Longwood/Rathmolyon secure MHC title

The players involved in Sunday's MHC final at Pairc Tailteann on may well reflect, this week, on how matches can turn on the smallest, seemingly most insignificant incidents. Midway through the second-half of this entertaining encounter Ratoath were two points up and looked to be gaining a firm grip on proceedings. They pressed forward and suddenly a chance was created for Conor McGill who despatched a shot goalwards from about 25 metres. Longwood/Rathmolyon goalkeeper Sean Coloe was equal to the task. He made a fine save and the ball was cleared. Suddenly it was Longwood/Rathmolyon's turn to apply some pressure and their industrious corner-forward Jack Fagan delivered a centre into the square from out on the left. The intended target was full-forward Ryan Keenan who went to pick up possession along with Ratoath goalkeeper Gavin McGowan. Keenan went down and referee Richie Morris deemed that it was a penalty. Up stepped Damien Healy to take the 'spot puck' unleashing a venomous shot, the sliotar skidding off a defender's stick and into the net to put Longwood/Rathmolyon a point in front. Buoyed up by the goal Longwood/Rathmolyon found an extra gear and closed out the game the better side with brilliant points from Healy, Jack Fagan and Ryan Moore the finishes touches on a job well done. It was a bitterly disappointing outcome for Ratoath who looked to be heading to victory in the early stages of the second-half however it all unravelled for them and their afternoon of misery was completed when Jack McGowan was sent off in injury time. While Ratoath registered the opening point when Bryan McMahon slotted over a free after four minutes it was their opponents who hit back with the first goal of the day. Keenan almost got through a crowded goalmouth, the Ratoath defence scrambled it away but eventually it came out to Jack Payne who fired to the net. Gary Doherty slotted over two points from frees and Fagan also split the posts to put his team 1-3 to 0-1 in front with 11 minutes played. It was the textbook start. Yet it was Ratoath who came back into the game and by the interval the teams were level at 1-5 apiece. It was the way the game flowed, one way then the other, that ensured this turned out to be a gripping contest, with good spells of skilful play produced by both. While they did concede a goal the Longwood/Rathmolyon defence was solid with captain and full-back David Morgan along with centre-half-back Colm Hackett forming a formidable combination down the centre. Sean Sheridan and Healy worked hard in the middle of the field. Healy, especially, came to the fore in the last quarter using his considerable height to pluck a few balls from the air and launch attacks. Four of the six starting Longwood/Rathmolyon forwards got on the scoresheet with Doherty, Payne, Fagan and Moore all firing over points. Fagan was a busy presence for Longwood/Rathmolyon and his three points from play was a decent indication of the type of problems he caused for his opponents with his pace and eye for the posts. Doherty got all his scores from frees yet he also won considerable ball around the midfield area and once in possession he invariably used it well. Ratoath will look back on how they recovered so well from their slow start to put themselves back in the frame. It was a sign of self-belief and spirit yet Longwood/Rathmolyon showed just as much, if not more, of those qualities to take the prize. With Ciaran O'Hanrahan especially strong in midfield Ratoath enjoyed a fruitful second-quarter most tellingly after 21 minutes when Jack McGowan hit a long, searching ball in from the stand-side of the pitch. The Ratoath full-forward Ross Gillen was well-marked yet he still managed to avoid the clutches of two Longwood/Rathmolyon backs and their goalkeeper. He appeared to get a slight touch and the sliotar ended up in the net. That goal added to three points from McMahon and one each from O'Hanrahan and Darragh Kelly brought Ratoath back on level terms at half-time. Not that Ratoath were content with that. The opening minutes of the second-half offered them further opportunities and McMahon was up the task of taking them firing over three super points in quick succession. Sean O'Hanrahan also came off the bench to do his bit with a first-rate point from play as the tension increased and the crowd got noisier. With 45 minutes on the clock Ratoath lead by two and were looking good. Then they lost their way and Longwood/Rathmolyon had the desire, the skill and the esprit de corps to take full advantage. The penalty goal helped but the way they closed out the game with a pep in their step suggested that they were going to win anyway. Jack McGowan and Gillen had late chances to find the net for Ratoath, but instead Longwood/Rathmolyon held on. Longwood/Rathmolyon - Sean Coloe; David Dixon, David Morgan, Vinny O'Brien; Conor Keenan, Colm Hackett, Conal Stafford; Sean Sheridan, Damien Healy (1-1); Gary Doherty (0-4 frees), Gary Ryan, Jack Payne (1-1); Jack Fagan (0-3), Ryan Keenan, Ryan Moore (0-1). Subs - James Fitzpatrick for Ryan 24 mins, Stephen Forde for Sheridan 54m, Robert Lynch for Fitzpatrick 59m. Ratoath - Gavin McGowan; Dylan Doyle, Colm O'Riordan, Patrick Dowd; Alex Coakley, Darragh Kelly (0-1 free), Conor Ward; Ciaran O'Hanrahan (0-1), Bobby O'Brien; Jack McGowan, Conor McGill, Conleth McLernon; Bryan McMahon (0-6 three frees), Ross Gillen (1-0), David Toner. Subs - Sean O'Hanrahan (0-1) for McLarnon 23mins, Ger Brennan for Coakley 43m. Referee - Richard Morris (Blackhall Gaels).