Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-12  Curraha 4-4

The players all lined up before the start of this match for a minutes silence for the late Seán Redmond father of James Redmond who lined out at No 17 this evening.  We would like to offer our sincere sympathies to the Redmond Family at this very difficult time.  May Seán rest in peace.  

They say goals win games and on this occasion it proved to be correct.It was the local derby which everyone was looking forward to and one side had to go home disappointed and unfortunately tonight it was Donaghmore/Ashbourne but the concession of 4 goals, one of which was a penalty was the nail in the cross. Donaghmore/Ashbourne started the brightest with the opening score coming just after 1 minute from Darragh McGovern. They had a couple more chances one of which was kicked wide and 2 into the goalkeepers hands.  Curraha No 18 Ruairi O’Sullivan was causing problems for Don/Ash with his running up the line and sending a ball into Conor Moriarty who finished to the net after 8 minutes of play.  Don/Ash replied after good play with a point from Dylan Brady.  Curraha playing direct football broke and were heading for goal when Diarmuid Moriarty was taken down and resulted in a penalty been awarded which was converted by the same player.  Don/Ash had it all to do with the score 2-0 to 2 pts down.  Andy Colgan put over a long range free to bring it back to 3pts.  Evan Quinn who was playing very well in the Don/Ash defence broke out on several occasions to save Don/Ash going further behind.  Don/Ash seemed to settle and were pressing forward when Kevin Cully was taken down resulting in Andy Colgan being called forward to take and score the free kick.  It was back to 2pts and when Darragh O’Sullivan put over his first of 4 points on the night it was a 1 point game with 23 minutes gone in the first half.  James McEntee put over a point from a free 2 minutes later to leave Curraha 2 points up.  Conor Carton sent in a high ball to the edge of the square which Andrew Tormey caught and put in the back of the net to go 1-5 to 2-1 up. Diarmuid Moriarty received a black card just before half for taking down Sean Curran.  James McEntee levelled the match just before the whistle went for half time.  

James Redmond was introduced for the second half for Aaron McLoughlin who was kept busy at corner back. Donaghmore/Ashbourne opened the scoring with good build up play resulting in Darragh McGovern scoring a point from play 2 minutes in.  Don/Ash were guilty of a few wayward shots.  A great opportunity when Tormey won a ball out to the right hand corner and sent it high to Bryan Menton who caught superbly but was surrounded by Curraha players and just couldn’t get his shot away cleanly and resulted in a wide.  Darragh O’Sullivan did convert a free off his left foot a couple of minutes later to put Don/Ash 2 points up.  Diarmuid Moriarty reduced it to 1 point after a free kick 38 minutes gone.  Donaghmore/Ashbourne were winning plenty of ball but didn’t always use it to their best advantage and while trying to build up patiently were overturned several times one of which resulted in Niall Murphy winning on his own 40 mtr line and travelling the length of the pitch to score Curraha’s 3rd goal after 42 minutes.  Bryan Menton meantime did put over a point for Don/Ash leaving the score Curraha 3-3 to Don/Ash 1-8.  Jamie Browne was on for Dylan Brady 42 minutes. Darragh O’Sullivan is showing he is not just a prolific scorer at hurling but is also well able to score with the big ball when he added another point to level the game again.  Michael Deegan was introduced for hardworking Leo Reilly on 43 minutes.  Both sides were guilty of wides over the next few minutes before substitute Michael Deegan put over a fine point after winning the ball out on the line and moved the ball across the field and regained possession to finish over the bar.  But every time Don/Ash got their heads in front, Curraha came back with the killer blow of another goal this time from county man Jack O’Connor who made no mistake.  Darragh O’Sullivan reduced the deficit once more to 1 point with 6 minutes left.  Michael O’Sullivan was brought on for Tormey.  James McEntee another county man put over a point on 55 minutes.  Donaghmore/Ashbourne were still working hard and reduced the difference to 1 point with a point from Bryan Menton but this was to be the last score of the game.  Kevin Fenton was on for Conor Carton for the last few minutes of the game.  It ended in another 1 point defeat for Donaghmore/Ashbourne and makes it all the more difficult going into the last round of games in Group A.  

Don/Ash:- Andy Colgan (0-2 2f), Aaron McLoughin, Shane Melia, Evan Quinn, Thomas McGovern, Sean Curran, Conor Carton, Kevin Cully, Bryan Menton (0-2), Leo Reilly, Darragh McGovern (0-2), James Crumlish, Darragh O’Sullivan (0-4 1f), Andrew Tormey (1-0), Dylan Brady (0-1). 

Subs:- James Redmond for McLoughlin (H/T), Jamie Browne for Brady (42), Michael Deegan for Reilly (43), Michael O’Sullivan for Tormey (53), Kevin Fenton for Carton (57).  

Referee David Coldrick.

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