Walterstown 1-15  Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-12

Walterstown travelled to Dunshaughlin for this match with one win from their previous 2 outings in the IFC.

On a perfect evening for football they started brightly and after 10 minutes were 0-6 to 0-0 ahead thanks to 4 points from an inform Brian O'Connell and one each from John Geoghegan and midfielder Conor O'Sullivan. Walterstown continued to dominate the first half and at the interval were 1-11 to 0-3 ahead the goal and 2 further points coming from the boot of Brian O'Connell. 

In the second half Walterstown were now playing into the breeze but unaccountably seemed to drop their tempo from the first half. Corner back Colm Reilly was black carded at the end of the first half for what looked like an accidental clash and then Brian O'Connell was carried off injured soon after. Don/Ash slowly began chipping away at the deficit helped by some good free taking. Walterstown’s Mark McCormack added 2 points early in the half but for the next 25 minutes all the scoring came from the team in green and white.

As the game entered injury time the 'Blacks' 1-13 to 0 -12 but then in a frantic 5 minutes mid-fielder Conor O'Sullivan coolly slotted over the last 2 points to leave a relieved Walterstown 3 points ahead at the final whistle.

Walterstown: J Davis, E O Mahony, C Hennelly, C Reilly, A McLoughlin (0-2), D Reynolds, C McGrane, Alban Crosbie, C O Sullivan (0-3), Adam Treanor, J Geoghegan (0-1), Mark McCormack (0-2), C Farrelly, Brian O Connell (1-6, 2F), Barry O'Connell (0-1). Subs P Reynolds for C Reilly, S McCabe for Brian O Connell, P Donnellan for Barry O Connell

Donaghmore Ashbourne Report

Donaghmore/Ashbourne lost out to Walterstown in the IFC 3rd round game going 11 points behind in the first half but battling back in the 2nd half to get within a point.

Walterstown took their scores well in the first half, leading by 8 points, all but one from play. Then they got a goal which seemed to put the game beyond the Moores. Donaghmore Ashbourne didn’t get a score till the 17th minute, a pointed free from Kevin Fenton. This was followed by a score for Walterstown, another point from play. Walterstown had a man black carded on 24mins and Donaghmore Ashbourne began their fight back. A pointed free form Faolan Smith and a point from play by Darragh O’Sullivan. Walterstown added two more points before Cormac McGill was black carded at the end of the half.

Halftime score: Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-03 Walterstown 1-11

Donaghmore/Ashbourne came out as a different team in the second half, with Vinnie Carton’s words still ringing in their ears. A pointed ‘45’ from the boot of Kevin Lanigan on 32 minutes was replied to with a point from the men in black. Faolan Smith added another point from play on 36 minutes and Walterstown again responded in kind. Killian Hogan pointed on 45 and then Kevin Lanigan struck a goal a minute later. Then Donaghmore/Ashbourne pressed and began chipping away at the lead, 3 frees in a row from Kevin Lanigan sweetly struck from the ground and then a point from play. An injury to a Walterstown player delayed the game and increased the tension. Walterstown couldn’t get near the clubhouse goal without a hitting a wide or being turned over. Cian Field added a neat point from play in injury time and then Darragh O’Sullivan hit his second point. Donaghmore/Ashbourne were now a point behind into lengthy injury time and had chances to equalise but Walterstown broke out and added a fisted point to relieve the pressure. They then added a second, from an innocuous effort which somehow ended up scraping over the bar. Donaghmore/Ashbourne went in search of the goal but the 9 minutes of added time had expired and the chance was gone.

A valiant effort from the men in green in the second half but paid the price for allowing a strong Walterstown team take control in the first half.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne: Sean Hogan, Gareth Deery, Jack McCarney, Chris Twomey, David Carr, Cormac McGill, Ryan Bannon, Kevin Lanigan (1-5, 3f, 1 ‘45’), Killian Hogan (0-1), Cathal Field, Kevin Fenton (0-1f), Matthew Crumlish, Darragh O’Sullivan (0-2), Faolan Smith (0-2, 1f), Donagh O’Donnell.

Subs; David Carey for McGill (BC), Cian Field (0-1) for McCarney, James Brady for Crumlish

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