Wolfe Tones in for the kill in dramatic finale
WOLFE TONES RATOATH 0-19 1-15
it 0-14 to 1-11, could also be deemed controversial.
Minutes earlier Tones had a penalty claims turned away when leading by a single point. Directly after that Ratoath went on the attack and created a goal opportunity but Daithi McGowan was fouled as he was about to pull the trigger, resulting in a penalty and a black card for Tones defender Oisin Mac Ghinneartai.
The outstanding Cian Rogers made no mistake from the spotkick to put Ratoath ahead 1-11 to 0-12, the first time they led in the game.
However Tones fought back and Thomas O’Reilly pointed a free in the first minute of added time before Ward’s fifth point two minutes later sent the game to extra-time.
A brief coming together of players from both sides at the end of normal time led to three bookings, two for Ratoath, before extra-time got underway.
In the opening four minutes of that additional time Ratoath outscored their opponents three points to one to open up a 1-14 to 0-15 lead.
An O’Reilly point brought it back to the minimum before the teams changed ends for the last time.
A pointed free from Rogers double Ratoath’s advantage but they failed to score again as Tones resurrected themselves to notch the last three points and snatch an unlikely victory.
Tones dominated most of the opening half of the game and led 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time.
With Saran O Fionnagain accounting for his sides opening three points and Cian O’Neill and Caolan Ward (two frees) also on target Tones led 0-6 to 0-1 after 19 minutes.
The introduction of Daithi McGowan improved matters for Ratoath and they struck the last two points of the half.
Another Ratoath sub Sean Johnson reduced the deficit further on the restart before Tones hit successive points from Ward and O Fionnagain (two).
With Cian Rogers making his presence felt in attack and Gavin McGowan performing well at midfield Ratoath hit back strongly and after going ahead from that penalty goal they should probably have held on for victory.
After the game Wolfe Tones club man Aidan Jordan presented the Joey McKeown Cup to joint captains Eanna O’Kelly Lynch and Thomas O’Reilly.
WOLFE TONES: Luke Condie; Alan Lynam, Daniel O’Neill, Oisin Mac Ghinneartai; Robert White, Charlie McGarry, Caolan Ward 0-5f; Padraic Diamond 0-2, Cian O’Neill 0-1; Oisin Corrigan, Thomas O’Reilly 0-4f, Eanna O Kelly Lynch; Righan Mac Ghinneartai, Saran O Fionnagain 0-6, Thomas Blaney 0-1f. Subs: Mark McFadden for O Mac Ghinneartai (BC 58), Iarlaith O Kelly Lynch for R Mac Ghinneartai (e-t).
RATOATH: Darragh McPartland; Eoin Clayton, Cormac Butler, Ben Wyer; Jack Gillespie, Enda Cahill 0-1, Andrew Gerrard; Darragh Kelly, Gavin McGowan 0-2 (1f); Tom Fadden, Conall Ahern 0-2, Ben McGowan 0-1; Cian Rogers 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Leigh Sullivan 0-1, Niall Donnelly 0-1f. Subs: Daithi McGowan 0-1 for Fadden (18), Sean Johnson 0-1 for Donnelly (30), Ryan Kelly for Butler (h-t), Nathan Dunne for Sullivan (58), Sullivan for Dunne (e-t).
REF: Patrick Nelis (Kilmainham).