Junior C Championship 

18th July 2010

Venue: Donore

Full Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 0-11 Castletown 0-05
Half Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 0-06 Castletown 0-04

Donaghmore Ashbourne’s third team moved a step closer to the quarter finals of the competition with a below par performance in this third round fixture in Donore. Donaghmore Ashbourne took an early lead with points from Gerard Kelly and Michael Gleeson and they had a number of other chances to increase the lead in this period.
Castletown did settle and hit three unanswered points to draw level by 8 minutes and then to take the lead on 10 minutes.  John Paul Lynch did have the sides level again with a well taken point after some good interpassing play on 12 minutes. Lynch’s second point at the start of the second quarter regained the lead for Donaghmore Ashbourne. Further points from Gleeson and Aonghus Mulvihill extended the Donaghmore Ashbourne lead on 22 of and 25 minutes.
The turning point of the game came late in the first half when Donaghmore Ashbourne keeper Sean Kent pulled off a great save from a quick free and this was followed minutes later with Castletown reduced to 13 men with two players being dismissed for what appeared to be abusive language towards the referee.
Two early points from Stephen Condon shortly after the restart extended Donaghmore Ashbourne’s lead and it looked as if they were going to cruise home. However with both a wind and numerical advantage the remainder of the second half saw the team underperform and make life difficult for themselves. As can happen in this situation many players on the Donaghmore Ashbourne side opted to be the free man, left their marking to another team mate and the team lost its shape. 
Castletown did reply to the opening points with a free on 38 minutes. Although not playing to their best Donaghmore Ashbourne did put a bit of daylight between the teams with three unanswered scores late in the game from a brace by Lynch and Gleeson getting the final score.
Overall the winning result ensured qualification for the quarter finals was important but the performance needs to be improved if Donaghmore Ashbourne are to progress any further in the competition
 

Donaghmore Ashbourne: S. Kent; M. Finn, B. Murphy, N. Moran;  R. O’Connor, P. Warren, F. Mulvihill; A. Mulvihill (0-1), S. Smith; M. Gleeson (0-3), R. Tormey, G. Kelly   (0-1); S. Condon(0-2), D. Reeves,  J.P. Lynch(0-4)

Subs: D. Carey for Tormey