Meath SFC Final: Wolfe Tones triumph

Meath SFC Final

Wolfe Tones 1-19 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-12

By Fergal Lynch at Donaghmore/Ashbourne GAA Grounds

Wolfe Tones planted a flag on Donaghmore/Ashbourne's home turf by romping to the Meath SFC title for the third time with a resounding victory.

The outcome was only in doubt for a brief period before half-time as Donaghmore/Ashbourne hit five points in succession to drag themselves back into contention, but the reality of it was that Wolfe Tones were runaway winners.

The hosts managed just four points in the second period as the half-time break halted their momentum. Wolfe Tones returned for the second period rejuvenated, adding 1-11 to their tally.

Thomas O'Reilly and Saran O Fionnagain ran the show for the winners with a spellbinding display that yielded seven points, but it was a complete performance from the Kilberry/Oristown as they limited Donaghmore/Ashbourne to just five points from play and scored 1-19 against a defence that had conceded an average of just 12 points in the championship.

A burst of pace from Oisin Martin opened the scoring for Wolfe Tones in the fifth minute and a minute later Kevin Fenton replied for Donaghmore/Ashbourne, but that was as good as it got for Timmy O'Regan's side as O'Reilly, O Fionnagain, Martin and Caolan Ward stretched Wolfe Tones lead to 0-5 to 0-1.

An Andrew Tormey free and a point from Stephen Carton offered brief respite for Donaghmore/Ashbourne, but another scoring burst from the Tones yielded a point from Kyle Moran, a two-point free from Ward and superbly worked goal that was finished by Tom Gavigan to make it 1-8 to 0-3.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne did give their supporters something to cheer about in the closing four minutes of the half as Zach Thornton (free), Bryan Menton, Darragh McGovern and a a two-pointer free from Colgan closed the gap to 0-8 to 1-8 at the break.

They did threaten to maintain that momentum after the resumption as a McGovern point was the meat in a sandwich of scores from Sean Penny and O Fionnagain.

Points from O'Reilly and O Fionnagain stretched that lead to 1-12 to 0-9 by the 39th minute before frees from Thornton and O'Reilly, either side of a response from Ward (free), closed the gap to five points.

However, Donaghmore/Ashbourne managed just one point in the final quarter, a '45' from Colgan, as Wolfe Tones ran riot with O Fionnagain, Moran, O'Reilly, Ward (one '45 and one free) and Penny all on target to complete a memorable day for Wolfe Tones as they raised the Keegan Cup for the third time in their history and for the second time in five years.

Scorers for Wolfe Tones: Caolan Ward 0-6 (1tpf, 2f, 1'45), Saran O Fionnagain 0-4, Tom Gavigan 1-0, Oisin Martin 0-3, Thomas O'Reilly 0-3, Kyle Moran 0-2, Sean Penny 0-1.

Scorers for Donaghmore/Ashbourne: Andrew Colgan 0-3 (1tpf, 1 '45), Andrew Tormey 0-2 (2f), Darragh McGovern 0-2, Zach Thornton 0-2 (2f), Bryan Menton 0-1, Kevin Fenton 0-1, Stephen Carton 0-1.

Wolfe Tones: Ciarain O Gallachoir; Conor Sheppard, Shane Glynn, Andrew Crawford; Oisin Martin, Ross Gallagher, Sean Penny; Adam O'Neill, Eoin Donegan; Caolan Ward, Thomas O'Reilly, Saran O Fionnagain; Tom Gavigan, Fiachra Ward, Kyle Moran.

Subs: Cian O'Neill for F Ward (14), Adrian Crawford for Penny (51), Padraic Diamond for Andrew Crawford (59), Stephen Sheppard for Moran (60).

Donaghmore/Ashbourne: Andrew Colgan; Sean Curran, Shane Melia, Evan Quinn; Sean Tyrell, Conor Carton, Kevin Cully; Bryan Menton, Jamie Browne; Thomas McGovern, Andrew Tormey, Kevin Fenton; Darragh McGovern, Stephen Carton, Zach Thornton.

Subs: Cillian Hegarty for Cully (41), Evan Kelly for Thornton (41), Michael Deegan for Fenton (45), Michael O'Sullivan for S Carton (49).

Referee: David Coldrick (Blackhall Gaels).