BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 565 - 13/10/2019 19:58:38    2243218

TobinsBeard (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 13/10/2019 20:05:03    2243221

Super second half from Ratoath today! Kells turned out to be fairly limited and even though it took Ratoath 30 minutes to figure it out once they did they dominated
Going to be a cracking final - summerhill and Ratoath came out of the same group so have met already. Think this will be a better game

ASaminthehand (Meath) - Posts: 292 - 13/10/2019 20:11:25    2243222

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 565 - 13/10/2019 20:30:15    2243226

Great second half performance yesterday from Ratoath, if they play like that they won't be bet in the final at all but the first half was the worry and if they play like that then Summerhill will beta them. Kells doing what Kells do and that is losing semi finals and resorting to swinging digs when they can't play football. And people need to stop sayig that Summerhills 'experience' in Keegan finals will stand to them. They have lost the last number if finals they have been in so clearly its not a good experience. If both teams pay to their potential then its Ratoaths all day as they are the better team, however that means they have to play to potential which as we all know doesnt always happen in finals!!! Either way, it should be a cracking game.

ratlag (Meath) - Posts: 323 - 14/10/2019 07:18:04    2243273

Didn't think it was a very dirty game at all! Kells had the better of the first half but the fact they were only 4 points ahead at half time was a warning sign. Ratoath upped their intensity and won a lot of ball in the middle. Once they got in front there was only going to be one winner!

Royalblufill (Meath) - Posts: 284 - 14/10/2019 08:09:47    2243277

Summerhill beating Simonstown was the upset, not Ratoath. For reference - Simonstown, Kells and Ratoath were joint favourites for Keegan before the weekend, bookies couldn't split them.

I fancied Ratoath myself, Kells remind me of Dunboyne a good few years back with league and early championship form, short a few players to kick on when the levels are upped for the business end. Ratoath were always going to improve.

On the same note I fancied Simonstown for the same reason, I wondered if Summerhill could improve any more but fair play they kicked on again, and can now claim to be the most consistent team in Meath ;-)

From a neutral point of view, i said all year I would love to see Summerhill get another crack at it, brilliant club and a lot of respect for coming again. For Ratoath, happy for my many friends involved there and it wont be their last final. I would hope it is a better game than the first round but two teams have to to for it so it ought to be.

On Ratoath, can anyone tell me why Darragh Kelly doesn't start? Seems bizarre, or maybe he just plays freakishly well whenever I see him.

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 198 - 14/10/2019 08:51:13    2243280

Didn't get to this game. But what a win for rathoath. Great performance, and great to see the wallace brothers we playing so well. Particularly Joey. Who I think will be a integral part of our league campaign this year. Well done also to summerhill, the final will be a good game and hopefully the winners will do well in Leinster

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 14/10/2019 09:07:44    2243283

That was an incredible second half performance. Still can't quite believe we're in a senior final when you think about where we were only 10 years ago (getting knocked out in the group stages of the JFC by St. Brigid's if I remember correctly).
Huge congrats to the players and the management. I thought Davy Byrne was a great choice to return as manager but honestly didn't expect that he'd bring the team this far in the first year, especially given that he was without a huge number of players for the bulk of the season.
Commiserations to Kells. I was a bit disappointed that they resorted to nasty off the ball stuff when the game got away from them. It had been a clean game up until then.
I honestly can't remember seeing anything from their fans which deserves the reaction from some on here. It's mostly been non-Kells people (myself included) who have been saying that they've been very consistent over the last number of years. The few I met yesterday we very congratulatory at the end.
As for the final, Summerhill will definitely be favourites. But we've nothing to lose and the threat of 3 final losses in a row for Summerhill will hopefully have an effect.

I think there'll be a few posters on here that will be keeping a low profile over the next couple of weeks....

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1198 - 14/10/2019 09:27:31    2243288

Great performance by ratoath , going to be very hard defeat for kells to take and long road back, easily beaten by a team which should have suited them to play.

On another note , how many first team players have ratoath out of the country this year , mcmahon , power and who else?

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 312 - 14/10/2019 10:37:18    2243324

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 198 - 14/10/2019 11:16:02    2243349

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 237 - 14/10/2019 11:16:08    2243350

Two deserving finalists, Ratoath very impressive in the second half yesterday. Look to have come of age, serious options all over the pitch and the bench, fair play to them. Kells will be gutted and that is it for them, they look like the Mayo of Meath (without actually getting to the final) Badly lost their heads once the game started to go away from them.

Well done to Summerhill, probably slightly the better team on Saturday but looked beaten with time almost up. Simonstown no doubt kicking themselves after getting into a winning position late on and kicked possession away instead of going for a score or retaining the ball.

Looking forward to the final, could be a cracker, the game the both played in the group was very tight, Ratoath on top but lost out the a last minute goal.

This Summerhill are well used to getting to finals but have poor record of late in them. All new for the Ratoath lads but have a lot of players with intercounty experience at various codes and levels.

After the weekend I think there will be a brand new name on the Keegan Cup roll of honour this year. Really looking forward to the game though

longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 300 - 14/10/2019 11:22:46    2243353

Delighted with our lads yesterday, we have too much talent coming through to not be competing for keegan each year.
Summerhill wont be easy, but I fully believe this is our time. Wallace was immense, great to see him back.

overthehill72 (Meath) - Posts: 334 - 14/10/2019 12:10:32    2243368

Was not at the Kells game but watched the Summerhill V Simonstown game. What a match, really terrific stuff. Felt Summerhill control early parts of the game but Simonstown really arm wrestled control with their subs from the line in last 15 mins. When 2 up and time up they had it won. Had they kept the ball they had couple of mins to close it out but try to force the 3 point margin and got caught. Even the Barry Dardis attempt at a point ended up been miss hit to Kevin Ryan. Talk about luck. Simonstown can consider throw they lost that cruel but you need luck in championship and Summerhill played well but they got the luck when they needed it to

Talking_Sense (Meath) - Posts: 209 - 14/10/2019 12:31:20    2243372

Great game between Simonstown and Summerhill. Could have been a draw but well done to Summerhill in getting over the line in the end.
Ratoath blitzed Kells in 2nd half backing up their demolition of Skryne with another fine performance. I have to eat humble pie on that one as I had Kells down for a comfortable win.

AnFearBan1234 (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 14/10/2019 13:02:57    2243382

Royalblufill (Meath) - Posts: 284 - 14/10/2019 13:26:50    2243390

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 145 - 14/10/2019 13:43:10    2243398

kingofclubs (Meath) - Posts: 239 - 14/10/2019 14:47:58    2243422

Was at both matches. The hill were on top for 90% of the game. Though Simonstown lost the game in the first half with a couple of good chances kicked wide. Watched Kells against Don/Ash and though the have gone backways after winning the league. To win a championship you need to keep improving. Ratoath have been improving and when they went with a more direct approach in the second half it paid dividends (rather than over recycling the ball). Summerhill appear to be better than last year and will be difficult to beat. Which team has most talent will be decided with the final result. The best of luck to both teams and just hope its on a good dry.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 14/10/2019 15:19:50    2243434