There is a high noon showdown in Ashbourne on Sunday as St. Colmcille’s and Ratoath go in search of what would be a first ever victory for either club in the Seamus Connolly Catering sponsored top tier of the All County Football Leagues.
The finals are all ticket and are priced as follows.
- General Admission – €10
- Student/OAP – €5
- Children U-16 accompanied by an adult attend for free.
Tickets for all finals can be purchased via the Meath GAA App which can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play Store
For St. Colmcille’s it would be redemption after the drama of falling at the final hurdle following extra-time in 2022 against Summerhill while for Ratoath it would further enhance their position as the top team in the county after winning three Senior Championships in four years.
The Mooney Cup is the prize on offer for both teams as they look to build momentum approaching the commencement of the Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship at the end of the month and a big crowd is anticipated to be in attendance in Ashbourne.
Both sides are under new management this season but perhaps crucially both have retained the services of the coaches they had last year which offered continuity. Jody Devine has taken up the reins on the East Coast with Sean Barry having vacated the role when joining the Tipperary backroom team at the outset of the year while in Ratoath, another former Meath player is donning the Bainisteoir bib as Kevin Reilly replaced David Brady.
Ratoath topped the table at the end of the round robin stage with a record of eight victories and three draws while St. Colmcille’s came second with a record of eight victories, one draw and two defeats. One of those victories proved to be somewhat controversial as they received a walkover from Wolfe Tones in the penultimate round but ultimately it proved to be of little consequence by virtue of the final round win over St. Peter’s Dunboyne.
Kevin Reilly has been boosted by the availability of Meath panellists Ben Wyer and Daithí McGowan and both will be looking for big performances with the Tailteann Cup Final only a fortnight away. Wyer adds further strength to an already impressive full back line with Conor McGill minding the edge of the square and county U-20 full back Liam Kelly operating at left corner back.
The ‘Cilles have been a regular in Páirc Tailteann in recent seasons and Jody Devine is placing a lot of trust in youth with the production line in Piltown operating very well. The likes of Godfrey and Endy Ehichoya, Shaun Leonard, Liam Stafford, Christian Finlay and Sean O’Donoghue have all lined out in the Minor Championship Final in the last few years while all have also played Minor and U-20 for Meath.
Key Match Ups
Andrew Beakey v Shane Duffy
The role of the goalkeeper has become even more important in recent seasons and these two net minders are two of the finest exponents in the county. Beakey has represented his county at Minor and U-20 level while Duffy has represented his native Monaghan at the highest level. The St. Colmcille’s goalkeeper is noted for his long range free taking and while this is something Duffy was noted for twenty odd years ago when contesting county finals with his native Magheracloone, it’s not a facet of his game we currently see. How Beakey finds a way to keep the ball away from the McGowan brothers Ben and Daithí at midfield could prove to be crucial as whoever comes out on top in that middle third will fancy their chances of going all the way.
Christian Finlay v Padraig Byrne
Two young guns in their respective attacks, Finlay came to prominence a few years ago when scoring a thunderbolt of a goal in the Meath Minor Championship Final before going on to be a key member of the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship winning team the following year. Padraig Byrne has predominantly been used in an impact substitute role on the big occasion up until now but has earned his opportunity in the Ratoath attack. Two players who play in contrasting manner, Finlay is big and powerful while one of Byrnes biggest attributes is his low centre of gravity and raw pace. Whichever of these can have the bigger influence for their team will be crucial.
David Bell v Ben Wyer
Supporters around the county have been waiting for David Bell to break through and announce himself on the scene but he has had his injury struggles. This could be the stage for him to show the undoubted talent and what could be a better time to do so than in the Division 1A League Final against the reigning county champions. A very talented corner forward, he can be lethal off his left boot and has an eye for a goal. Ben Wyer earned a call up to the Meath panel after the League concluded after showing well with the Development Panel and he has shown himself to be one of the best man markers in the county in recent years. This duel alone could be worth the admission fee and if Wyer can shut down Bell then Ratoath could have one hand on the Mooney Cup.
By Brian Kelly Sat 1st Jul
