Ratoath consoled by league success
RATOATH SKRYNE 1-15 1-8
WITH both teams failing to fulfil expectations in the championship, Ratoath and Skryne fought for one of the lesser prizes, the A League Division 2 title, at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.
Ratoath had recently bowed out of the SFC at the quarter-final stage, while Skryne had survived a relegation play-off and the scars of those battles were evident in what was a pretty mundane affair.
Skryne promised much in the early stages, but their challenge completely fizzled out in the second half against a Ratoath side that failed to score in the third quarter.
Ratoath had the advantage of the stiff breeze in the first half, but it was Skryne who set the early pace and they led 1-4 to 0-3 after Paddy Carpenter finished a Brian Davis centre to the net.
The wing back had earlier pointed, while Paddy O’Rourke was on target with their three remaining points. O’Rourke also accounted for his side’s only other point of the half following a foul on Mark Battersby.
With Bryan McMahon, Joey Wallace and Bobby O’Brien warming to the task, Ratoath worked their way into contention. They were on level terms, 0-8 to 1-5, following a pointed free from Eamon Wallace after 25 minutes and they then pressed home their superiority in the closing stages of the half to lead 0-12 to 1-5 at the break.
The Wallace brothers accounted for those four points in the lead up to half-time, with Eamon claiming three of them.
O’Rourke ended a 20-minute scoring drought for the Tara men from another free on 41 minutes, the only score in the third quarter.
Brian McMahon and Carpenter then swapped scores before O’Rourke fisted over for his side’s final score on 48 minutes.
Eamon Wallace put further daylight between the teams with his side’s goal on 53 minutes and McMahon and Gareth Rooney added further scores.
Afterwards, county vice-chairman Peter O’Halloran presented the Kevin McConnell Cup to Ratoath’s Brian O’Connor. RATOATH: Shane Duffy; Brian O’Connor, Conor McGill, Darragh McGill; Enda Cahill, Ciaran O Fearraigh, Emmet Boyle 0-1; Ben McGowan, Brian Power; Conor Rooney 0-1, Bobby O’Brien 0-2, Eamon Wallace 1-4 (0-1f); Bryan McMahon 0-4, Darragh Kelly, Joey Wallace 0-2. Subs: Mick Lavin for D McGill (45), Gareth Rooney 0-1 for Kelly (50), Jack McGowan for C Rooney (60).
SKRYNE: Felim O’Rourke; Timmy Lennon, Eoghan Greene, Declan Morley; Paddy Carpenter 1-2, Donal Ryan, Adam O’Sullivan; Ciaran Lenehan, Aidan Tuite; Eoin Smyth, Paddy O’Rourke 0-6 (3f), Ronan McCabe; Paddy Fox, Mark Battersby, Bryan Davis. Subs: Jason Fox for McCabe (17), Frank Carty for O’Sullivan (h-t), Neil Burke for Davis (56), David Carroll for Morley (56).
REF: Joe Synnott (Donaghmore/Ash)