Ratoath prove too good for St Patrick's in this SFC round two clash at Skryne on Friday evening.

Ratoath ............ 1-16
St Patrick's ........ 1-7

Two wins from two for Ratoath who despite missing a number of key players still proved far too strong for a disappointing St. Pats  

Ratoath made most of the running and responded well to the concession of a 25th minute goal that temporarily put them in arrears. They kicked on from the resumption outscoring the Stamullen-Julianstown outfit by 0-9 to 0-4 after the break.

Ratoath maintained a 100% win record adding to their narrow win over Na Fianna first time out. St Pat's didn't have the wherewithal to build on their nine-point success over Skryne in round one.

Eoghan McMahon's five second-half points (two frees) were a highlight of the hour exceeded perhaps by the performance of Conor McGill (who excelled at full-back where he wore the number five shirt).

Team captain Brian O'Connor was another notable figure in defence where former Monaghan 'keeper Shane Duffy also showed up well denying St Pat's a goal in each half.

Seven different players registered for Ratoath while just two - Niall Mooney and Shane Landy - got off the mark for St Pat's. The latter's pointed free was one of the notable moments from the first-half and tied the scores for the first time, 0-3-all, after 20 minutes.

Landy also provided the assist for Mooney to net from close range at the road end goal and leave the board at the other end reading 1-3 to 0-5 to St Patrick's.

Cian O'Brien's fourth pointed free of the opening half levelled matters for the second - and final - time in the 27th minute. Then Tom Fadden completed a sweeping move to restore Ratoath's advantage with a goal. Incidentially county star Cian O Brien suffered what appeared a bad ankle injury just before the break and did not appear for the second half.

A Darragh Kelly point moved Ratoath 1-7 to 1-3 ahead at the break. Within a minute of the restart Eoghan McMahon opened his account and then doubled it.

Niall Mooney struck the post with a point attempt. When the same player opened his second-half tally in the 39th minute it was 1-10 to 1-4. The efforts of Landy and Mooney ensured there were still six points between the sides heading into the final 10 minutes.

Ratoath outscored St Pat's by 0-4 to 0-1 in the latter stages with Eamon Wallace's 53rd minute effort being the pick of that quartet of points. Wallace went on to provide the assist for McMahon's fifth point of the half.

Despite playing against the breeze Ratoath needed just 15 seconds to hit the front from the off with Cian O'Brien's run from deep placing the impressive Kelly to point. By the seventh minute the team in royal blue laced with gold were 0-3 to 0-0 to the good and motoring.

Ratoath then endured 14 scoreless minutes as St Pat's leveled matters with three points in quick succession. Two Cian O'Brien frees restored the 2015 IFC winners to pole position.

Then the game entered its most interesting phase as Ratoath showed their composure to respond to the concession of the game's opening goal.

Ratoath - Shane Duffy; Ciaran O Fearraigh, Enda Cahill, Brian O'Connor (C); Conor McGill, Ben McGowan, Darragh McGill; Eamon Wallace (0-1), Darragh Kelly (0-2); Tom Fadden (1-1), Brian Power, Eoghan McMahon (0-5 2fs); Bobby O'Brien (0-2), Cian O'Brien (0-4 fs), Jack McGowan. Subs - Gavin Quigley for J McGowen (17), Garrett Rooney (0-1) for C O'Brien (42).

St Patrick's - Robert Cluskey; Michael McNulty, Kieran Lynch, Adam Byrne; Alan Vickets, David McQuillan, Shane Byrne; John Curtis, Barry Mooney; Diarmuid Quinn, Darren Hagan, Aaron Kenna; Shane Landy (0-2fs), Niall Mooney (1-5, 0-4 fs), David Stafford. Subs -  Donal Landy for S Byrne (ht), S Byrne for Kenna (bc 39), Padraig Nulty for McQuillan (57).

Referee - David Gough (Slane)

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