Unanimous points decision for impressive defending champions

SHC Red card no impediment for free-flowing Ratoath

Ratoath................... 0-22

Kiltale ....................0-12

It was a unanimous points decision in favour of the defending champions as Ratoath opened their Jubilee Cup campaign with a resounding victory over Kiltale despite playing most of the contest with just 14 men at Trim on Monday evening.

Ciaran O'Hanrahan picked up two yellow cards between the 11th and 14th minutes for similar wild swings on Jack Regan and Fearghal McCabe and walked to the line, but that hardly caused a mis-step for the defending champions.

They were already 0-4 to 0-3 ahead at that stage with three points (two frees) from the outstanding Podge O'Hanrahan and one from the equally impressive Cian Rogers giving them their lead after Kiltale had hit three-in-a-row from two Regan frees and one from McCabe.

After the sending off Ratoath stretched their advantage with another brace of Podge O'Hanrahan frees, but Kiltale suggested they might be able to make the most of their numerical advantage when Mark O'Sullivan, with a magnificent point, and Regan from midfield sandwiched a score from the lively Sean Corbett to close the gap to 0-5 to 0-7.

Ratoath quickly settled again and pressed Kiltale hard, neutralising their extra man and rendering him null and void. A Bryan McMahon point and two more frees from Podge O'Hanrahan in the space of two minutes made it 0-10 to 0-5 and Kiltale were kept in the game by a brilliant save from Shane McGann which denied Cian Rogers a certain goal.

Another excellent score from McCabe and point from a decent goal chance from Peter Durnin narrowed the deficit to three for Kiltale, but Podge O'Hanrahan ensured a 0-11 to 0-7 interval lead with the last puck of the period.

Despite being a man down Ratoath totally dominated after the break and by the 53rd minute they had the contest long put to bed as, in response to points from James Kelly and Hughie O'Sullivan, they hit nine points from Podge O'Hanrahan (four), Rogers (two), Gavin McGowan (two) and Corbett to lead 0-20 to 0-9.

Regan ended a 13 minute barren spell for Kiltale when he drove a 20-metre free over the bar in a vain attempt to find the net.

Podge O'Hanrahan replied with a point before a couple of scores from Jack Bannon and Philly Garvey added a degree of respectability to Kiltale's scoreline, but it was Ratoath, and Podge O'Hanrahan with the closing point, who celebrated getting the defence of their SHC title off to an impressive winning start.

Ratoath - Colm O'Riordan; Liam Corbett, Ben McGowan, Cormac Butler; Conor McGill, Darragh Kelly, Domhnall Rogers; Ciaran O'Hanrahan, Jack McGowan; Bryan McMahon (0-1), Gavin McGowan (0-2), Sean Corbett (0-2); Daithi McGowan, Cian Rogers (0-3), Padraig O'Hanrahan (0-14 nine frees).

Kiltale - Shane McGann; Padraig Kelly, Iarla Hughes, Jack Bannon (0-1); Conor McNally, Philip Garvey (0-1), Conor Ryan; Fearghal McCabe (0-2), Darragh McVann; Adam Murphy, Mark O'Sullivan (0-1), James Kelly (0-1); Peter Durnin (0-1), Ross Ryan, Jack Regan (0-4 three frees). Subs - Hughie O'Sullivan (0-1) for McVann 36m, Conor Quinn for Murphy, Willie Mahady for P Kelly both 48m, Luke O'Halloran for Durnin 52m, David Donoghue for C Ryan 58m.

Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael).

Report, Match At A Glance and pictures in tomorrow evening's Meath Chronicle.