U21 FC final: Rogers reigns as Ratoath rule again
November 30, 2019
Ratoath's John Walsh with Darragh Nolan Dunboyne during the Meath U21 FC final at Ashbourne
Four weeks on from their maiden SFC success Ratoath secured the Joey McKeown Cup with a decisive win over Dunboyne at Ashbourne on Friday night.
Ratoath .......... 1-15
Dunboyne ...... 0-8
Just in the SFC final, Ratoath laid the foundations for this championship success in the opening half, leaving Dunboyne with too much to do after the break.
It was Ratoath's third title in this grade going along with successes in 2013 and 2014.
Cian Rogers led the scoring for Ratoath with seven points (three frees) with Connell Ahearne pitching in with four from play.
Cormac Butler and Luke Newe were prominent in a defence that limited Dunboyne to just eight scores, denying the holders at least two goals in the process.
It was the opposite outcome to last year's final between the sides, when Ratoath finished runners-up for the second year running.
Dunboyne led for the only time after Darragh Nolan opened the scoring from play. The scores were tied twice in the opening six minutes before Ratoath kicked-on.
A Rogers free earned Darragh McGill's men the lead they took to the finish. Barely 10 minutes had passed when Tiarnan Ahearne placed Tom Fadden for the game's only goal.
Early in the second quarter, Ratoath had moved six points clear. Fine scores from Cathal Lacey and Michael Murphy kept Dunboyne in touch.
An excellent Rogers score from play ignited a sequence that saw Ratoath outscore Dunboyne by 0-3 to 0-1 in the lead-in to half-time.
Conall Ahearne sent over the other two points as Ratoath moved 1-9 to 0-5 clear at the break.
Ratoath maintained momentum from the restart and were 10 points clear by the 36th minute with Ben and Daithi McGowan among the scorers.
Dunboyne trimmed it back to eight but fittingly it was Rogers who completed the scoring, in stoppage time.
Ratoath - Darragh McPartlin; Sean Brazil, Cormac Butler, Ben Wyer; John Walsh, Andrew Gerrard, Ryan Kelly; Daithi McGowan (0-1), Ben McGowan (C) (0-2); Padraic Byrne, Cian Rogers (0-7, 3fs), Jack Flynn; Tiarnan Ahearne, Tom Fadden (1-1), Connell Ahearne (0-4). Subs - Sean Johnson for Byrne (bc 42), Conor O'Sullivan for T Ahearne (49), Peter Barry fpr Fadden (57), Eoin Clayton for Brazil (60), Cian Kelly for B McGowan (60).
Dunboyne - Cian Flynn (C); Sean Ryan, David O'Keefe, Pauric Lavin; Niall Carolan, Pauric Cagney, Ben McBrine; Michael Murphy, Jack Donnelly (0-1); Ronan Duggan (0-1), Darragh Nolan (0-3. 2fs), Eoin Martin; Dan Howlin, Sean O'Rourke (0-1 45), Cathal Lacey (0-2). Subs - Fergal Watters for Duggan (ht), Darragh Finlay for Martin (36), Lorcan Conway for O'Keefe (40), Adam McCoy for Lavin (48), Darragh Gilmartin for Howlin (57), Leon Byrne for O'Rourke (58), Dan Cumiskey for Carolan (60).
Referee - Keith Sheerin (Drumconrath).
