ratoath 4-2-16

St Colmcille’s 0-1-8

Three goals in the first 10 minutes set the tone for Ratoath in the SFC as they demolished a St Colmcille’s side who were already destined for the relegation semi-final. Confidence-wise, Ratoath needed a decent win off the back of their lacklustre draw with Seneschalstown and they certainly delivered that in Stamullen on Saturday evening.

In truth, the contest was over after 10 minutes after Paul Galvin’s side raced into a 3-4 to 0-1 lead. St Colmcille’s did not register their second point until the 26th minute and at that stage, Ratoath had 4-9 on the scoreboard. St Colmcilles did score the last two points before the break but Ratoath still led by 18 at the interval.

The Seasiders had a bright spell for 10 minutes after the restart and they outscored Ratoath by five points to three, but from there Ratoath shifted back up a gear and pressed home their advantage to eventually win by a wide margin.

Jack Flynn had a huge impact in the middle of the field and he matched St Colmcille’s total four-point tally from play with two two-pointers. It was very impressive showing from Ratoath and from 1-15 plus the subs, there wasn’t many men in blue and yellow shirts who didn't win their individual battle.

Within a minute, Cian O’Brien had the ball in the back of the St Colmcille’s net. Evan Breen got Cille’s tally underway before Gavin McGowan set up Ronan Byrne who burst through the defence and put Ratoath 2-0 to 0-1 up after just six minutes. The first of Flynn’s two pointers was followed by a Cian Rogers goal. Daithi McGowan did particularly well in the build-up to Ratoath’s third goal before he laid the ball off to Rogers.

Bryan McMahon then scored three points on the spin as Ratoath led 3-4 to a point after 14 minutes. The two wing-backs, Eamon Wallace and Gavin McGowan chipped in with two nice points before a really well worked move, that included lovely link up play between Bobby O’Brien, Sean Brazil and McMahon was polished to the net by Daithi McGowan.

In the 26th minute, David Bell finally scored St Colmcille’s second point but it was immediately cancelled out by McMahon. Bell and Stephen Breen pulled two points back for Paul Kelleher’s side but at the interval, Ratoath led by 4-10 to 0-4.

St Colmcille’s brightest period was the 10 minutes just after the restart when Bell hit three points and Andrew Beakey contributed with a two-point free. Jack Flynn kept Ratoath ticking over with his second two-pointer. Bryan McMahon and Daithi McGowan combined for five of Ratoath’s last seven points as the men in blue and yellow cruised to the finish line.

Ratoath - Conor Rooney; Callum Brady, Liam Kelly, Sean Brazil; Eamon Wallace (0-1), Ben Wyer, Gavin McGowan (0-1); Jack Flynn (0-4 two two-points), Darragh Kelly; Cian O’Brien (1-0), Daithi McGowan (1-3), Bobby O’Brien (0-1); Bryan McMahon (0-7 four frees), Cian Rogers (1-2), Ronan Byrne (1-0). Subs - Brian Daly for Wallace half-time, Glen O’Reilly (0-1) for C O’Brien, Ben McGowan for D Kelly both 49m, Jack McGowan for B O’Brien, Ciaran O Fearaigh for G McGowan both 56m.

St Colmcilles - Andrew Beakey (0-2 one two-point free); Cathal Monaghan, Luke O’Brien, Oisin Brennan; Stephen Breen (0-1), Ben Brennan, Luke Conlon; Evan Breen (0-1), Ruiairi O’Grady; Mahon Hall, Liam Stafford, Aaron Grant; Cormac O’Donoghue, Graham Reilly, David Bell (0-6 four frees). Eoin Gillick for Hall, Luke Hanan for O’Brien 17m, James McCullen for O Brennan half-time, Conor Clifford for Reilly 61m.

Referee - Robert Purfield (St Patrick’s).