Dunshaughlin… 0-14
Donaghmore/Ashbourne… 1-10
An admission at the outset here – owing to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to be at Saturday’s pulsating local derby in Ratoath. However, due to the wonders of modern technology, metaphorically, not a kick of the ball was missed. Or in any of myriad other matches taking place.
I’m not sure what way the bookies had this one priced up, but, time and again it has been proven in games like this that the form book can go out the window. And so it was here, as a fortuitous Dylan Brady goal and points from Leo Reilly and midfielder Kevin Cully had the ‘Moores out of the traps like greyhounds.
In contrast, the old dogs for the hard road (metaphor again, Jim, as Father Ted said) gradually worked their way into the contest. A task made easier by the fact that they have – in my opinion – the best footballer in the county, and one of the best in the country, in their ranks in Mat Costello. Once Conor Duke got Richie Kealy’s team up and running on the scoreboard, thereafter it was tit for tat for the remainder of the half.
Ruairi Kinsella eventually got last year’s Intermediate winners back to parity – after Conor Gray’s piledriver was brilliantly repelled by Andy Colgan – before Costello clipped over the last score of the first half to edge the black and ambers in front, 0-09 to 1-05 at half time. Corner back James Redmond levelled matters immediately after the restart, but, the real turning point, it could be argued, came in the fact that Don/Ash failed to capitalise while Gray was black carded.
Still, with Kinsella, Costello and John McDonagh showing well for Dunshaughlin and custodian Colgan, Cully and substitute James Crumlish doing likewise at the other end stalemate seemed a distinct possibility.
Until those multipurpose troops – the goalkeepers – took over centre stage. Firstly with Adam McDermott channeling his inner Jose-Luis Chilivert (if you’ve never heard of him look him up) going on a lung bursting salvo upfield before offloading to Duke who split the posts.
Not to be outdone, former county ‘keeper Colgan drilled over a mighty effort which again made stalemate looks odds on but in one final twist to an enthralling encounter, it was McDermott who had the last say.
Driving over a magnificent winner as the three time Keegan Cup winners recorded a very poignant victory on their first evening back at the top table.
DUNSHAUGHLIN – A. McDermott (0-1); O. Foley, A. Doyle, C. McCarrick; J. Rushe, N. Murphy, A. Kealy; B. Duggan, C. Gray; C. Duke (0-2), R. Kinsella (0-4), M. Moyles; J. McDonagh, M. Costello (0-7), A. Murphy.
SUBS – D. Quinn for N. Murphy, F. Hartigan for Duggan, T. Kinsella for Moyles.
DONAGHMORE/ASHBOURNE – A. Colgan (0-3); E. Quinn, S. Melia, J. Redmond (0-1); A. McLoughlin, S. Curran, T. McGovern (0-1); K. Cully (0-2), B. Menton; D. O’Sullivan, A. Tormey M. Deegan; D. McGovern, D. Brady (1-0), L. Reilly (0-2).
SUBS – J. Crumlish (0-1) for Deegan, C. Carton for Redmond, S. Byrne for O’Sullivan, K. Fenton for Brady.
Referee: Kieran Olwill.
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