St Marys finished the round robin stage of the league with their 100% record intact after a victory against hosts Donaghmore/Ashbourne on Thursday night.

It was a much changed Marys outfit which took the field from last week’s win away to St Pats, a variety of holidays and work commitments leading to 7 changes to the previous week’s starting 15. 

The home side opened scoring with a well taken point within the opening 10 seconds, but the away sides response was swift. Tadhg Dixon won the break from the resulting kickout, and after good work from Ben Loughran and William McSweeney, Dixon continued his run and found himself through on goal and finished well to send Marys into the early lead which they never relinquished. Inside the first 5 mins on the clock, Marys had their second goal. A long ball from Cathal Sheridan found James Lynch, who in turn slipped Cormac Victory through with a clever pass to finish from close range. Victory followed this up with a well taken point before Don/Ash scored their second point from a free. J Lynch struck next for a point after linking up well with Sean Nulty before Loughran scored the visitors 3rd goal of the evening, palming in to an empty net after playing a one-two with Victory. The lead was further extended through points from scores from Victory (free), Sheridan and 3 from the Captain Lynch, the second of which was an excellent two pointer. After 15 minutes the Donore/Rosnaree men found themselves 3-7 to 0-2 to the good, but the intervening 2nd quarter was not quite as impressive. Some sloppy play led to Don/Ash getting opportunities and they took advantage of this, reeling off 1-3 to the visitors 3 points. The goal came courtesy of a penalty after a foul on their corner forward after a good run into the danger area. Victory (2) and Loughran in the final moments of the first half responding for the Marys. 

It was Marys who were first to raise the white flag in the second half through Eoin Jackson, with Dixon adding another a couple of minutes later. The home side replied with a well taken point before Sheridan reacted quickest to a blocked Nulty shot to bundle home the Marys 4th goal of the evening. Don/Ash followed this up with a 2 pointer from a free and a well taken goal from their full forward, with two Victory frees sandwiched in between. Another 2 pointer from a free for the home side was followed by back to back scores from substitute Kyle McKeown, marking an impressive cameo from the bench. Don/Ash were to finish with 2 of the last 3 scores, 1 free and 1 from play with the last action of the game, but not before Dixon got his second goal of the night, playing a smart one two with Eoin Kelleher before finishing low to the net. 

A good nights work for St Marys, who look forward to the league final against an in from Drumconrath side that will be hungry to overturn their reversal in Donore earlier on in the league campaign. 

St Marys: Adam Byrne; Ruairi Condra, Neil Floyd, Tadhg Lynch; Maithiu Brien, Liam Lynch, Conor O’Brien; Eoin Jackson, Tadhg Dixon; Ben Loughran, Cathal Sheridan, Sean Nulty; William McSweeney, James Lynch, Cormac Victory. 

Subs: Eoin Kelleher for Jackson, Kyle McKeown for J Lynch, Robbie Gallagher for McSweeney. Dylan Bagnall, Andy Everard, Darragh Maher, Sam Victory, Cian O’Brien. 

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