Stephen Bray was the main man as Navan O'Mahonys opened their SFC campaign with a minimum margin win over 14-man Donaghmore-Ashbourne on Sunday evening.

Navan O'Mahonys .............. 1-11
Donaghmore-Ashbourne ..... 0-13

Now in his 40th year, Bray posted 1-2 from play with two crucial scores coming towards the end of the third quarter. A fine catch led to his 42nd mnute goal and he soon followed this with a point with sub Evan Coffey assisting.

Davy Nelson's men were niow six points clear, 1-11 to 0-8. Brian O'Hanlon had a goal attempt blocked by Andy Colgan. Then, Donaghmore-Ashbourne lost Conor Carton to a red card in the 48th minute.

Just before the defender's dismissal the team in green and white saw a srambled goal attempt, with sub when sub Andrew Tormey's attempt was stopped on the line by Alan Forde who picked up a knock for his diligence. .

While Mick Deegan's charges were whittling down the deficit, O'Mahonys clocked up four wides leaving the door ajar tor the team from Meath's second largest town.

Goalkeeper Andy Colgan got on the scoresheet with a 57th minute free from about 30 metres. Shortly after James Redmond's effort trimmed the deficit to the minimum, but Donaghmore-Ashbourne couldn't add to their tally.

The diagonal breeze made matters difficult for both sides. What was lacking in quality was more than made up for with effort and spirit. Donaghmore-Ashbourne displayed plenty of the latter with their strong finish.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne won last year's corresponding fixture at the same stage of the SFC. This time O'Mahonys started on the front foot with points from Eoin Joyce and Bray,

The Moors soon levelled through . The scoring ping-pong continued for the rest of the half. A Joyce free for a foul on Duggie Dillon restored O'Mahonys' lead. In stoppage time a left it 0-6-each at the break after the scores were tied five times in the opening 30 mniutes.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne raised the first flag of the second-half through Michael Deegan (free). The Navan-men responded with four points on the bounce (including three from Duggie Dillon) to move 0-10 to 0-7 clear by the 38th minute.

Michael Deegan (free) pulled one back for Donaghmore-Ashbourne before Bray completed his tally to seemingly move his side out of sight.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne closed out with five scores on the spin but couldn't regain parity.

Scorers: O'Mahonys - Stephen Bray 1-2; Duggie Dillon 0-3; Eoin Joyce (1f); Darragh Maguire 0-2 each; Jake Regan, Aodhan Mallon 0-1 each. 

Don-Ashbourne - Michael Deegan 0-4 (3fs); Sean Curran,  Leo Reilly 0-2 each; Dylan Brady, Kevin Fenton, Evan Quinn, James Redmond, Andy Colgan (f) 0-1 each. 
Don-Ashbourne - Andy Colgan; Jason Boland, Iarlaith O'Donnell, Conor Carton; Evan Quinn, Tomas McGovern, James Redmond; Sean Curran, Bryan Menton; Shaun Byrne, Michael Deegan, Leo Reilly; Kevin Fenton, Dylan Brady, Stephen Carton. Subs - Andy Tormey for T McGovern (25), James Crumlish for Fenton (31), Darragh O'Sullivan for S Carton (49).

O'Mahonys - Colm Honan;Mikey O'Reilly, Conor Brady, Paddy Dillon; James O'Reilly, Alan Forde, Aodhan Mallon; Conor Finnegan, Duggie Dillon; Darragh Maguire, Stephen Bray, Brian Dillon; Jake Regan, Eoin Joyce, Brian O'Hanlon.  Subs - Evan Coffey for Finnegan (20), Shane McCarthy for B Dillon (43), Niall McKeigue for Regan (57), Shane Gillespie for Maguire (60), Paddy Leahy for Forde (bs 49-54),

Referee - Padraic Coyle (Seneschalstown)

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