Donaghmore Ashbourne second team progress in Under 21B championship.
Full Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 4-09 Blackhall Gaels 2-12
Half Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 4-09 Blackhall Gaels 2-12
Venue: Dunshaughlin
Date: 5th November 2016
Referee: Michael Ryan
Although fielding a younger team than the opposition Donaghmore Ashbourne’s second Under 21 team managed to edge out Blackhall Gaels in a lively and entertaining encounter in Dunshaughlin in the Under 21 B championship on Saturday afternoon.
The opening period of the game was worrying for both The Moors management and few supporters at the game as the Batterstown men raced into a 1-01 to 0-00 lead with the first two attacks of the game as the young lads in green struggled to get out of the half.
However Donaghmore Ashbourne settled and Donagh O’Donnell found the net with a move on 4 minutes and Luke Andrews drew the sides level with a point a minute later. Donaghmore Ashbourne took the lead on 8 minutes with a Stephen Breslin point from a free and Breslin extended the lead with another from play on 9 minutes. Two points from Blackhall Gaels on 11 and 13 minutes restored parity as the sides entered the second quarter.
Although Donaghmore Ashbourne regained the lead with points from Lorcan Nolan on 16 minutes and Cian Wall on 19 minutes these were their only scores of the second quarter. Blackhall Gaels hits a purple patch on 21 minutes which saw them raise the green flag first to regain the lead and then two quick points all within 60 seconds. The final score of the half went to the Gaels with a point on 28 minutes to give Blackhall a 2-06 to 1-05 interval lead.
Blackhall Gaels opened the second half scoring with a point on 32 minutes to extend their lead to 5 points and looked that their experience over the younger side was going to see them through. However when Donaghmore Ashbourne were awarded a penalty a minute later and Breslin fired low to the corner it was game on again. O Donnell regained the lead for Donaghmore Ashbourne on 35 minutes when a long range Breslin Free came off the cross bar and O’Donnell was first to react and flick the ball into the next from close range. Conor Heffernan added to the scorers list with a well taken point on 40 minutes but the Blackhall Gaels replied with a point. Blackhall reduced the deficit with points on 45 and 46 minutes only to see Breslin reply on 47 minute with a long range free.
The final Donaghmore Ashbourne scores came from an O Donnell point from play and substitute Podge Twomey flick an O Donnell pass over the advancing keeper into the empty net with Andrews getting the final point with a well taken long range effort. To their credit Blackhall Gaels did not give up and got the two final points of the game late in the half.
Overall it was a very entertaining game with both sides giving their all and credit to Donaghmore Ashbourne for their effort and hard work.
Donaghmore Ashbourne: S. Hogan; A. Mc Loughlin, M.Donnelly; D. Cassidy, B. Meehan, L. Wilson: A. McElearney, C. Heffernan (0-1); L. Nolan (0-1), L. Andrews (0-2), S. Breslin (1-3); C.Wall (0-1), D. O ‘Donnell (2-1)
Subs: J. Dervan for Wilson, P. Twomey (1-0) for Cassidy.