With the clock in the red last Sunday, it looked as if Gaeil Colmcille had done enough to win the Meath title when Brian Hanlon slotted home a penalty. However, Ratoath had other plans. Joey Wallace turned in a goalmouth scramble in the 69th minute to send the Keegan Cup back to Ratoath.
Thankfully, it was a free-flowing attacking game. After just 10 minutes, the holders were 0-5 to 0-2 ahead. Man of the match Wallace was immediately influential. For example, he was directly involved in four of those five early points.
But, the Kells-based team didn’t need much time to draw level. By the 14th minute it was 0-5 each. From there, Gaeil Colmcille kicked on. Hanlon was accurate with his free-taking and he rewarded his side with a 0-9 to 0-6 lead at half-time.
In the second-half, the game continued to ebb and flow. To illustrate, by the 50th minute Joey Wallace fisted it over the bar to put Ratoath ahead again. Gaeil Colmcille still had plenty left in the tank though. In addition, a red card for Ratoath’s Emmet Boyle in the 58th minute gave them a boost. Seamus Mattimoe was superb all day and it was him who drew the sides level at 0-13 a piece with the clock running down.
Then, when Bryan Hanlon scored a goal from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute it looked like the Meath title was returning to Kells for the first time since 1991.
But, a McMahon point left two in after 6 minutes of added time. After that, Ratoath bombed high balls inside and hoped to get a good bounce. Consequently, when Andrew Gerrard’s floater bounced in the box, Joey Wallace reacted quickest and flicked it past Justin Carry-Lynch.
As a result, Ratoath retained the Meath title in the most dramatic of fashions. It ended 1-14 to 1-13.
Bhí cluiche iontach peile inné idir @GaeilColmcille agus @RatoathGAA i gCraobh na Mí
This last minute goal by Wallace secured back to back titles for @RatoathGAA 🤩😱🏆@MeathGAA @GAA_BEO #GAABEO pic.twitter.com/TB5y9wZys5
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 5, 2020
Ratoath: Shane Duffy; Ciaran O Fearraigh, Conor McGill, Ben Wyer; Andrew Gerrard, Gavin McGowan, Jack Gillespie; Ben McGowan, Cian O’Brien (0-01); Jack Flynn (0-01), Bryan McMahon (0-05, 0-03f), Conor Rooney; Joey Wallace (1-03), Cian Rogers, Daithi McGowan (0-04, 0-03f, 0-01 45).
Subs: Eamon Wallace for Rogers 38, Emmett Boyle for Gillespie 34, Connell Ahearne for Rooney 52, Keith McCabe for O’Brien 56, Darragh Kelly for B McGowan 63.
Gaeil Colmcille: Justin Carry-Lynch; Adam Muldoon, Paul Tormey, James Reilly (0-01); Jordan Muldoon, Sean Curran, Fionn Reilly; Liam Ferguson (0-01), Philip Ward; Conal Courtney (0-01), Keith Reilly, Evan Sheridan (0-01); Seamus Mattimoe (0-04, 0-03f), Brian Hanlon (1-05, 1-00 pen, 0-03f), Aaron Lynch.
Subs: Barry Smith for Ward 38, Barry Tormey for Curran 48, Keith Reilly for Courtney 59, Ryan Farnham for Hanlon 65, Cian Doogan for Barrett 66.
https://3.249.64.60/gaa/top-5-forwards-in-gaelic-football/
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