Path variable doesn't set up git properly

[henrygriffiths]

When using the path variable to clone a repository into another folder, the repo is not cloned to the correct commit, and git is not set up properly

jobs:
  backup:
    runs-on: [self-hosted]
    steps:
    - name: Checkout
      uses: actions/checkout@v4
      with:
        path: folder
        ref: ${{ github.sha }}

    - name: CD
      run: |
        cd folder

    - name: Log Commit Hash
      run: |
        echo ${{ github.sha }} && git log -1 --format='%H'

Expected Result:

abcde
abcde

Actual Result:

abcde
defgh

Despite the final debug log from actions/checkout of git log -1 --format='%H' producing the correct value, when run in the cloned repository, it shows a different (older) commit hash.

The script does not set up authentication, so git pull origin <branch> is not possible.
The cloned repository is at a different point in time. git reset --hard HEAD reverts to that commit and git reset --hard abcde results in the hash not being known.