Donaghmore-Ashbourne made it to the hoganstand.com SFC final when digging out a narrow win over Skryne at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne ...... 1-9
Skryne ............................... 0-8

Sean Kelly's men made most of the running but found it hard to shake off a dogged Skryne side who never led here. They face Simonstown in the final on October 30.

Despite playing with the wind blowing into the town goal in the second-half Donaghmore-Ashbourne managed just five points, the same Skryne did after the change of ends.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne found scores from play that bit easier to come by and their reward is a first SFC final appearance since 2014 when they coughed up a big lead to Navan O'Mahonys.

Sub Bryan Davis to became the first Skryne player to score - apart from Paddy O'Rourke - when pointing at the Commons Road end just after the restart.

That left just three points between the teams. Donaghmore-Ashbourne doubled their lead in the next five minutes.

Paul Gilligan made a big impression for Donaghmore-Ashbourne with four scores from placed balls (three frees and a 45). The latter score left six in it after 38 minutes.

Skryne outscored Donaghmore-Ashbourne by 0-4 to 0-2 in the final third of the hour. By the 47th minute Martin Frayne's side had halved the deficit with three points from play against the wind: Paddy O'Rourke (two) and Mark Battersby.

Skryne managed just one more point in the time remaining. Ciaran Lenehan registered before picking up a second yellow card and departing in stoppage time.

Lenehan's point pared the gap to a goal. The clock had ticked into the fifth minute of added time when Andrew Tormey (free) closed the scoring and Donaghmore-Ashbourne were through.

Just like the first semi-final at this venue the previous evening, the opening half was a slow burner that yielded just eight scores.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne had four different scorers while Skryne's three points came courtesy of Paddy O'Rourke frees, one with the right, one the left and one from 50 metres in the last action of the half.

Michael Deegan posted in the opening score in the fourth minute. He departed with a recurrence of a hamstring injury before the end of the first quarter.

The scores were tied twice in the opening quarter with Skryne getting the levelling score each time.

Mark Battersby passed up a ninth minute goal chance shooting at Jack Hannigan having gathered Paddy O'Rourke's long delivery.

Sean Kelly's men regained the lead in the 17th minute with a close range Andrew Tormey free. They doubled it six minute later with a similar score from Paul Gilligan.

In the 28th minute Tormey netted with aplomb with Field and sub Ciaran Ellis playing supporting roles.

O'Rourke's third free closed the first-half scoring leaving Donaghmore-Ashbourne ahead 1-4 to 0-3 at the break.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne - Jack Hannigan; Thomas McGovern, JP Casserly, David Morgan; Daragh McGovern, Paul Gilligan (0-4, 3fs 1 45), Sean Curran; Conor Carey, James Colgan; Cathal Field (0-1), Conor Carton, Bryan Menton (0-1); Dylan Brady, Andrew Tormey (1-2), 0-2fs, Michael Deegan (0-1). Subs - Ciaran Ellis for Deegan (14), Eoghan Riordan for Casserly (49), Aidan Hughes for D McGovern (55)

Skryne - Felim O'Rourke; Eoghan Greene, Ciaran Lenehan (0-1), Mark Jordan; Tomas McKeown, Donie Ryan, Niall Lenehan; Aidan Tuite, Harry Rooney; Eoin Smyth, Darragh Campion, Stephen O'Brien; Conor O'Brien, Paddy O'Rourke (0-5 3fs), Mark Battersby (0-1). Subs - Mark Harrington for McKeown (bs 21-23), Bryan Davis (0-1) for C O'Brien (24), Paddy Fox for P O'Rourke (54), John Morley for Tuite (57), Mark Harrington for Campion (60)

Referee - Liam O'Brien (Duleek-Bellewstown)

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