Ratoath 1-15 Navan O'mahonys 0-10

In the final round of the group stage of this years Senior Football Championship, Ratoath and Navan made the trip to St. Marys in Donore to play under the lights on Friday night.

Having all but secured their qualification to the quarter final stage with two wins from two already, Ratoath came into this game knowing that all they needed was to avoid a landslide defeat and the result in the other group game being a similar score line to go through. As can happen in Championship, Ratoath were missing a number of players for this evening’s game due to minor injuries with the likes of Daithi McGowan, Jack Flynn and Joey Wallace missing from the starting line-up. This however didn’t not seem to have an effect on how Ratoath started the game and found themselves ahead 1-02 to 0-01 after five minutes, Bryan McMahon getting the goal and a pointed free, with Eamonn Wallace getting the other point, after Navan had opened the scoring with a point from play. Another Navan point from play was responded to by a Bryan McMahon point from a free and a Conor Rooney point from play leaving the scores 1-04 to 0-02 after 9 minutes of play and Ratoath looking like they would be cruising to a third victory. 

However, this was to be Ratoaths last score for fifteen minutes and they would only register a solitary point from a Bryan McMahon free before the end of the half as the Navan men turned up the pressure with some excellent aggressive tackling, good turnovers and fine shooting, coupled with some poor shooting and decision making from the defending champions to leave the scores 1-05 to 0-9 at the break and the town men leading by 1. 

Ratoath made one change at half time, Gavin McGowan coming on for his first appearance this year after a lengthy lay off with injury for Sean Brazil. Some positional switches and this seemed to give Ratoath a bit more balance as they held O Mahoney’s to a single point from a placed ball for the entire second half and notching over ten of their own as they turned on the style and began to show why they are defending champions. The impressive Bryan McMahon, who was immaculate from dead balls all night, got Ratoath off the mark with another free, followed by an excellent point from play from Keith McCabe. Navan did respond with a free of their own but this was to be their last score of the game. Ratoath kicked the next eight scores on the bounce and in the end were in complete control of this game after the initial scare in the second quarter. Ben McGowan in particular around the middle seemed almost like a magnet to every kickout and Keith McCabe also winning his fair share as well. The only downside to this game was seeing Eamonn Wallace go off with what seemed like a bad injury, but hopefully now with a good break to the quarter final it will give himself and the rest of the squad time to heal up and get back for the knockout stages where they will play the runner up in group D

Ratoath: Darragh McPartlin, Ben Wyer, Conor McGill, Sean Brazil, Andrew Gerard, Ciaran O Fearraigh, Brian O Connor, Ben McGowan, Keith McCabe (0-01), Conor Rooney (0-02), Eamonn Wallace (0-01), Cian O Brian, Cian Rogers (0-02), Bryan McMahon (1-08 (7f’s)), Tom Fadden.

Gavin McGowan for Sean Brazil, Pauric Byrne (0-01) for Eamonn Wallace, Jack Gillespe for Brian O Connor, Darragh Kelly for Keith McCabe.

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