O'Mahonys see off Kilmessan challenge to claim Junior B title
Navan O’Mahonys 3-14
Kilmessan 0-9
Navan O’Mahonys were crowned the Meath JBHC on Saturday afternoon after they comfortably got the better of Kilmessan in the first contest of a triple header at Pairc Tailteann. The game was won and lost in the second quarter as Navan O’Mahonys outscored their opponents 2-7 to 0-3. Sean Davis and Paddy Skehan can both be happy with their afternoon's work as they hit a combined tally of 3-8 with Davis getting a brace of goals. Barry McEvoy was influential at centre forward as was Colm O’Toole at centre back.
Both sides took a while to get settled into the game and there was no score registered in the contest until the 12th minute when Andrew Snow and Kevin O’Reilly traded scores in a matter of seconds. Previous to that O’Mahonys had a great chance for a goal opportunity but Sean Davis’ shot came back off the post.
Kilmessan rattled off two points in quick succession courtesy of Davis and Paddy Skehan before Barry McEvoy made a bursting run through the Kilmessan defence to assist Davis who, this time, made no mistake with the shot, and found the back of the Kilmessan net. Davis’ goal gave O’Mahonys a five-point lead at the quarter-way mark.
For the next 10 minutes, the sides went point for point with the highlight being McEvoy’s score on the 23rd minute where the O’Mahonys centre forward showed a lovely bit of stickwork to control the sliotar before striking over.
Donal Rice commenced a fruitful period for O’Mahonys with a well-taken point before McEvoy, Davis and Snow all added scores to the Navan outfit’s growing tally. A long-range free sent into the square by Paddy Skehan went through the sticks of everyone before finding the back of the net. The goal transpired to be the final score of the opening half as Kilmessan went in with at the break holding a commanding 2-9 to 0-4 lead.
Just as they were in the first half both sides were sluggish at the start of the second half. Skehan and Kevin Horan traded placed ball attempts at either end to keep the scoreboard ticking over. A long ball in from Rice landed nicely for Davis who then found the net for his second and O’Mahonys third goal, giving O’Mahony’s a 14-point advantage and effectively ending the game from a competitive perspective.
In what turned out to be a lovely move, a John Gleeson puckout was gathered by Skehan who played a lovely 1-2 with McEvoy before tapping over to give Navan O’Mahonys a 15-point advantage. Kilmessan substitute Ger O’Neil made a good impact off the bench and rattled off two consecutive scores before keeper Cristopher Curtis’ long-range effort went sailing over to reduce the gap back to 12.
That was about as good as it got for Kilmessan as two Skehan frees increased O’Mahony’s lead back up to 14 points. Subsitutes Rian Breathnach and Jack Clynch traded points in injury time at which point Navan O’Mahonys had gone well clear in the contest.
It was a comfortable victory in the end for Pat Nolan’s side and the second string Navan O’Mahony’s side will now play their hurling in the Junior ranks in 2025.
Navan O’Mahonys – John Gleeson; Riordan Russell, Declan Tolster, Michael Reavey; Brian Dunne, Colm O’Toole, Peter Mcloughlin; Donal Rice (0-1), Andrew Snow (0-2); Paddy Skehan (1-5, 1-3 frees), Barry McEvoy (0-3), Diarmuid Collins; Sean Davis (2-2), Shane O’Brien, Jake Patterson. Subs – Niall McKeigue for Collins halftime, Ciaran McGuinness for Brian Dunne 37m, Darragh Carroll for Patterson 48m, Rian Breathnach (0-1) for O’Brien 57m, Francis Hynes for Russell 60m.
Kilmessan - Christopher Curtis (0-1); Donal Kelliher, Cathal Flaherty, Fionn Maguire; Eoin Jack Keoghan, Martin Horan, Paddy Wright; Peter Reynolds, Richard Donnelly; Aodhan Byrne, Kevin O’Reilly (0-2), Scott Bagnall; Jason Gorman, Kevin Horan (0-2, one free, one 65’), Harry Cassidy (0-1). Subs - Scott Armstrong for Bagnall 28m, Paul Grimes for Keoghan 34m, Ger O’Neil (0-2) for Byrne 39m, Jack Clynch for K Horan 42m, Ciaran Flynn for Cassidy 58m.
Referee - Gus Martyn (Dunderry)