Kells men go one better
LAST year’s beaten finalists Gaeil Colmcille went one better on Sunday when they captured the Feis Cup for the second time in four years following an entertaining encounter at Pairc Tailteann.
At one stage in the opening quarter it looked as if the Kells men would stroll to victory after they built up a 0-7 to 0-1 lead by the 11th minute.
Ratoath never led at any stage, but by the 25th minute they had wiped out that six-point deficit to be on level terms. They found themselves trailing 0-8 to 1-12 after Fionn Reilly struck for the game’s only goal on 48 minutes, but again they responded.
Six successive points left them behind by the minimum with two minutes of normal time remaining. However, the Ratoath men were unable to add to their tally after that and Gaeil Colmcille snatched the insurance point in the third of four added minutes.
Both sides were minus a number of regulars, with Eamon and Joey Wallace and Cian O’Brien notable absentees for Ratoath.
Points from Seamus Mattimoe, Brian Hanlon (free) and Fionn Reilly left the eventual winners three clear inside five minutes.
Bryan McMahon, who was outstanding for Ratoath all the way through, opened his side’s account on six minutes. However, by the time he scored a second point on 14 minutes the Kells side had added four further points
GAEIL COLMCILLE RATOATH 1-13 0-14
from Hanlon Ferguson.
Ratoath enjoyed a spell of dominance after that, and boosted by four further points from McMahon and one each from Conor Rooney and Emmet Boyle they were on level terms at 0-8 each on 25 minutes.
Gaeil Colmcille regained the initiative in the closing stages of the half and points from Fionn Ferguson and Evan Sheridan gave them a 0-10 to 0-8 interval lead.
Seamus Mattimoe and Hanlon added to the Gaeil Colmcille tally (three) and Fionn and they stretched that lead when Fionn Reilly netted early in the final quarter.
Ratoath went 25 minutes without a score until McMahon blasted over the bar when his effort needed to go under it. However, Fergal Power’s side chipped away at the Kells outfit’s lead, with Brian Power, David McGowan (free), Conall Ahearne, Aidan Murray and McMahon, with his eighth point, all on target to set up an exciting finale.
Sub Cian Rogers had a chance of an equaliser, but his effort was wayward and from the resultant kickout Liam Ferguson made a great catch and then set up Oisin Reilly who doubled his side’s advantage and sealed the victory. RATOATH: REFEREE: