Tones Hit The Right Notes to Land Their Third Keegan Cup in Twenty Years

There was great expectations that Donaghmore-Ashbourne would have home advantage on their own soil to land the coveted Keegan Cup. However, the determined direct play of Wolfe Tones proved too strong on a fantastic sundrenched October Sunday. The weather played its part to set the scene for the much anticipated county final in Ashbourne.

From the outset though the boys in purple and yellow opened strongly to control the game leading from start, at half time 1-08 to 0-8 and finished dominantly to win 1-19 (21) to 0-12. In fairness no one will challenge the success of the north Navan based team. As the south of the county has held a stronghold in recent years of Keegan Cup successes there will be plenty of contentment that the Wolf Tones direct style, strong tackling worth a well organised defence got to hold the fast paced Ashbourne attack.

Indeed at 0-6 to 0-3 to the winners, Ashbourne were shipping too many wides when scores were needed. Then a scoring spree, a Tom Gavigan goal left it 1-8 to 0-3. It looked as though the die was cast. Ashbourne then got quick fire points and drove strongly at the Tones defence as the half time whistle beckoned. Ashbourne/Don were now in control and hitting their purple patch that put them in striking distance to set up what the 3,500 capacity crowd wanted, a great second half.

It was a great second half but it was the surge of the Wolf Tones that commanded the game. Thomas O’Reilly was catching balls for fun and the team and himself made good use of the possession accumulating scores against a struggling opposition that could not stem the tide. They were controlling the game and at 20 mins at 1-14 to 0-12 Ashbourne brought on the subs but could not stem the advantage with the north Navan team, now in cruise control.

They ran out the new kingpins of Meath Gaelic football  1- 19 (22) to Ash/Don’s 0-12. The whistle blew at about 3.22 pm., As the Wolfe Tones lifted their third Keegan Cup and 22 points on the scoreboard.

Wolfe Tones: Ciarán Ó Gallachóir; Conor Sheppard, Shane Glynn, Andrew Crawford; Oisin Martin (0-03), Ross Gallagher, Seán Penny (0-01); Adam O’Neill, Eoin Donegan; Caolan Ward (0-06, 1tpf, 0-02f, 0-01’45), Thomas O’Reilly (0-03), Sarán Ó Fionnagáin (0-04); Tom Gavigan (1-00), Fiachra Ward, Kyle Moran (0-02).

Subs: Cian O’Neill for Fiachra Ward (14), Adrian Crawford for Seán Penny (52), Padraic Diamond for Andrew Crawford (59), Stephen Sheppard for Kyle  Moran (61).

Donaghmore/Ashbourne: Andrew Colgan (0-3, 1tpf, 0-01’45); Evan Quinn, Shane Melia, Sean Curran; Thomas  McGovern, Conor Carton, Seán Tyrrell; Kevin Cully, Jamie Browne; Bryan Menton (0-01), Andrew Tormey (0-2,0-02f), Kevin Fenton (0-01); Darragh McGovern (0-02), Stephen Carton (0-01), Zach Thornton (0-02, 0-02f).

Subs: Cillian Hegarty for Cully, Evan Kelly for Thornton (both 42), Michael Deegan for Fenton (45), Michael O’Sullivan for S Carton (49).

Referee: David Coldrick