Kildalkey outlasted Ratoath in the first Ted Murtagh SHC quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday afternoon.

Kildalkey ........ 2-14

Ratoath .......... 0-11

For most of the hour there was no more than a goal between the sides before Kildalkey closed out with a scoring spurt that secured for them a semi-final meeting with Dunboyne.

Ratoath hopes of causing an upset weren't helped by some poor marksmanship and their inability to cope with the blustery conditions. On the plus side, the overcast conditions helped players and spectators.

Last year's IHC winners' tally of 10 second-half wides undermined their hopes of advancing to the last four. Overall, Kildalkey's greater experience saw them prevail.

The first score of the second-half arrived in the 37th minute when Darragh Kelly landed a free from his own 45. Maybe, it was the blustery conditions but the Ratoath number six had difficulty registering scores.

Yet, there was just a goal in it after 51 minutes, 1-11 to 0-11, when Bobby O'Brien sent over what proved to be Ratoath's last score.

Kildalkey, second in Group B, closed in on a 'semi' berth with an unanswered 1-3 late on. When sub Conor Kearney sent over in the 57th minute, it was the first time that more than four points separated the teams.

As the Ratoath wides tally increased, Kearney - a 43rd minute sub who got three of the last four points- brought his tally to 0-4 with the final scores of the game, a stoppage time free.

In the midst of that sequence Paddy Potterton grabbed Kildalkey's second goal which ultimately flatlned the curtain raiser.

Just before the end there were some unpleasant exchanges involving players from both sides. When the dust settled, Sean O'Hanrahan (Ratoath) and David Harmon (Kildalkey) were red-carded. Ratoath's Bobby O'Brien also departed on receipt of his second yellow card.

Playing into the town goal Ratoath posted two points within six minutes of the start. Ben McGowan posted the opener with assistance from Bobby O'Brien. Gavin McGowan got the second having collected a Darragh Kelly free.

Kildalkey were more wasteful than last year's IHC winners. In the bluster conditions scoring remained low for the rest of the half.

Darragh Kelly's sole first-half point from play left it 0-4 to 0-1 after 10 minutes. The scoreline remained unchanged heading into the second quarter.

Paddy Conneely posted Kildalkey's second point (from a free) 17 minutes in. Another eight minutes elapsed before the next score, a Kelly free for the underdogs.

The pendulum swung Kildalkey's way in the run-in to half-time. They were boosted by a major slip-up in the Ratoath rearguard that allowed Sean Heavey to run clear before goaling in stoppage time to leave it 1-5 to 0-6.

The high number of stoppages yielded over five minutes of added time, enough for Kelly to land his fourth point of the half and leave his side trailing by the minimum, 0-7 to 1-5 at the break.

Kildalkey - Paul Fagan; David Conneely, Enda Fitzgerald, Mairtin Doran; Maurice Keogh, Padraig Keogh, Padraig Geoghegan, David Harmon (0-1 f); Briain Kelly, Evan Fitzgerald (0-2); Paddy Conneely (0-6, 2f), Paddy Potterton (1-0), James McNally; Gary Kelly, Luke Rickard, Sean Heavey (1-1). Subs - Mark Healy for Potterton (bs 17-19), Healy for Potterton (bs 26-30), Conor Kearney (0-4, 1f) for McNally (43), 23 for Conneely (60), Eoin Potterton for Kelly (60).

Ratoath - Gearoid Crowley; Paddy Dowd, Brian Murphy, Sean McCann; Cormac Butler, Darragh Kelly (0-6, 5fs), Conor Ward; Bobby O'Brien (0-1), Conleth McLarnon; Ben McGowan (0-1), Conor McGill, Sean O'Hanrahan; Niall Murphy, Gavin McGowan (0-1), Jack McGowan (0-2). Subs - Sean Keogh for Ward (47), Kevin Laffey for McLarnon (58)

Referee - Pat Gannon (Killyon)

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