Ratoath got their A League campaign back on track with an easy win against an understrength Ballivor team at Ratoath on Sunday.

It was a lovely day for football and both teams served up an enjoyable clean game of football on an ideal surface.

Ratoath played against a slight breeze in the first half and raced into a clear lead of 2 goals and 4 points before Ballivor registered their first score a point in the 23rd minute from T. Raleigh. The Ratoath goals came from a penalty converted by Eoghan McMahon and the other from his brother Brian. Ratoath were strong at centrefield and their backs tackled well and made score getting difficult for Ballivor. Ratoath moved the ball quickly out of defence and their full forward line posed serious problems for the Ballivor defence. The visitors came more into the game before the break and added two more points which left the score Ratoath 2 -5 to Ballivor 0 -3 at half time.

Ratoath continued to dominate at the start of the second half. Cian O'Brien scored three great points in quick succession with two more from Emmet Boyle and one from Garrett Rooney. The game as a contest was over well before the finish and Ratoath could afford to bring on the maximum 5 substitutes before the end. This performance will encourage a young Rataoth team after the disappointment against Bective in the first round but more difficult challenges lie ahead.

Best for Ratoath were Cian O'Brien, P. Flaherty,D. McGill, L. Browne and B. Power.
Ballivor had good players in K. Kelly, B. McLoughlin and T. Raleigh.

Ratoath. R.Donnelly, B.Power 0-1, D.McGill, S.O'Brien, P.Flaherty, P.Kirwin, S. Killian, L.Browne, C.McGill, C.O'Brien 0-5, E.Boyle 0-2, G.Quigley, E.McMahon 1-1, G. Rooney 0-2, B.McMahon 1-2. Subs. Conor O'Brien for B.McMahon, D.O'Brien for E.McMahon, B.O'Brien 0-1 for Cian O'Brien, M.Conmey for P.Kirwan, F.Gaughan 0-1 for G.Rooney.

Ballivor - D.Reilly, S.Corrigan, T.Fox, M.Rickard, K.Kelly 0-1, B.McLoughlin, R.Shercock, B.Perry, R.Massey, K.McKeown, K.Canavan, T.Raleigh 0-1, S.Bell, E.Kirby 0-4, S.Kelly. Subs B.Joyce, C.McGourty and C. Carroll. Tweet

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