Navan O’Mahony’s 1-17
Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-16

Navan O’Mahony’s bounced back to Div 2 at the first time of asking with a win over Donaghmore Ashbourne in the Div 3 HL Final on Saturday evening, in spite of a very slow start.

Ashbourne hit the opening two scores before Killian Murphy put O’Mahony’s on the board in the third minute. Ashbourne extended their lead to four points, with Jack Walsh clawing a couple back for O’Mahony’s from a free and from play. 

With five minutes remaining in the first half, Ashbourne had gone six points clear and could have been further ahead only for a John Foley save and a shot that hit the crossbar. In the twenty-sixth minute, a Tom Condon effort ended in the net to reduce the gap to three. Ashbourne managed one more point while points from Condon, Murphy and Dermot McKenna left the bare minimum between the sides in the break. A textbook block from Ben McEntagart on the cusp of half time was also key. Mark Usher and Eoghan Nugent also made important contributions for O’Mahony’s.

Navan O’Mahony’s 1-07
Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-11

Ashbourne stretched their narrow lead slightly almost immediately before Condon reduced the gap again. When Walsh split the posts from a free five minutes into the second half, the sides were level and O’Mahony’s took the lead when he repeated the feat two minutes later.

Lorcan McDermott won possession from a Darragh Connell free to extend the lead but midway through the half, Ashbourne had drawn level again and it was anyone’s game.  The lead swapped hands again with the sides exchanging points and O’Mahony’s regained it when Murphy scored following a good clearance from McEntagart.

Two Walsh frees left three in it, the biggest lead O’Mahony’s held since the beginning of the match, with Seb Snow winning a crucial free determinedly holding onto possession. A Max Condon block, at the expense of his hurley, closed down an Ashbourne attack and with a goal needed, Evan Brady stepped up to kick the ball over the end line and out of danger. 

With three points in it in injury time, Finn Malone made a gut-bursting run from the forward line to follow a player and the dispossession was key in preventing an Ashbourne opportunity. Shane McCarthy hit the last score of the game to give O’Mahony’s the breathing space they needed, with audible relief from the O’Mahony’s support at the whistle.

Captain Jack Flynn accepted the cup from County Chairman Jason Plunkett.

Navan O’Mahony’s: John Foley, Max Condon, Ben McEntagart, Mark Usher, Evan Brady, Eoghan Nugent, Darragh Connell, Dermot McKenna (0-01), Paddy Dillon, Jack Walsh (0-09, 0-08F), Killian Murphy (0-03), Jack Flynn, Lorcan McDermott (0-01), Tom Condon (1-02), Finn Malone

Seb Snow for Usher, Shane McCarthy (0-01) for Dillon

Tweet

Most Read Stories