Simonstown Gaels 4-10 Dunshauglin 0-12 

Three in a row chasing Simonstown played Dunshauglin in the first round of the senior football championship at a wet Pairc Tailteann.

The first half was very tight with both teams exchanging scores throughout. Dunshaughlin started brightest with 3 unanswered points in the opening 5 minutes. However the Gaels soon registered with an expertly taken free from Sean Tobin in the 6th minute. His Meath teammate, Padraig McKeever, quickly followed suit with a fabulous score from play.

McKeever showed great pace and strength to get away from his marker and found himself one on one with the Dunshauglin keeper. The county man showed great composure and awareness to handpass the ball across to the supporting Shane Barry who duly palmed the ball over the line for the first goal of the game. Dunshauglin responded with 3 scores from play in a 7 minute period which left the score tied. Séan Tobin was lively troughout and recored two scores before the interval, Mark McCabe also scored a 'worldly' of a point on the stroke of half-time. The O'Brien brothers were lively and scored a point a piece in what was an entertaining first half.

Score at half time was Simonstown 1-8 Dunshauglin 0-8.

The Gaels began the second half with a renewed sense of purpose and quickly scored 2 goals which transformed the complexion of the game. Nathan O'Brien was able to palm in from close range after a good support run and Mark McCabe scored his trademark 'Crouchy' goal. The Gaels now found themselves 9 points to the good and widened the gap when Padraig McKeever expertly finished past the Dunshauglin keeper. The old adage goals win games is particularly true in this game.

Best for Simonstown was Nathan O'Brien, Séan Tobin, Padraig McKeever and new captain for the year Níall Kane. 

Next up is a great battle against Dunboyne. 

Simonstown: Robert Burlingham, Mark Devlin, Stephen Moran, Niall McMahon, Brian McGrath, Brían Conlon, Níall Kane, Roz O'Connor, Mark McCabe (1-1), Nicky O'Brien (0-1), Shane Barry (1-0), Séan Tobin (0-4 1(f)), Nathan O'Brien (1-1), Padraig McKeever (1-2), Mark Gardiner. Subs: Joe Lyons for Rory O'Connor, Chris O'Neill for Nicky O'Brien, Eanna Donoughue for Mark Devlin, Stephen O'Reilly for Brian McGrath.

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