Stephen Bray scored seven points as Navan O'Mahonys proved too strong for neighbours Simonstown Gaels in the hoganstand.com SFC quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann on Friday night.

Navan O'Mahonys ........ 1-14
Simonstown Gaels ......... 0-9

Facing the elements in the second-half, Davy Nelson's men outscored their neighbours by 1-7 to 0-4 after the change of ends with Bray enhancing his tally with three points from play.

O'Mahonys took the game to Sean Barry's charges in the third quarter, outscoring them by 1-4 to 0-2 during this phase.

Two incidents in quick succession towards the end of the third quarter had a big bearing on the outcome. First Simonstown's Shane Barry saw his goal attempt crash against the crossbar with O'Mahonys leading by four points.

Seconds later a mix-up in the Simonstown rearguard allowed O'Mahonys full-back Niall McKeigue net from close range at the hospital end to leave it 1-11 to 0-7.

Two Andrew Carney efforts (one free) saw Simonstown trim the deficit to six points on two occasions thereafter. The corner-forward was his side's sole second-half scorer.

Earlier in the half, with just two points between the sides, O'Mahonys lost 'keeper and team captain Marcas Brennan with a leg injury.

The Brews Hill outfit controlled matters in the second-half with Alan Forde (two), Daragh Maguire and Paddy Smyth also registering.

Simonstown sub Wayne McCarthy attempted to pull a goal back from a close range free in stoppage time but dragged his effort wide.

In terms of missed chances, O'Mahonys had 13 wides over the course of the hour while Simonstown were off target seven times.

It was left to Bray to close the scoring with wing-back Gary O'Brien capping a fine second-half showing by providing the assist.

Playing into the town goals, with the elements behind them, O'Mahonys hit the front within 12 seconds of the off when Bray pointed after Smyth fielded Damien Moran's long delivery.

Simonstown restored parity when Sean Tobin landed a free from the right-hand sideline. The North Navan men hit the front when Eanna Donoghue put his name on the scoresheet.

The sides were level again when Smyth placed Stephen MacGabhann. A solo Carney effort had Simonstown back in front before the sixth minute elapsed.

The first quarter was notable for O'Mahonys tally of six wides while Simonstown had just one in this this phase of the hour.

A pointed Bray free from about 30 metres left it 0-3 each midway through the first-half. A similar score from a Tobin placed ball had the men in sky blue ahead again.

O'Mahonys shaded the final third of the opening-half as points from Sean Keating, Bray and wing-back Brian Dillon left the favourites 0-7 to 0-5 to the good at the break.

While two of Bray's four points might have been goals, Simonstown had the best goal chance of the opening 30 minutes just before the break but the chance went abegging.

During a cold windy evening, laced with showers, there was a brief malfunction with some of the floodlights in the old swimming pool corner of the ground. The problem was rectified before the second-half commenced.

O'Mahonys - M. Brennan; S. O'Toole, N. McKeigue (1-0), I. Matthews; B. Dillon (0-1), S. Crosby, G. O'Brien; S. MacGabhann (0-1), D. Moran; P. Smyth (0-1), A. Forde (0-2), D. Maguire (0-1); J. Regan, S. Bray (0-7, 1f), S. Keating (0-1). Subs - S. Gilllespie for Keating (39), M. Sherlock for Brennan (40), D. Smyth for Regan (49), C. McGuinness for Moran (51), H. Finnegan for Smyth (59).

Simonstown - R. Duffy; S. McGivney, I. O'Rourke, H. Traynor; C. Kenny, E. Donoghue (0-1), N. McMahon; D. Gaffney, S. Tobin (0-2, fs); M. McCabe, J. Lyons (0-1), S. Barry; S. Moran, P. McKeever, A. Carney (0-5, 3fs). Subs - S. O'Reilly for McMahon (42), W. McCarthy for Moran (46), C. Wickham for Kenny (56), P. Meade for Gaffney (56).

Referee - D. Coldrick (Blackhall Gaels) Tweet

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