Ratoath impress as St Patrick's put to sword
Even without the services of Bryan McMahon, Joey Wallace and Gavin McGowan Ratoath were way too strong for disappointing St Patrick's as they secured their second win of the SFC with a comfortable 1-16 to 1-7 victory at Skryne tonight.
Such is the depth of the Ratoath talent that they could even afford to lose Cian O'Brien shortly after half-time after he tried to struggle on with a knock he picked up before the break.
Cian O'Brien had been Ratoath's scorer-in-chief in the opening half with four pointed frees, but his departure paved the way for Bryan McMahon's older brother Eoghan to impress as he kicked five second-half scores to inspire Ratoath.
St Patrick's managed just 1-1 from play over the hour as Conor McGill, Brian Power, Ben McGowan and Brian O'Connor defended superbly to limit the Stamullen men to very rare glimpses at the target.
Conor McGill was particularly exceptional with his cool awareness and outstanding reading of the game cutting out several threatening St Pat's attacks and with Darragh Kelly and Bobby O'Brien impressing through the the middle and Tom Fadden adding to the threat in attack Ratoath looked a very polished outfit.
St Patrick's were very disappointing as they failed to rediscover the form that earned them an opening round nine-point win over Skryne, albeit nine weeks ago.
It started promisingly for Ratoath with Kelly getting them off the mark after just 13 seconds and they continued to press with Bobby O'Brien seeing a flying punched effort sail narrowly wide before Cian O'Brien converted a free to double Ratoath's advantage.
Bobby O'Brien went close to finding the net again in the 11th minute but Robert Cluskey made a good save and that offered St Patrick's hope with Niall Mooney lofting over a point which bounced off the crossbar on the way over.
A Mooney free cut the deficit to the minimum early in the second quarter and four minutes later Shane Landy landed a free to level the contest for the first time.
After going 14 minutes without a score Ratoath hit two in a minute with Cian O'Brien converting a couple of frees to make it 0-5 to 0-3.
A brilliant finish from Mooney across the face of Shane Duffy gave St Patrick's the lead, but Ratoath's response was impressive as another Cian O'Brien free levelled it again in the 27th minute.
As the opening half ticked into injury-time Eoghan McMahon was denied by Cluskey, but Tom Fadden followed up with an easy finish to grab Ratoath's goal and a three-point lead.
Kelly closed the first-half scoring to ensure a1-7 to 1-3 interval lead for Ratoath.
Within four minutes of the resumption Eoghan McMahon pointed three times (one free) as Ratoath pulled clear and even though Mooney pulled a point back from a free St Patrick's were fast running out of ideas.
Bobby O'Brien and Eoghan McMahon (free) traded scores with Mooney (free) and Landy (free) as Ratoath sustained a 1-12 to 1-6 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Fadden got in on the act before Eamon Wallace and Gareth Rooney also pointed to put nine points between the sides.
A Mooney free and another point for Eoghan McMahon concluded the scoring as Ratoath flexed their muscles with a fine win.
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 two frees); Bobby O'Brien (0-2), Cian O'Brien (0-4 frees), Jack McGowan. Subs - Gavin Quigley for J McGowan 17 mins, Gareth Rooney (0-1) for C O'Brien 41m.
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 (0-2 frees), Niall Mooney (1-5 four frees), David Stafford. Subs - Donal Landy for Byrne half-time, Padraig Nulty for McQuillan 56m. Black card - A Kenna (replaced by Byrne 37m).
Referee - David Gough (Slane).