Gaeil Colmcille weathered an unsettled start to overcome Donaghmore-Ashbourne on Saturday afternoon at Pairc Tailteann. 

Gaeil Colmcille ...... 1-12
Don-Ashbourne ...... 0-10

Four points down early in the second quarter, Gaeil Colmcille asserted themselves to be firmly in control of proceedings by half-time. 

Two Seamus Mattimoe points got the Kells-men going. A 26th minute penalty expertly netted by Brian Hanlon earned them a lead they took to the finish. 

Hanlon and Mattimoe finished with 1-8 between them, but Gaeil Colmcille's win owed much to a vigilant defence and the fielding of goalkeeper Justin Carry-Lynch. 

Donaghmore-Ashbourne trimmed the deficit, mainly due to free-taker Stephen Carton and were just a goal off the pace, 0-9 to 1-9, by the 50th minute. 

Points from Martin Barrett and Hanlon settled Gaeil Colmcille and their last four berth was secure. 

In the first-half Gaeil Colmcille played into the breeze blowing from the hospital end.  All they had to show for a bright start was Brian Hanlon's fifth minute free

Donaghmore-Ashbourne responded with the next five points to lead by 0-5 to 0-1 after 17 minutes. The team representing the county's second largest town didn't score again in the opening half.

Gaeil Colmcille posted five wides in the opening half while the men in green and white had just one. Before Donaghmore-Ashbourne got going, the Kells-men passed up a goal chance when Fionn Reilly's effort was low but off target. 

Donaghmore-Ashbourne 'keeper Andrew Colgan was his side's top scorer in the first 30 minutes when landing frees from 50 and 30 metres respectively. He finished as his team's joint top scorer with Stephen Carton on three points. 

The tide turned Gaeil Colmcille's way when Seamus Mattimoe was fouled at the end of a slick move and Hanlon expertly dispatched the resultant penalty to the net in the 26th minute to leave the board at the opposite end of the field reading 1-3 to 0-5. 

Donaghmore-Ashbourne were pulled up for at least three off the ball fouls. From one such call Hanlon closed the first-half scoring to leave the Kells-men leading 1-5 to 0-5 at the break.

Gaeil Colmcille kicked on from the restart. Though Donaghmore-Ashbourne threatened a rally they lacked the wherewithal to succeed against a hard-working Kells-outfit. 

Lar Wall's men - beaten quarter-finalists last year - face Skryne or Ratoath in the forthcoming semi-final.

Gaeil Colmcille - Justin Carry-Lynch; Paul Tormey, Barry Smith, Adam Muldoon; Johnny Quigly, Seanie Curran, James Reilly; Cian Doogan, Oisin Reilly (0-1); Evan Sheridan, Martin Barrett (0-1), Liam Ferguson (0-1); Seamus Mattimoe (0-5, 3 fs), Fionn Reilly (0-1), Brian Hanlon (1-3, 1-0 pen 3fs). Subs - Conal Courtney for Sheridan (50), Barry Tormay for Curran (53), Cormac Keegan for Doogan (56), Fionn Ferguson for Hanlon (60 + 1). 

Donaghmore-Ashbourne -  Andrew Colgan (0-3fs) ; Aaron McLoughlin, Sean Curran, Conor Carton; Jason Boland, Colm O Mealoid, Ryan Bannon (0-1); Shane Melia (C), Bryan Menton; James Crumlish, Kevin Lanigan, Darragh McGovern; Simon Wilson (0-1), Dylan Brady (0-1), Stephen Carton (0-3fs). Subs - Faolan Smith for Carton (27), Cormac McGill for Lanigan (36), David Carr for McLoughlin (42), Leo Reilly (0-1) for Menton (55), Andrew Tormey for Wilson (57).

Referee - Padraic Coyle (Seneschalstown)

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