Off-colour St Pat’s fail to build on victory
Ratoath St Patrick’s 1-16 1-7
AFTER producing a first-class display to overcome Skryne in the opening round, inconsistent St Patrick’s showed a different side to their character and were well beaten in the SFC at Skryne last Friday evening.
Ratoath were without the injured Bryan McMahon, Joey Wallace and Gavin McGowan, but the issue was hardly in doubt as they continued their winning form following an opening-round victory over Na Fianna.
With Conor McGill, Brian Power and Ben McGowan outstanding in the Ratoath defence, the St Patrick’s attack struggled for scores, only managing a goal and a point from play for the entire hour.
Darragh Kelly and Cian O’Brien (free) opened the scoring for the eventual winners before Niall Mooney had St Patrick’s off the mark. The east Meath side were on level terms at 0-3 apiece following pointed frees from Mooney and Shane Landy, before O’Brien converted a brace of frees at the other end.
Mooney then produced a brilliant finish to find the Ratoath net and put his side into the lead for the only time in the match.
However, the Ratoath response was impressive as they struck for a goal and two points before the end of the half to lead 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.
Cian O’Brien’s fourth pointed free of the half levelled proceedings on 27 minutes and then Tom Fadden found the net after an Eoghan McMahon effort was blocked by St Patrick’s keeper Robert Cluskey. Darren Kelly ended the first-half scoring to leave Ratoath four clear.
That lead increased significantly within four minutes of the restart as Eoghan McMahon pointed on three occasions. St Patrick’s were struggling to make an impact on the scoreline at that stage and their second half scoring was restricted to three pointed frees from Mooney and another from Shane Landy.
By the 40th minute six points separated the sides, 1-12 to 1-6, and that increased to nine following further scores from Fadden, Eamon Wallace and Gareth Rooney.
RATOATH: Shane Duffy; Ciaran O Ferraigh, Enda Cahill, Brian O’Connor; Conor McGill, Ben McGowan, Darragh McGill; Eamon Wallace 0-1, Darragh Kelly 0-2; Tom Fadden 1-1, Brian Power, Eoghan McMahon 0-5 (2f); Bobby O’Brien 0-2, Cian O’Brien 0-4f, Jack McGowan. Subs: Gavin Quigley for J McGowan, Gareth Rooney 0-1 for C O’Brien.
ST PATRICK’S: Robert Cluskey; Michael McNulty, Kieran Lynch, Adam Byrne; Alan Vickers, David McQuillan, Shane Byrne; John Curtis, Barry Mooney; Diarmuid Quinn, Darren Hagan, Aaron Kenna; Shane Landy 0-2f, Niall Mooney 1-5 (4f), David Stafford. Subs: Donal Landy for Byrne, Byrne for Kenna, Padraig Nulty for McQuillan.
REF: David Gough (Slane)