ACFL "A" League Div 1 - Dunshaughlin 0-7 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-12

Dunshaughlin lost out to Donaghmore/Ashbourne in a keenly contested opening A League Division 1 encounter played in Dunshaughlin. It was the black and ambers who were quickest out of the blocks with Trevor Dowd pointing first after 5 minutes. The rest of the first half although high in intensity from both sides was a scrappy affair with pointed frees being the order of the day. Conor Devereux scored Dunshaughlin’s only other score from play just before half time to leave the scores 0-5 to 0-3 in favour of the Donaghmore/Ashbourne outfit at the break. It could have been more but for a smart save from Ronan Gogan in the Dunshaughlin goal. Dunshaughlin started much more promisingly in the second half. There was an element of controversy when the referee Pat Clarke overruled the umpire’s decision and decided that the Donaghmore/Ashbourne goalkeeper had tipped a Ray Maloney effort behind for a 45 rather than over the bar. From the resultant 45 Paddy McHale, who gave the Donaghmore/Ashbourne full back a torrid time throughout, was fouled and Martin Reilly pointed the free. It was all Dunshaughlin at this stage and they equalized with a fisted effort from Dowd following a good move involving McHale and Niall Kelly. Donaghmore/Ashbourne took over at this stage with five points interrupted by a sole Cathal O’Dwyer free to leave the score 0-10 to 0-6 with 5 minutes to go. A Maloney point left just a goal separating the teams, and following a great move that goal could have come when a rasper of a shot from Dowd was cleared off the line by a Donaghmore/Ashbourne defender. Two late Donaghmore/Ashbourne points left a flattering five points between the teams at the final whistle.

Best for Dunshaughlin were Anthony Johnson, Conor Devereux, Trevor Dowd, Paddy McHale and Eamonn Bowe. Dunshaughlin – Ronan Gogan, Fearghal Gogan, Anthony Johnson, Ken McTigue, Conor Devereux(0-1), Niall Kelly, Duncan Geraghty, Ray Maloney(0-1), John Crimmins, Martin Reilly(0-2 frees), Trevor Dowd(0-2), Michael Johnson, Conor Staunton, Paddy McHale, Cathal O’Dwyer(0-1

free) Substitutes – Eamonn Bowe for Geraghty, David Crimmins for Reilly, Niall Murphy for O’Dwyer, Cillian Finn for J. Crimmins