Junior B HC: Bagnall stars as Kilmessan advance to the semi final
August 21, 2025
Kilmessan's Scott Bagnall
Kilmessan 3-09
Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-13
Kilmessan booked their place in the semi-finals of the K. Window’s n Doors Junior Hurling Championship B with a hard-fought win over Donaghmore Ashbourne in Ashbourne on Wednesday evening. A superb hat-trick from sharp-shooter Scott Bagnall proved the difference in a tense Round 3 encounter.
Kilmessan, playing with the aid of the breeze in the first half, started brightly with Bagnall opening the scoring from a free before adding further points to establish an early 0-3 to 0-0 advantage. Donaghmore Ashbourne hit back strongly, finding scores from both frees and play, before Jason Gorman’s point restored Kilmessan’s lead.
The game turned on its head when Ashbourne struck for a well-taken goal to edge in front, but their celebrations were short-lived. Straight from the restart, Bagnall powered through the defence and buried the sliotar to the net to level matters once more. Both sides continued to trade scores and at the interval Ashbourne held a narrow two-point lead, 1-08 to 1-06.
The second half began with an inspirational long-range point from Kevin O’Reilly, before Bagnall showed his class again. Collecting a high ball, he displayed brilliant stick work to rifle home his second goal and put Kilmessan back in control. Donaghmore Ashbourne responded with frees to stay in touch, but Bagnall kept the scoreboard ticking with placed balls of his own.
With the game finely poised entering the closing stages, Bagnall produced the killer blow — completing his hat-trick with a composed finish to give Kilmessan breathing space. Despite a late rally from Ashbourne, Kilmessan’s defence stood firm to secure a 3-09 to 1-13 victory and a place in the last four.
Kilmessan: Cian O’Neill, Richie Donnelly, Gary Leddy, Mark Munnelly, Donie Kelliher, Martin Horan, Paddy Wright, Ger O’Neill 0-01, Peter Reynolds, Ciaran Flynn, Kevin O’Reilly 0-01, Paul Grimes, Dean Smith, Scott Bagnall 3-06 (2f), Jason Gorman 0-01. Subs: Kyle McCabe for G. Leddy, Jack Clynch for D. Smith, Killian Keating for P. Wright.
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