In what was a curtain raiser to the main event, albeit at a different venue, Donaghmore Ashbourne and Gaeil Colmcille’s second teams met in Ashbourne for the second round of the Premier Championship Division 1.
Danny McGovern lining out at Centre-Half forward for Gaeil Colmcille got the opening score of the game with a free in the third minute. The home side reacted straight away and levelled things up for the resulting kickout. McGovern added a point from play in the 8th minute to restore the Gaeils early on in the game.
Donaghmore/Ashbourne, playing with the aid of a stiff breeze took control of the game and by the 22nd minute found themselves 0-08 to 0-02 ahead thanks to seven unanswered points. Gaeil Colmcille were relying on McGovern to keep them in the game and two more points either side of an Donaghmore/Ashbourne point kept The Gaeils in touch.
The Moore’s struck for two more points and Kells nearly had a lifeline in the 29th minute when Shane Bennett breached the defence but to see his effort saved over the crossbar. Donaghmore/Ashbourne added their 11th score of the game but it was Gaeil Colmcille who finished the half the stronger and two more points from Danny McGovern left four between the sides at half-time trailing 0-07 to 0-11
In a bizarre throw up to the second half The Moore’s were quick to get their first score of the half inside the opening twenty seconds. Gaeil Colmcille needed a response and got it thanks to Ryan Farnham who was causing all kinds of trouble with his direct running saw him through on goal and he made no mistake to finish to the back of the net.
Cormac Mattimoe added a point to leave just two points between the sides but just as Kells gained momentum it was sucked out of the team when Donaghmore/Ashbourne got in behind for their first goal to stretch their lead out to five points with 39 minutes on the clock. Two more points from McGovern and a pointed free from substitute Gary Arkins left one score between the teams with Donaghmore/Ashbourne leading 1-14 to 1-11 with 10 minutes remaining.
The Moore’s stretched their lead to four points before McGovern added his ninth and tenth point on the day to set up a nervy finish. Despite Kells throwing all bar the kitchen sink, the Donaghmore/Ashbourne defence stood strong to grab the two points to see them sit top with Gaeil Colmcille’s next opponents Dunshaughlin.
Gaeil Colmcille: Sean Thornton, Fionn Smith, Cormac Ferguson, Mark Gormley, Cormac O’Reilly, Dan Farrelly, Finn Mullan, Shane Bennett (0-01), Phil Ward, Stephen Reddy, Danny McGovern (0-10), Sean Cleary, Ryan Farnham (1-00), Zak Griffin, Cormac Mattimoe (0-01)
Subs: Gary Arkins (0-01), Gary McGovern, Niall Williams, Kevin Carpenter
