Division 1A League Final

Date: 31st October 2010

Venue: Pairc Tailteann

Full Time:  Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-12 Summerhill 0-02
Half Time: Donaghmore Ashbourne 0-06 Summerhill 2-01

A game of inches. For the third time this year Donaghmore Ashbourne and Summerhill locked horns and like the previous two encounters there was little between the teams with Summerhill coming out on top by the minimum of margins. This time in Pairc Tailteann the prize was the Division 1 league title.
Bryan Menton opened the scoring for Donaghmore Ashbourne on 2 minutes when he finished off a good run through the Summerhill defence to point from 20 meters. Summerhill replied a minute later with a point form a free.
Summerhill were awarded a penalty on 6 minutes and the spot kick was well placed in the corner to give the Hill a three point lead. Eoin Reilly reduced the deficit on 7 minutes with a point. Donaghmore Ashbourne did have a goal chance on 9 minutes when a long Andrew Tormey ball was fisted by David Morgan into the keeper’s hands.  With both sides playing good open honest football Donaghmore Ashbourne hit a purple patch and managed to register four unanswered points between the 12th and 25th minutes.  Faolán Smith started this spell when he pointed a 14 meter free with Andrew Tormey drawing the sides level on 14 minutes from a 25 meter free. Another pointed free from Smith on 23 minutes restored Donaghmore Ashbourne’s lead and he doubled the lead with good point on 25 minutes. Donaghmore Ashbourne looked to be heading into the break ahead on the scoreboard when a long ball from the hospital sideline into the square evaded the keeper and defence to find it’s way into the net and give Summerhill a 2-01 to 0-06 interval lead.
Donaghmore Ashbourne started the second half well and an Andrew Tormey free from 45 meters drew the sides level within a minute of the restart. David Morgan gave Donaghmore Ashbourne the lead with a point on 37 minutes. The turning point came a minute later when Donaghmore Ashbourne was awarded a penalty. Unfortunately Andrew Tormey’s spot kick was saved.  This seemed to inject a life into Summerhill and it was their turn to hit a purple patch where they scored four unanswered points from teh the 38th minute to the 49 minute. Summerhill’s levelling score came from a free on 38 minutes with points from paly on 44, 46 and 49 minutes respectfully.
Two late frees from Smith and Tormey on 52 and 59 minutes left the minimum between the sides. Donaghmore did have one final attempt in injury time but a long range Menton attempt went narrowly wide.
Although the side did not manage to get that essential final score to force extra time none of the players could be faulted for effort, hard work or commitment on the day and the club can be proud of their effort throughout the year. A place in the Division 1 final shows that we are still making progress and hopefully success is not that far away.
 

Donaghmore Ashbourne: P. Durkan; I. O’Donnell, C. Mc Gill; S. Curran; C. Ellis , T. Kelly; M. Roche; B. Menton (0-1), L. Tormey;  E. Reilly(0-1), I. Dowd, E. Callaghan; F. Smith(0-4) (3f), D. Morgan (0-1), A. Tormey (0-3)(3f)

Subs: P. Finn for Roche, K. Lanigan for Callaghan.