Senior Championship v Nobber in Simonstown 12th June ‘11
Donaghmore Ashbourne completed the second leg of a Championship double in Simonstown on Sunday last. Playing immediately after the Junior A’s, the senior team beat off the challenge of last year’s Intermediate champions, Nobber. Despite the dreadful conditions both teams served up an entertaining and exciting game, with the issue in doubt right to the final whistle.

A perfectly judged pass from John Broderick set up the first point of the game for Tony Morgan. Eoighan Riordan added a second a minute later when he was set up by David Morgan’s well timed pass. A silly free given away for an off the ball tackle gave Brian Farrell the easiest of chances to pull one back for Nobber and the same player brought them level from another free of a much more dubious nature. Eoin Reilly restored the Donaghmore Ashbourne lead after a trademark Ciaran Ellis run forward. This lead was short lived and was cancelled by Nobber’s first score from play. Another Farrell free put Nobber ahead for the first time after twenty-five minutes. Eoin Reilly scored an excellent point to restore parity before David Morgan with an assist from brother Tony sent Donaghmore Ashbourne to the half time break a point in front on a score line of 0-5 to 0-4.

Nobber were first out of the blocks on the restart with yet another Farrell free and their second point from play saw them back in front by the slimmest of margins. A superb move involving Ciaran Beirne and Bryan Menton saw Ellis fist a fine score to level matters again. A good point from distance by Tony Morgan saw Donaghmore Ashbourne edge back in front. In spite of the conditions Donaghmore Ashbourne were now producing their best football of the day. A superbly fielded catch from Reilly and a series of one twos with Sean Curran saw Curran stretch their lead to two. The game could have been ended as a contest when a goalmouth scramble saw Donaghmore Ashbourne denied a goal when their appeals for a penalty went unanswered. Brian Farrell very cleverly backed into Colm Ó Mealóid and won a free which he duly converted to reduce the lead to a single point. Riordan then produced the miss of the game when he bore down on the posts and saw his attempted fisted point go wide of the target. When Tony Morgan was fouled as he surged goal ward Eoin Reilly extended the lead to two points again. It seemed at this stage that Nobber needed a goal and they managed to produce on in the very last minute of normal time. An attempt on goal was superbly blocked by Riordan but unfortunately for him the ball broke to the Nobber wing back who calmly slotted the ball to the net. In the five minutes of additional time Donaghmore Ashbourne showed wonderful character to retrieve what could have been a lost cause. Eoin Reilly kicked a massive free from over forty-five metres out on the wing to bring the sides level again. Ciaran Beirne  latched on to a clever flick from Ian Dowd to edge Donaghmore Ashbourne ahead again and a final Reilly free saw them emerge victorious by 0-12 to 1-7. This good result sees Donaghmore Ashbourne in a position where the winner of their game with Seneschalstown will qualify for the quarter-finals.