Junior C Championship Quarter final

20th August 2010

Venue: Donore

Full Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-07 Syddan 0-08
Half Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-04 Syddan 0-03

Donaghmore Ashbourne’s third team kicked off a big weekend of championship football for the club with a hard earned two point win over Syddan in their quarter final game in Donore on Friday evening. With a lot at stake for both teams this wasn’t going to be an open attractive game as both sides contested every ball with some hard tackling all played in a sporting manner.
It was the green and gold hoops of Syddan who started the brightest and took an early lead on 6 and 8 minutes. Playing with the aid of the breeze Donaghmore Ashbourne took time to settle and needed the free taking skills of Stephen Condon to opening their account. Points on 11 minutes and 17 minutes had drawn the sides level.
Although Donaghmore Ashbourne had much the better of the possession in the second quarter they spurred a number of chances as the sides looked to be heading for the interval on level terms. However a third free of the evening from Condon gave Donaghmore Ashbourne the lead on 28 minutes.
From the resulting kick out Donaghmore Ashbourne gained possession and a good move involving Gerry Kelly and John Paul Lynch was finished by David Carey when he flicked Lynch’s pass into the net to put 4 points between the teams. With a number of minutes of injury time played by referee Niall Foran, Fionan Mulvihill extended the lead for Donaghmore Ashbourne with a close range point with Syddan replying before the half time whistle.
As expected Syddan with the aid of the breeze mounted a comeback on the Donaghmore Ashbourne goal in the second half. However the opening score of the period went to Donaghmore Ashbourne when Lynch’s overhead kick raised the white flag on 31 minutes. Syddan managed to reduce the deficit to a single point with 4 unanswered scores between the 34th and 52nd minutes.
With the game entering the closing stages it was anyone’s call as the north Meath side pilled on the pressure with Donaghmore Ashbourne defence strong and although creating a number of counter attacks failing to score. Fionan Mulvihill increased the margin for Donaghmore Ashbourne with a point on 54 minutes. With Syddan looking for the killer goal they only managed a point on 58 minutes.
The final score of the game came to substitute Brian Fitzgerald on 60 minutes when he pointed after a good solo run.
Overall it was job done for Donaghmore Ashbourne as they booked a place in the last four of the competition with Ciaran Byrne’s returned performance to championship football the highlight of an overall good team display.

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

Subs: G. Kelly for Reeves(inj), C. Sullivan for A. Fitzgerald, B. Fitzgerald (0-1) for Sullivan, A. Fitzgerald for Finn (inj)