Kiltale 3-19 Ratoath 4-16
Podge O'Hanrahan's late score rescued a draw for defending champions Ratoath and sent their Meath SHC final against Kiltale to a replay.
The east Meath club - who lost last weekend's Meath football decider to Summerhill - narrowly avoided a double final defeat thanks to O'Hanrahan's late intervention.
It was a free-scoring encounter in Páirc Tailteann, with a spate of goals in the early stages, Ross Ryan found in the net in the first couple of minutes for Kiltale before Daithí McGowan responded for the champions.
Peter Durnin buried the game's third goal on the seventh minute and Kiltale had opened up a seven-point lead by the midway point of the first half.
Bryan McMahon batted home Ratoath's second goal on 18 minutes but Kiltale, seeking a first title since 2018, held onto a two-point lead by the interval.
Gavin McGowan's goal shortly after the restart nudged Ratoath ahead for the first time, their lead briefly being stretched out to four points - 3-14 to 2-13 - by the 45th minute mark.
However, Kiltale hit a purple patch, Mark O'Sullivan landing a brace of points, alongside Jack Bannon as they wrested back the initiative, eding into a one point lead with eight minutes remaining.
Cian Rogers' goal with four minutes remaining pushed Ratoath two in front again, the 2024 winners maintaining a slender advantage until a dramatic injury-time period.
Fearghal McCabe buried a goal for Kiltale in injury-time which looked to have won the game in dramatic fashion, until O'Hanrahan's point salvaged a draw for Ratoath.
