Hard to look beyond a Ratoath hat-trick

Full disclosure. This preview to the Meath SFC was written within an hour of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup opener against Australia and the love for the plucky underdog is still strong.

As with the Women's World Cup where the usual suspects, England, the USA, Spain or Germany, are strongly fancied, there are only a handful of sides in Meath that look capable of winning the Keegan Cup.

There are, as always, those with a decent outside hope, and just like rooting for the Girls in Green, there is always the chance that an underdog could spring from the high grass to stun the more fancied outfits.

For even more disclosure, this preview is also being penned with one eye on a Ticketmaster window looking for Taylor Swift tickets, so the likelihood of being successful on that front is about as much as it is for an outside bet to win the Keegan Cup.

The fact of the matter is Ratoath are red-hot favourites to retain the Keegan Cup and win it for the fourth time in five years.

Suggesting anything else would be folly and show a remarkable lack of insight into the football scene in Meath.

However, that doesn't mean that others aren't without hope.

Wolfe Tones were the ones to break Ratoath's streak when they beat them in the 2021 semi-finals and went on to see off St Peter's in the final.

Summerhill have been consistent challengers having contested the finals in 2017, '18 and '19, before falling again at the final hurdle in 2022 to Ratoath.

Gaeil Colmcille were the other side to fall victim to Ratoath when they lost out to a last minute Joey Wallace goal in '21.

All three of the sides that went down in recent finals, Summerhill, Gaeil Colmcille and St Peter's, could well be among the leading contenders while a number of other sides look poised to step up their challenge.

Na Fianna, St Colmcille's, Donaghmore/Ashbourne and 2016 and '17 champions Simonstown Gaels all look well placed to mount serious challenges, but this year has been tough for many clubs.

With full Covid restrictions lifted this summer has been the first real opportunity to resume the age-old tradition of wanting to travel the world and some GAA clubs have been hit hard with their young players opting to take a year out to catch up on the lost years of 2020, '21 and '22.

Ironically it is probably the top three leading contenders that haven't been hit as hard by the exodus abroad.

Ratoath and Summerhill still have the majority of their big guns available, while Simonstown, St Peter's, Wolfe Tones, St Colmcille's and Na Fianna have seen their playing numbers remain relatively high in quality.

With all that taken into consideration it appears obvious that that Ratoath and Summerhill have to be the most fancied sides and their relatively straight forward groups should help them in that bid.

There is no such thing as a certainty in life and definitely not in sport, but the likelihood of Ratoath emerging from their group is very high.

Moynalvey are one of those teams hit hard by the travel bug and while St Colmcille's are an emerging force they are still a couple of years behind the defending champions in their development.

Skryne will always be brave and provide a test, but Ratoath should be too strong for everyone in their group.

Summerhill's group is significantly trickier with Ballinabrackey, Gaeil Colmcille and Wolfe Tones providing the opposition.

However, the Kells men are another club hit hard by the unavailability of players and they might find the going tough in this group.

Wolfe Tones have a small panel of extremely talented players, but time is catching up on a few of them and it is unlikely they will have the legs, or the strength in depth, top go the distance.

Ballinabrackey look to be one of those serious dark horses. No one is mentioning them. Since coming in to the senior ranks they have been desperately unlucky to find themselves in relegation worries a couple of times, but they have had more than enough to survive.

They enjoyed that winning feeling again this spring when they claimed the A FL Div 1b title and that might be the boost their confidence needs to push them onto greater things.

While clearly a very talented side Dunshaughlin might find the going tough in Group A as they battle with Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Na Fianna and Curraha for a place in the knockout stages.

League form suggests there will be little between the sides in this group and the quality of players Curraha will welcome back from county duty ensures they are a side not to be taken lightly.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne won six of their 11 league games, but they weren't hit by the absence of county men and had the services of players like Bryan Menton and other available to them all year.

Na Fianna look like they will be without their talismatic Shane Walsh for the campaign and that will be a huge blow, while Dunshaughlin, who were relegated from the league should be boosted by the return of Mathew Costello and Conor Gray.

While none of the four teams in Group A are likely to be serious contenders they could give us some of the closest and most entertaining games.

Group B is another extremely tough one to call. All four sides will see this as an ideal opportunity to make it to the quarter-finals, but it'll be very tight.

At first glance St Peter's, who were ninth in A FL Div 1A, and Simonstown, who were fourth in the same division, look the most likely to advance with Seneschalstown, who were fifth in Div 1B, and Trim, who were relegated from 1A considered, marginal outsiders.

St Peter's and Trim's lowly finish in the league can be put down to the an absence of several key players who are now back in the fold.

The Dunboyne men had to play all year without Ronan Jones, Donal Lenihan and Shane McEntee, while Trim had five of their footballers in with the Meath hurlers and Aaron Lynch and Ciaran Caulfield with the senior footballers.

Trim have also been hit with a number of players taking a year abroad, but they found a bit of form in the latter stages of the league and might spring a surprise.

When all the strengths and weaknesses are weighed up Ratoath and Summerhill look like the big guns ready to shoot it out for overall honours.

Both sides have serious fire power with Conor Frayne, Barry Dardis, Eoghan Frayne serious threats for Summerhill, while Bryan McMahon, Daithi McGown and Eamon Wallace can certainly notch up the scores for Ratoath.

In midfield Summerhill are boosted by the excellence of Adam Flanagan and it remains to be seen if Diarmuid McCabe will return from his travels, while Ratoath can call on the services of the excellent Jack Flynn.

Defensively both sides also look sound. Ratoath are all about the collective with players like Liam Kelly, Ben Wyer and Conor McGill their cornerstones. Summerhill look to Ronan and Ross Ryan and are a well-marshalled outfit who won't ship heavy tallies.

Those two look like being the clear and obvious choices for outright glory, but if there are any slip ups at all there are plenty of other contenders just waiting to pounce.