RATOATH 2-14  GAEIL COLMCILLE 1-10

RATOATH completed a unique double of championship semi-final wins in the space of 24-hours after their seniors saw off the challenge of Gaeil Colmcille in the second of the SFC last four ties at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

It completed a memorable weekend for the club on the back of the Junior B success over Slane on Saturday.

It will be Ratoath’s first ever senior final appearance when they face Summerhill in two weeks time and while they will go into that decider outsiders against the seven times champions they will hardly hold any fears against the team that has lost the last two finals.

Gaeil Colmcille have now come out the wrong side of four semi-finals in the last five years and they were undone in this one by a tremendous second half display from Davy Byrne’s side.

For long stretches of the opening half it looked as if the Kells side’s greater experience and know how at this stage of the competition would be enough to see them qualify for their first final since they won the Keegan Cup in 1991.

They opened up a 1-4 to 0-2 cushion by the 19th minute after Oisin Reilly applied the finishing touch to a defence-splitting move involving Fionn Reilly and Seamus Mattimoe. Lar Wall’s charges went six clear after temporary substitute Conal Courtney fired over a point on 28 minutes to leave it 1-6 to 0-3.

Brian McMahon from a free and Conor Rooney from long range hit points late in the half for Ratoath to leave four between the teams at the break.

Joey Wallace’s third point within a minute of the restart kick-started the Ratoath revival. Eamon Wallace who was the instigator of most of the Ratoath attacks quickly added another and further scores from Ben McGowan and Rooney had the sides’ level by the 35th minute.

The Wallace brothers then added further scores as Ratoath opened up a two point advantage. Gaeil Colmcille responded with two pointed frees from the trusty boot of Brian Hanlon to be level at 1-8 to 0-11.

However Ratoath were moving with much more cohesion at that stage and they were back in front with a goal from Cian O’Brien who got a fist to an Eamon Wallace delivery on 44 minutes.

Points from substitute Evan Sheridan, and Mattimoe from a free, had it back to the minimum entering the final quarter.

That Mattimoe point proved to be Gaeil Colmcille’s last score as Ratoath drove on in fine style to book their final place.

Joey Wallace fisted another point and Bryan McMahon converted a free before sub Daithi McGowan put the issue beyond doubt when he drove low and hard to the net with three minutes of normal time remaining.

The impressive Joey Wallace took his tally of points to six before the final whistle.

Gaeil Colmcille ended with 14 after Barry Tormay was red carded in the closing stages.

RATOATH - Shane Duffy; Sean Brazil, Conor McGill, Ciaran O Fearraigh; Ben Wyer, Gavin McGowan, Jack Gillespie; Keith McCabe, Ben McGowan 0-2; Eamon Wallace 0-2, Conor Rooney 0-2 (1f); Brian O’Connor; Joey Wallace 0-6, Cian O’Brien 1-0, Bryan McMahon 0-2fs. Subs – Daithi McGowan 1-0 for O’Connor (44), Emmet Boyle for Gillespie (46), Darragh Kelly for McCabe (50), Cian Rogers for O’Brien (53), 

GAEIL COLMCILLE - Justin Carry Lynch; Paul Tormey, Barry Smith, Adam Muldoon; Johnny Quigley, Seanie Curran, James Reilly; Cian Doogan, Oisin Reilly 1-1; Barry Tormay, Martin Barrett, Liam Ferguson; Seamus Mattimoe 0-3 (2f), Fionn Reilly, Brian Hanlon 0-4 (3f). Subs – Conal Courtney 0-1 for Ferguson (b/s 26), Evan Sheridan 0-1 for Doogan (44), Courtney for Curran (50), Cormac Keegan for Tormey (54), Jordan Muldoon for Quigley (57), Ryan Farnham for Barrett (58). 

Referee - Cormac Reilly (St Mary’s)

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