Donaghmore / Ashbourne move clear in dour affair

Donaghmore/Ashbourne had plenty to spare in this SFC clash against Seneschalstown winning by 2-13 to 1-8, but that doesn't tell half the story tonight's clash in Skryne had pretty much everything.

There was plenty of time for anything to occur as referee Joseph Curran played a total of 26 minutes of injury-time, 16 at the end of probably one of the poorest halves of football at this level for many, many years.

The second-half was in stark contrast to the hugely entertaining opening period which saw Donaghmore/Ashbourne start well, then fall behind to a freak goal before responding impressively to establish what proved to be a winning half-time advantage.

There were three red cards, two for Seneschalstown, one black card for Donaghmore/Ashbourne's Michael Deegan and 11 yellow cards in a niggling, tetchy, stop-start contest that faded from its bright start to a dire affair.

The fact that goalkeeper Andy Colgan was Donaghmore/Ashbourne's best player will frustrate Seneschalstown as they squandered goal chances with the Meath goalkeeper making at least three top quality saves.

Colgan also finished as his side's second highest scorer with three converted frees and a '45'. The Donaghmore/Ashbourne goalkeeper was the only scorer in the second-half until Andy Tormey fisted over in the 56th minute.

In the 16 minutes of second-half injury-time Colm Carr and Cathal Finnegan picked up second yellow cards for Seneschalstown and were sent-off, while Sean Curran's straight red card in the 66th minute was needless and means he will miss his side's next game against Na Fianna.

All the good football was played in the opening period as Donaghmore/Ashbourne started well with Deegan pointing for his father's side after 30 seconds before Thomas McGovern and Jamie Browne from a mark added to the tally to make it 0-3 to 0-0 after five minutes.

Joseph Moore replied with a fine point in the sixth minute and Finnegan converted a free 90 seconds later to narrow the deficit to the minimum.

Dylan Brady forced David Lyons into a great save before Darragh McGovern extended Donaghmore/Ashbourne's lead, but by the 12th minute Seneschalstown were level with frees from Clarke and Brian Sheridan.

A Deegan free and a point from Sean Curran was followed by Colgan's first to extend Donaghmore/Ashbourne's lead to 0-7 to 0-4, but almost instantly Seneschalstown responded when a poor clearance from defence ricocheted off Finnegan into the path of Clarke and he finished superbly beyond Colgan to restore parity.

Seneschalstown could have went ahead, but Colgan saved brilliantly to deny Finnegan and from the follow up he tipped a looping effort onto the crossbar and away from danger.

Cathal Hickey did give the Yellow Furze side the lead for the first, and only, time in the 30th minute, but a minute later Thomas McGovern toe-poked to the net after he had lost possession to make it 1-7 to 1-5 and wipe out Clarke's goal.

A '45' from Colgan stretched Donaghmore/Ashbourne's lead, but a swift counter-attack involving Tormey and the McGovern twins ended with Tormey finishing from close range to make it 2-8 to 1-5.

A brilliant point from Clarke in the seventh minute of first-half injury-time looked to have settled Seneschalstown and when Deegan was sent to the sin-bin on the advice of an umpire it should have been the spur for them, but it was Donaghmore/Ashbourne who extended their lead through Bryan Menton before Finnegan punched a long ball over the bar to make it 1-7 to 2-9 at the break.

That score was Seneschalstown's last until 14 minutes into second-half injury-time. They were left to rue a great save from Colgan which denied Dylan Keating and with Colgan adding two frees from distance it was game over long before it descended into a dreadfully poor encounter.

SCORERS

Donaghmore/Ashbourne - Michael Deegan 1-2 one free; Andy Colgan 0-4 three frees, one '45'; Thomas McGovern 1-1; Jamie Browne 0-1; Darragh McGovern 0-1; Sean Curran 0-1; Bryan Menton 0-1; Andy Tormey 0-1; Faolan Smith 0-1.

Seneschalstown - Bryan Clarke 1-3 two frees; Cathal Finnegan 0-2 one free; Brian Sheridan 0-1 free; Joseph Moore 0-1; Cathal Hickey 0-1.

TEAMS

Donaghmore/Ashbourne - Andy Colgan; Conor Carton, Jason Boland, Cormac McGill; Sean Curran, Jack McCarney, Thomas McGovern; Bryan Menton, Conor Carey; Darragh McGovern, Dylan Brady, Leo Reilly; Jamie Browne, Andy Tormey, Michael Deegan. Subs - James Crumlish for Reilly 43 mins, Stephen Carton for Brady 56m, Faolan Smith for Deegan 60m, Deegan for T McGovern 60+8m.

Seneschalstown - David Lyons; Woodley Nicholson, John Smith, Niall Hickey; Adam Carey, Colm Carr, Ronan Conneely; Brian Sheridan, Cathal Hickey; Alan Mulvany, Joseph Moore, Padraig Finnegan; Dylan Keating, Bryan Clarke, Cathal Finnegan. Subs - Joe Sheridan for Mulvany 30+2 mins, Johnny Gilsenan for P Finnegan half-time, Brian Maguire for Smith 33m, Stephen Finnegan for B Sheridan 41m, Simon Rooney for Carey 51m.

Referee - Joseph Curran (St Michael's).