Navan O'Mahonys got the better of Dunboyne after extra time in a dramatic Navan Shopping Centre SFC semi-final at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon, 18th September. Navan O'Mahonys 1-14 Dunboyne 1-12 after extra time Having played for almost the entire hour with 14-men, Dunboyne looked to have snatched a dramatic win when Ger Robinson goaled in the second of three minutes of stoppage time. Undaunted O'Mahonys responded with centre-half-back Niall McKeigue sending over to tie the scores at 1-10 each at the end of the hour. Substitute Thomas Loughran regained the lead for O'Mahonys in the second minute of stoppage time before Nigel Crawford leveled matters again moments after Robinson sent a close range free wide at the hospital end. Stephen Bray's fifth point of the afternoon left it 1-12 to 1-11 halfway through the additional 20 minutes and despite playing against the stiff breeze O'Mahonys extended their lead through David Murtagh and Barry Regan. A point from substitute Alan Dowdall cut the deficit to two points with time running out and Robinson almost grabbed another dramatic goal, but his close range effort through a crowd of players was smartly saved by Marcus Brennan. Once again Stephen Bray led the way for O'Mahonys in attack with five points from play and Barry Regan chipped in with three while Paddy Smyth got through an amount of hard work. Despite playing against the elements in the opening half, Dunboyne hit the front within 25 seconds through David Gallagher and after Stephen Bray leveled matters, Robbie Brennan was red-carded on the say-so of one of the linesmen. Dunboyne suffered another setback when Robinson's poorly hit penalty was stopped by Marcus Brennnan in the ninth minute with scores still tied at 0-1 each. O'Mahonys went on to lead by 0-5 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter before Dunboyne, with Crawford prominent, took a grip on proceedings to level matters with a string of frees from Robinson (three) and David Gallagher. Dermot Morris' men regained the lead on the stroke of half time when team captain David Gallagher pointed to leave it 0-6 to 0-5 at the break. Despite playing with the wind, which at times blew diagonally, Dunboyne didn't hit the front again until Robinson's late goal. The sides were level twice in the third quarter before Regan pointed and Kevin Reilly goaled midway through the half to leave O'Mahonys 1-8 to 0-7 clear. That advantage increased in the 22nd minute when Stephen Bray sent over his fourth point in the 52nd minute. A late Dunboyne surge yielded more pointed frees from David Gallagher and Robinson (two), but the latter player atoned for missing a close range free earlier in the half with that late goal. O'Mahonys - M. Brennan; C. Reilly, N. Dunne, D. Moran; C. McGuinness, N. McKeigue (0-1), L. Russell; K. Reilly (1-1), M. Ward; D. Bray (0-1, free), B. Regan (0-3), H. Finnegan; P. Smyth (0-1, free), S. McKeigue, S. Bray (0-5). Subs - T. Loughran (0-1) for S. McKeigue, A. Reilly for D. Bray, D. Murtagh (0-1) for Finnegan, S. Crosby for Moran, F. Harrington for Dunne, D. Bray for S. Bray. Dunboyne - J. O'Connor; B. Watters, D. Sweeney, C. Clarke; C. Brennan, D. Gallagher (0-3, 0-2 frees), T. O'Connor; N. Crawford (0-1), S. McGarrell; Denis Gallagher (0-1), C. O'Donoghue, A. O'Connor; G. Robinson (1-6, 0-5 frees), R. Brennan, S. Moran. Subs - D. Clarke for Moran, G. Watters for D. Clarke, A. McEntee for O'Donoghue, O'Donoghue for D. Clarke, A. Dowdall (0-1) for McGarrell, A. O'Connor for O'Donoghue. Referee - C. Reilly (St Mary's). Tweet

Most Read Stories