Unfancied Donaghmore-Ashbourne earned an SFC last eight place with an emphatic win over Dunshaughlin in good conditions at Skryne on Friday night 

Don-Ashbourne ....... 2-16
Dunshaughlin .......   1-8

Mick Deegan's men came into this fixture on the back of two defeats. Here they took the game to Dunshaughlin from the off and didn't relent.

Having entered the fray at the foot of the table Donaghmore-Ashbourne scooped second spot on score difference. Dunshauglin opened in second place but finished in third with Navan O'Mahonys bottom of the group (after an eight-point loss to champions Ratoath).

They might have won by a wider margin but for the exploits of Dunshaughlin 'keeper David Jennings who denied Donaghmore-Ashbourne a number of goals during the course of the game.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne didn't allow Dunshaughlin set the pace. Shane Melia and Bryan Menton set the tone from midfield not allowing Mathew Costello influence matters as he did against Navan O'Mahonys.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne posted half of their total in the opening 20 minutes without leaking a score. Shane Melia and Bryan Menton combined to put Michael Deegan through for the opening goal within 20 seconds of the off.

Two Dylan Brady points maintained the eventual winners momentum. By the seventh minute six points separated the sides after Donaghmore-Ashbourne 'keeper Andy Colgan landed a 45.

The award resulted from a fine Jennings save from Evan Quinn. Michael Deegan was the game's top scorer with 1-4, all bar one point coming in the first-half.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne started the game at the foot of the table but didn't play like a struggling outfit here.

Dunshaughlin didn't get on the board until the 23rd minute when centre-half-back Niall Murphy pointed. His score was quickly followed by one each from Luke Mitchell (free) and John McDonagh.

A brilliant Deegan effort and a second McDonagh score closed the first-half scoring and left Donaghmore-Ashbourne 10 ahead at the break, 1-10 to 0-3..

Dunshaughlin made no inroads into the double-digit deficit in the third quarter. Hopes that Ruairi Kinsella's 40th minute goal might boost them were quashed seconds later when Jamie Browne netted with help from team captain Sean Curran.

It was 2-13 to 1-6 at the second water break. When Luke Mitchell tried for a goal from a close range free it was turned over the bar by the Donaghmore-Ashbourne defence.

Near the end Jennings intervened again to deny Shane Melia a goal before Colgan closed the scoring from the resultant 45.

Scorers:  Donaghmore-Ashbourne - Michael Deegan 1-4 (1f); Jamie Browne (1-1), Dylan Brady 0-3; Andy Colgan (2 45s), Bryan Menton, Shaun Byrne 0-2 each; Darragh McGovern, and Andrew Tormey  0-1 each.

Dunshaughlin - Luke Mitchell 1-2 (0-2fs); Niall Murphy 0-2; Mathew Costello (f), Tadhg O Dushlaine, John McDonagh, Ronan Geraghty 0-1 each. 

Donaghmore-Ashbourne - Andy Colgan; Jason Boland, Iarlaith O'Donnell, Conor Carton; Evan Quinn, James Redmond, Sean Curran (C); Shane Melia, Bryan Menton; Darragh McGovern, Dylan Brady, Jamie Browne; Shaun Byrne, Andrew Tormey, Michael Deegan. Subs -  Leo Reilly for Quinn (46), David Carr for Boland (57), Stephen Carton for Browne (58), James Crumlish for Brady (60), Kevin Fenton for Deegan (60).

Dunshaughlin - David Jennings; Oisin Foley, Alastar Doyle, David Dunne; Fursey Blake, Niall Murphy, David Fildes; Mathew Costello, Adam Kealy; Tadhg O Duslaine, Matthew Moyles, Ben Duggan (C); John McDonagh, Luke Mitchell, Ruairi Kinsella. Sub - Ronan Geraghty for McDonagh (38).

Referee - Barry Tiernan (O'Dwyers, Balbriggan)

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