First Keegan Cup for Ratoath
A new name for the Keegan Cup today after Ratoath produced a fluent final performance and played Summerhill off the park as they recorded a 3-15 to 2-13 victory.
The five-point winning margin is kind on Summerhill who were adrift by 10 points as the clock ticked into added time - Ratoath were guilty of complacency in the four minutes extra that were required.
There was never any danger that Ratoath would lose at that stage, but Summerhill deserve credit for their attitude as they sought to get back into contention and avoid losing three in-a-row after defaets by Dunboyne in 2018 and Simonstown in 2017.
The game started in a welter of scores with Summerhill's Kevin Ryan finding the net after only 18 seconds.
Ratoath countered and were on level terms from the penalty spot in the fourth minute when Eamon Wallace converted after Cian O'Brien was impeded.
That was the signal for a period of complete Ratoath dominance in the opening 30 minutes and they took a 3-7 to 1-6 lead to the dressing room.
Central to the dominance was the contribution of Joey and Eamon Wallace who tormented the Summerhill rearguard. Joey (three) and Eamon (one) added points from play with Bryan McMahon (two) and Conor Rooney also sending over.
However, it wasn't the points that did the most damage as further goals from Rooney and Daithi McGowan were the crucial scores.
Summerhill stayed in touch with points from Barry Dardis (two frees), Kevin Ryan, Diarmuid McCabe, Liam Shaw and Padhraig Geraghty.
The task facing Summerhill for the second-half was immense, but manager Declan McCabe sent
Micheal Byrne into the action for Kevin Ryan.
However, they fell further behind when Ratoath's Daithi McGowan claimed an early point from a free.
McMahon extended the advantage with a good effort from play, but to their credit, Summerhill made a brave bid to get back into contention with three pointed Dardis frees and one from play by Sean Dalton in a productive four-minute spell.
McMahon's free settled Ratoath, but they lost inspirational captain Ciaran O Fearraigh to a black card with 18 minutes remaining and from the resultant free Dardis sent over for Summerhill.
Unfortunately, for Summerhill, they wasted some chances and after a prolonged period of possession Ratoath forged further ahead when Joey Wallace extended the lead to 3-11 to 1-11 by the end of the third-quarter.
That really finished the game as a contest and Ratoath added points from McMahon (free), Joey Wallace, Daithi McGowan and Rooney before they became somewhat complacent.
Capitalising on that, Summerhill, who never gave up, scrambled a goal from Ross Ryan in added time with David Larkin and Dardis (free) adding points.
Joey Wallace deservedly took the man of the match award and O'Fearraigh was the first Ratoath captain to lift the Keegan Cup.
SCORERS
Ratoath -Eamon Wallace 1-3; Conor Rooney 1-2; Daithi McGowan 1-2; Bryan McMahon 0-5 three frees;
Joey Wallace 0-3.
Summerhill - Barry Dardis 0-7 six frees; Kevin Ryan 1-1; Ross Ryan 1-0; Diarmuid McCabe 0-1; Liam Shaw 0-1; Sean Dalton 0-1; Padhraig Geraghty 0-1; David Larkin 0-1.
NEXT UP
Leinster Club SFC - Garrycastle (Westmeath) v Ratoath.
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