Ratoath 1-7
Clan na nGael 0-8

Visitors Clan na nGael really put it up to the home team on a dry and very hot night in Ratoath.

From the throw in the visitors were much sharper, stealing in for the first point before the Ratoath team had realized the game had started. After a lot of heavy defensive work led by centre back Cian Kelly and wing backs Luke Hynah Hurley and Paul Tierney, Fionn Murphy latched onto a Stephen Rice pass to lob a ball over the Athboy bar. Clan na nGael s pointed from a surged back up the park. With the two teams battling to get the ball, a free was awarded to Athboy and they duly took the score. Over the next five or so minutes both teams traded several wides before Jason Farrell got the Ratoath boys back on track with a well taken point. With the Ratoath Defence now under serious pressure, Sam Coughlan made two great stops in the Ratoath goal. With the hard working Sean Murphy and Shane Duggan doing their best to push back the Clan na nGael forwards, the Athboy outfit registered the next three points. With luck not on their side the Ratoath full forward unit of Fionn Murphy and Cillian Thomas missed a couple of close in chances. At half time Clan na nGael led by three points. Half time Ratoath 0-02, Clan na nGael 0-05.

After a few changes at half time Ratoath got out of the blocks faster than Athboy. With Cathal Sherlock driving the ball to the forwards, Jason Farrell put a free over the bar after Luke Newe had been fouled. Within minutes some hard work by Stephen rice, Harry Haskins and Luke Newe got the ball to the square before James McCann popped up to smack the ball to the back of the Athboy net. With the Ratoath backs back under pressure, a foul was committed and the opposition grabbed the equalizing point. With Cian Kelly raiding from the back supported by Jack Lannigan, Ratoath pressed forward. After some good work from Luke Hynah Hurley, Stephen Rice pointed to give Ratoath the lead. Clan na nGael levelled up within minutes. Then Ratoath got another point from a Harry Haskins pass to Farrell. With the Ratoath midfield and half forwards now pushing forward, Ruairi Coulter burst through the Athboy defence and drove a ball that was goal bound. The Clan na nGael keeper saved brilliantly diving across the goal to put the ball out for a 65. Jason Farrell registered the long range opoint before Coulter burst through again to grab a point after great work by Newe, McCann and Haskins. With minutes left the Athboy lads pushed forward trying to grab a goal. That was not to be. Clan na nGael registered the last point of the game before referee Pat Melia blew the final whistle.
A very tough game, that was hard and fair. Well done to both teams for producing a game that could have gone either way.

Ratoath: Jason Farrell, Cian Kelly, Ruairi Coulter, Sam Coughlan, Stephen Rice, Cathal Sherlock, Ben Colgan, Jack Lannigan, Fionn Murphy, Sean Murphy, Luke Hynah Hurley, Cillian Thomas, Shane Duggan, James McCann, Luke Newe, Harry Haskins, Paul Tierney. Tweet

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