KINGS OF THE 'HILL'

SUMMERHILL 0-16 RATOATH 0-13 KARL O'KANE reports

- 

SUMMERHILL got the job done against Paul Galvin's Ratoath at Pairc Tailteann yesterday to fand a ninth Meath Senior Football Championship title.

Despite failing to score for the opening 11 minutes in Navan, when they had the breeze, they were never headed after tying up the game and surging into a 0-7 to 0-1 lead.

Dave Clare's side had just about scraped out of the group stages after losing two of their three games — to Gaeil Colmcille and Skryne.

And only a late goal line save from Gaeil Colmcille’s Meath under-20 full back Rian Earley, in the final group game, prevented Dunboyne going through at Summerhill’s expense.

But once they hit the knock out stages their grit and experience told with wins over Trim, holders Dunshaughlin (after extra-time) and a Ratoath side they defeated after extra-time in the 2023 decider.

With Clare in charge, they'd lost County finals to Ratoath in 2019 and 2022, so this one was particularly sweet for the manager.

Now they've won two deciders on the bounce — both against a Ratoath side who previously had their number.

One of the sub plots here was Galvin and Clare were coaches alongside Robbie Brennan for Kilmacud Crokes last year, before Brennan took over as Meath boss.

This was Galvin’s first foray into senior club management and it almost culminated in a fourth county title for a Ratoath side that never fully fired on the day.