Sub Andrew Kearney's second-half show turned this SFC quarter-final Simonstown's way at Ashbourne on Friday night.

Simonstown ......... 3-11
Dunshaughlin ........0-11

A shock outcome looked possible at the break with the outsiders two points to the good, 0-8 to 1-3. 

Taking advantage of the elements Des Lane's men outscored Dunshaughlin by 2-8 to 0-3 thereafter. The north Navan side might have won by a wider margin but for posting eight wides in the second-half when their opponents had just one. 

Dunshaughlin were just two points in arrears before Kearney fired home his first goal to leave it 2-7 to 0-8 with 48 minutes gone. Dunshaughlin's first of three second-half scores arrived courtesy of Niall Murphy seconds later. 

One of Kearney's three second-half points moved Simonstown two goals clear by the 53rd minute. To their credit Dunshaughlin battled against the tide and cut the gap to just four with 58th minutes gone. 

Shane Gallogly's point proved their swan song. Simonstown closed in on a semi-final meeting (their fourth in a row) against either Summerhill or Na Fianna with an unanswered 1-2 in added time.. 

Sub Shane O'Rourke sent over his second score before Kearney rounded off a memorable evening for him with a great point from close to the sideline on the clubhouse side. Taking advantage of a poor restart, he fisted to the net Padraig McKeever providing the assist. 

Dunshaughlin pressed Simonstown hard from the off. They responded well to Sean Tobin's fourth minute goal, which spurred the 'Gaels into a fourth point lead by the sixth minute, 1-2 to 0-1.

With Luke Mitchell leading the way in attack Dunshaughlin outscored Simonstown by 0-7 to 0-1 over the remainder of the half. The alertness of Simonstown 'keeper Robbie Burlingham denied Mitchell a 22nd minute goal

It came during a sequence of four unanswered Dunshaughlin that earned them their deserved interval advantage that ultimately wasn't enough to carry them into the last four. 

Simonstown landed four answered points in the third quarter with Mark McCabe restoring their lead which they took to the finish.. 

Kearney's 48th minute goal, helped by Kilcullen and McKeever, effectively flatlined the Dunshaughlin challenge. 

Simonstown - Robbie Burlingham; Michael Gavin, Stephen Moran, Shane Gallagher; Brian McGrath, Mark Gardiner, Niall Kane; Brian Conlon, James Kilcullen (0-1); Nicky O'Brien, Ben Hoey, Shane Barry; Sean Tobin (1-1), Padraig McKeever (0-3 fs), Mark McCabe (0-1). Subs - Shane O'Rourke (0-2) for Hoey (27), Andrew Kearney (2-3) for Barry (ht), Seamus Kenny for McCabe (59), Nathan O'Brien for Nicky O'Brien (60 + 2), Ian O'Rourke for Gavin (60 + 3).  

Dunshaughlin - Adam McDermott; Oisin Foley, Fergus Toolan, Niall Byrne; Ray Maloney, Adam Kealy, Ben Duggan; Dan Ormsby (0-1), John Crimmins; Niall Murphy (0-2), Matthew Moyles (0-2), Mathew Costello (0-1f); Luke Mitchell (0-4, 3fs, 1 45), Caoimhin King, Tadhg O Dushlaine. Subs - Shane Gallogly (0-1) for Duggan (30), Ronan Geraghty for Crimmins (43), Cian Gallogly for Maloney (43), Eric Casserly for Tadhg O Dushlaine (bs 46-56), David Fildes for Foley (60 + 2). 

Referee - David Gough (Slane)

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