Former Hurler of the Year Richie Hogan enjoyed a remarkable Leinster club IHC final cameo, climbing off the bench in Navan and inspiring a dramatic comeback win.

Yet Danesfort’s fightback from six points down with 45 minutes on the clock, and the role played by goalscorer Hogan who hadn’t featured for his team all year, wasn’t actually the biggest story in Navan.

The day belonged to another club and county icon, Paul Murphy, who finally got the opportunity to lift the Tommy Murphy Cup, a piece of silverware named after his late father.

Former Kilkenny county board chairman Tommy Murphy, who played for Danesfort, passed away in 2004 and was a Leinster Council representative at the time of his death.

Danesfort outscored Ratoath by 2-9 to no score in the closing quarter and afterwards captain Diarmuid Phelan and Murphy lifted the Tommy Murphy Cup jointly.

“How many times in your lifetime are you going to see a fella lift his father’s cup?” said Hogan. “That’s just magnificent stuff. I don’t know if it’s happened before. I know we’ve tried to do it before and we were always very quiet about that aspect of it because we didn’t want to jinx anything. It wasn’t looking too good with 25 minutes to go.

“But that’s something I’ll never experience again, whatever about winning a Leinster championship with the club. That alone, seeing Paul lifting that cup, was amazing.”

Danesfort were beaten by Meath side Trim in this competition three years ago and looked to be set for another surprise reversal.

Ratoath led by 0-9 to 0-3 at half-time and as much as they’d capitalised on the wind advantage, and the accuracy of free-taker Padraig O’Hanrahan who struck 0-10 overall, they also benefited from Danesfort’s early wasteful play.

The Kilkenny intermediate winners, relegated from the senior ranks last year, blasted eight first-half wides and dropped several more point attempts short.

Even when Cathal O’Neill, All-Ireland U-20 finalist Anthony Ireland Wall and Sam Hayes reeled off points after the restart for Danesfort, Ratoath came back again with three more O’Hanrahan scores.

The Meath senior champions led by 0-12 to 0-6 with 45 minutes on the clock and were on the brink of matching the club’s footballers of 2015 who also won a Leinster intermediate title.

They couldn’t kick on though and didn’t score again as Danesfort, who brought on Hogan moments after Ratoath’s last point, moved up a couple of gears.

They pounced on mistakes in the Ratoath defence for both of their goals. Hayes grabbed the first in the 49th minute, flicking back through his own legs in a crowded goalmouth when Fionn Mahony’s long delivery in from the left wasn’t cleared.

Seven-time All-Ireland winner Hogan caused havoc when he came on, registering 1-1, winning a free that goalkeeper Paddy Hogan converted and also shooting two wides.

“This was my first game all year, I’m only back three weeks,” said Hogan. “I’m not trying to jump in and take all the glory, it’s definitely not what I want to do. I just wanted to play some part in it and put the shoulder to the wheel if I could.”

Meanwhile, Wexford’s Davidstown Courtnacuddy overcame Kildare champions Clane 3-12 to 0-11 in the AIB Leinster junior decider.

Danesfort scorers: A Ireland Wall 0-5 (3 frees); S Hayes, R Hogan 1-1 each; R Walsh, P Hogan (2 frees) 0-2 each; C Kearney (1 free), D O’Neill, C O’Neill, F Mahony 0-1 each.

Ratoath scorers: P O’Hanrahan 0-10 (8 frees); D McGowan, D Kelly 0-1 each.

Danesfort: P Hogan; A Byrne, D Phelan, D Coverdale; D Dunne, P Murphy, D O’Neill; C Kearney, C O’Neill; R Walsh, D Dowling, S Hayes; A Ireland Wall, C Phelan, F Mahony.

Subs: R Hogan for Phelan (44); A Cowley for Dowling (57).

Ratoath: C O’Riordan; L Corbett, B McGowan, C McGill; N McLarnon, D Kelly, D Rogers; C O’Hanrahan, J McGowan; R Hayes, D McGowan, P O’Hanrahan; B McMahon, C Rogers, G McGowan.

Subs: T Corbett for Hayes (55).

Referee: C Daly (Kildare).