Simonstown  1—7  Ratoath 0—9.

A Tadgh Hanrahan  point on the run from distance that just crept over the cross  bar secured Simonstown a much needed win in Ratoath on Sunday morning. 

Jack Melia  netted  after 30 seconds  to give the  visitors a great start to this Div I  Rd 9 league game played in summer like conditions. Both teams  had very defensive  formations and scoring chances were limited and from distance. Ratoath had recovered from early set back with four points (2f) to lead by  0—4 to 1—0 after  twenty two  first half  minutes. With Aaron Farrelly exam tied and Padraig McKeever,Shane McEnery   injured Simonstown attacking options were somewhat  blunted but Eoghan Gough  from play tied  the  scores just before half time. Jimmy Heaney also had to leave the field because of injury after ten minutes to be replaced by Luke Caffrey. Half Time;  Simonstown 1—1 Ratoath 0--4 

      At start of second  half Glen O Reilly converted his third free of the day to put Ratoath 0--5 to 1—1 ahead. Sean Tobin ​ added a free after he himself was fouled. Eoghan Gough from distance  split the posts put Simons in front   1—3 to 0—5 with ten second half minutes on the clock.  Ratoath  pointed to level  but Tobin from play put Sims 1—4 to 0—6 up. Ratoath now had a dominated spell and added three points(1f) to go 0—9 to 1—4 up  with ten left to play. Simons put in a storming finish that yielded fouls and  frees which  Sean Tobin and Luke Caffrey converted to have the teams level 1—6 to 0—9​ with five to play. Both teams were holding on till Hanrahan fired over from distance and  awkard angle on the twenty ninth minute. Simonstown managed out the game for  a precious win and ended a run of defeats. Ratoath would have topped the Div 1 ..table had they won. Sean Conlon made a very welcome to midfield after many months out through injury. Simonstowns defence were outstanding and midfield were dominant for long spells while the forwards were exceptional with patience and working ball into scoring positions. 

​***Simons; Robbie Burlingham..Stephen Moran, Mark Devlin, Aaron Chinchilla...Eddie Nash, Briain Conlon, Brian McGrath...Tadgh Hanrahan (0—1)​, Sean Conlon,...David McKeever, Shane Barry, Jimmy Heaney, ...Jack Melia (1—0), Sean Tobin (0—3)2f, Eoghan Gough(0—2)...

Subs​​​;; Luke Caffrey (0--1)f / J.Heaney.Inj 10mn...Peter Duffy/ J.Melia 55mn..

Exted Panel; Shane Kavanagh, Eoghan Foley.

    Ratoath​​*  Cian O Farrell..Eoghan Drysdale, Conor McGill, Cormac Butler...Brian Daly, Gavin McGowan, Jack Gillespie...Keith McCabe, Oisin Kelly....Jack McGowan. Glen O Reilly (0—6)5f, John Walsh....Cian Smith,  Conor Rooney, Garreth Rooney...

 

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