Moors stun Ratoath and secure date with destiny

Donaghmore/Ashbourne will have the chance to create history in two weeks with an opportunity to win their first SFC title in 84 years on their home turf after they stunned Ratoath on Saturday.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-1-12 (17)

Ratoath 0-2-8 (12)

Donaghmore/Ashbourne will have the chance to create history in two weeks' time when they try and win their first Meath SFC title since 1942 on their home turf after they stunned Ratoath in the semi-final at Devenish Park on Saturday.

Andy Colgan missed a couple of long-range opportunities but he slotted the one that mattered most in the 63rd minute of Saturday’s contest which put his side five points clear of the opposition and the game to bed. With five minutes remaining, Jack Flynn’s effort on goal had Colgan beat but just went wide of the post. That missed opportunity for a goal would have brought Ratoath level and may have led to a very different outcome.

The contest was nip and tuck for the majority but a goal for Darragh McGovern in the 40th minute gave Donaghmore/Ashbourne a huge boost and set them on the path to victory. In truth, Donaghmore/Ashbourne were full value for the win Jamie Browne and Bryan Menton were sensational. The pair of them have been, without a doubt, the standout midfield duo of the SFC this year.

Zach Thornton and Darragh McGovern proved to be a real handful for the Ratoath defence. Andy Tormey contributed well to the cause while Evan Quinn and Sean Tyrell caused a lot of issues with runs from deep. Shane Melia had a superb game and even contributed a nice score.

As SFC semi-finals go, the first-half of this clash won't go down as a particularly memorable 30 minutes of football. Ratoath got off to a quick start when Flynn won a free from the throw-in. Browne stopped him the county midfielder from taking a quick solo and go which handed Daithi McGowan an easy opportunity to get off the mark.

Menton responded for the Moors before Stephen Carton set up Darragh McGovern which edged Donaghmore/Ashbourne ahead in the third minute. Cian Rogers raised a white flag with a nice point from a tight angle. Thornton regained the lead for the Moors after he got on the end of a patient and well-worked team move before he slotted two frees to give Donaghmore/Ashbourne a 0-5 to 0-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.

In the 18th minute, Shane Melia found himself through on goal and one of several Ratoath defenders who got in the way of the shot was judged to have foot-blocked the effort. Referee Cormac Reilly was well placed to make the call and wasted no time hesitating before he awarded the penalty. Darragh McGovern’s effort was well struck but it didn't make it past Devon Burns, who produced a remarkable save.

In what felt like a big swing at the time, McGowan slotted a lovely two-point free before a good ball across field from Rogers was well gathered by Bryan McMahon and he had plenty of time to split the posts which drew the sides level.

Tyrell’s point in the 26th minute handed the eventual winners a slender advantage of 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval. Andy Tormey added his name to the scoresheet within two minutes of the restart before Flynn responded for Ratoath. A nice move that had some lovely link-up play between Kevin Fenton and Quinn was polished off by Melia.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne had seized momentum and Darragh McGovern’s point in the 34th minute gave them a three-point lead. The hard working Paddy White then intercepted a line ball and set up his Meath u-20 teammate Adam Ducie for a nice score before it was cancelled out by Menton.

Quinn’s hard work was crucial in the build up to Donaghmore/Ashbourne’s goal in the 40th minute as Ratoath were caught on the hop and Darragh McGovern weaved through the defence before he expertly dispatched the ball past Burns.

Ducie who had a fine game for Ratoath kept his side in contention with two points in quick succession. At the start of the final quarter, Burns split the posts with a well-struck two-point free to reduce the gap back to two points.

Tyrell almost found the back of the net in the 48th minute but Conor McGill did well to gather possession pretty much on the Ratoath goal-line and clear the danger. Substitute Evan Kelly put three points between the sides again with 10 minutes left on the clock.

In the 55th minute, Rogers played a pass in front of Flynn who got his foot to the ball just in time to beat Colgan but his effort whisked just wide of the post. Liam Kelly won the resulting Donaghmore/Ashbourne kick-out, played a nice pass to McMahon who set up Ducie for his fourth but ultimately Ratoath’s last point.

Thomas McGovern put the Moors three points ahead in the 58th minute before a late two-point free from Colgan made sure of the stunning victory for Timmy O’Regan’s side.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne: Andy Colgan (0-2 two-point free); Evan Quinn, Shane Melia (0-1), Sean Curran; Sean Tyrell (0-1), Conor Carton, Kevin Fenton; Bryan Menton (0-2), Jamie Browne; Thomas McGovern (0-1), Andy Tormey (0-1 free), Kevin Cully; Darragh McGovern (1-2), Stephen Carton, Zach Thornton (0-3 two frees). Subs: Evan Kelly (0-1) for S Carton 41m, Michael O’Sullivan for Thornton 52m, Cillian Hegarty for Cully 61m.

Ratoath: Devon Burns (0-2 one two-point free); Liam Kelly, Conor McGill, Ben Wyer; Rob Hayes, Gavin McGowan, Eamon Wallace; Cian O’Brien, Jack Flynn (0-1); Glen O’Reilly, Daithi McGowan (0-3 one two-point free, one free), Paddy White; Bryan McMahon (0-1), Cian Rogers (0-1), Adam Ducie (0-4 one free). Subs: Callum Brady for G McGowan, Bobby O’Brien for O’Reilly both half-time, Brian Daly for Hayes, Joey Wallace for White both 43m, Darragh Kelly for C O’Brien 45m.

Referee: Cormac Reilly (St Mary’s).