Kiltale stun Ratoath and blow SHC group stages wide open

Kiltale's stunning victory over Ratoath means that only three points separate five of the six sides in the SHC with two group stage set of fixtures left.

Kiltale 1-19

Ratoath 1-17

Kiltale overturned a seven-point deficit with just over 20 minutes remaining and snatched victory over the SHC champions, the side that defeated them in last year's decider Ratoath in Trim on Sunday. Kiltale’s win over Ratoath sets up a very intriguing final two rounds as only three points separate five of the six sides in the race for the Jubilee Cup.

In the 37th minute, Ratoath led by seven points and looked to be well in control. Darragh Kelly was fouled in his own half but referee Ciaran Flynn overturned the decision and threw the ball in after one of the Ratoath players called for a yellow card to be issued. From that throw-ball, Hughie O’Sullivan, who delivered a man of the match performance scored a point and over the next 20 minutes, Kiltale outscored Ratoath 1-9 to 0-2.

Ratoath rallied late on but it was too little too late as the champions suffered their first Meath SHC defeat since the 2023 final against Kildalkey.

Hughie and Mark O’Sullivan contributed a combined nine points for Kiltale while Jack Regan registered 1-7 from placed balls including a lovely strike for goal from a free midway through that aforementioned period of dominance for Kiltale.

The first quarter was a tough watch for any neutrals in attendance as the referee’s stringent approach ensured that the contest was very stop-start. Kiltale didn't score from play in the opening 20 minutes but Regan did register five frees. The pick of Regan’s strikes was a long-range effort in the 17th minute.

Ciaran O’Hanrahan and the exciting young talent Rob Hayes got on the scoresheet early on. Daithi McGowan slotted two lovely points. The full-forward’s second score at the end of the first quarter was particularly eye-catching as his brother Ben McGowan played a cracking long ball before the youngest of the McGowan clann Daithi split the posts. O’Hanrahan also found his range early on and slotted four frees to give Ratoath a 0-8 to 0-5 lead after 20 minutes.

Anthony Forde scored Kiltale’s first point from play before Mark O’Sullivan followed up and reduced the deficit back to the minimum. However, towards the end of the first-half, Ratoath seized momentum and scored 1-4 on the spin.

Daithi McGowan knocked down a long Podge O’Hanrahan free that had dropped short for himself before he struck to the back of the Kiltale net. Hayes set up Sean O’Hanrahan for a nice score before Daithi McGowan split the posts from a very wide angle.

Gavin McGowan put Ratoath seven points to the good and on the cusp of half-time Mark O’Sullivan pulled one back for the eventual winners. At the interval though Ratoath led 1-11 to 0-8.

Soon after the restart, Hughie O’Sullivan scored the first of his five points but Ratoath responded well when brothers Ciaran and Podge O’Hanrahan restored their side's seven-point lead with two points in quick succession.

However, momentum was about to shift drastically in Kiltale’s favour and it began when the Kilmessan referee overturned a free out for Ratoath as a result of a call for a yellow card to be issued. The ball was then thrown in and Adam Murphy picked out Hughie O’Sullivan with a handpass who then slotted the posts.

Between the 41st minute and the 45th minute Kiltale put their foot down and rattled off five points in succession. Two more points were courtesy of the in-form Hughie O’Sullivan. Mark O’Sullivan and James Kelly also raised white flags while Regan scored his sixth free.

Gavin McGowan settled the ship for Ratoath and restored a two-point advantage. However, that brief moment of reprieve for Ratoath did not last long. Two minutes later, Kiltale were awarded a free in front of the Ratoath posts and Regan bravely decided to go for goal. His effort passed the several Ratoath men who stood in his way, skimmed the left post and crossed the goal line. That goal gave Kiltale a narrow lead of 1-15 to 1-14 with 10 minutes left.

Podge O’Hanrahan drew the sides level again in the 53rd minute but Kiltale responded well and scored three points in a row firstly through substitute Conor Ryan before Hughie O’Sullivan and Regan added to their impressive respective tallies.

Ratoath rallied with scores from Domhnall Rogers and Daithi McGowan. Gavin McGowan had a late opportunity in the 63rd minute to draw the sides level but his effort drifted wide. Mark O’Sullivan made sure of the victory for Kiltale with a point on the cusp of the full-time whistle.

Ratoath: Colm O'Riordan; Liam Corbett, Ben McGowan, Conor McGill, Domhnall Rogers (0-1), Darragh Kelly, Liam Kelly; Ciaran O'Hanrahan (0-2), Jack McGowan; Rob Hayes (0-1), Padraig O'Hanrahan (0-6 five frees), Sean O'Hanrahan (0-1); Gavin McGowan (0-2), Cian Rogers, Daithí McGowan (1-4). Subs: Niall McLarnon for S O’Hanrahan 50m, Padraic Byrne for Rogers 56m.

Kiltale: Shane McGann; Jack Bannon, larla Hughes, Seán Harrigan; Adam Murphy, Philip Garvey, Craig Gilsenan, Brian O'Reilly, Fearghal McCabe; Hugh O'Sullivan (0-5), Mark O'Sullivan (0-4), James Kelly (0-1); Ross Ryan, Anthony Forde (0-1), Jack Regan (1-7 frees). Sus: Conor Ryan (0-1) for McCabe 49m, Padraig Kelly for O’Reilly 50m, Luke Madden for Gilsenan 57m, Conor Shirren for Forde 58m.

Referee: Ciaran Flynn (Kilmessan).