FL Div 1: O'Mahonys' rally maintains title bid
July 16, 2017
Navan O'Mahony's Ruairi O Coileain
An 11-point second-half turnaround saw O'Mahonys overhaul Dunboyne in a dramatic FL Division 1 clash at Paddy O'Brien Park on Sunday.
O'Mahonys ...... 2-15
Dunboyne ....... 2-12
The outcome maintains Navan O'Mahonys' bid to reach the business of the league. A local derby fixture at Simonstown in the final round of regular league games will have a big bearing on which side advances.
A recent poor run had scuppered Dunboyne chances claiming league honours.
O'Mahonys' league bid looked a beaten docket when the trailed by 0-6 to 2-8 with 34 minutes gone. On a fine morning for football, the home side gradually erased the deficit.
The Hoops regained the lead in the 51st minute with a peach of goal. Dylan Regan threaded a ball for Paul Whelehan who fired to the net. That left it 2-13 to 2-12 to the home side.
Defending the Brews Hill end of the ground, O'Mahonys kept Dunboyne scoreless in the time remaining. Points from Jake Regan (45) and Ruairi O Coileain copperfastened a memorable win for the home side.
The scores were tied five times in the opening half. A good Ian Matthews block prevented Rob McCarthy from goaling in the 12th minute. However, Donal Lenihan landed the subsequent 45 to leave it 0-4 to 0-2 to the visitors.
Lenihan went close to goaling in the 20th minute, his effort skimming right and wide. At the other end a run by O Coileain ended in a comfortable save by Padraig Curran. When the ball was recycled Whelehan made it 0-6 to 0-5 to O'Mahonys with 24 minutes gone.
Dunboyne captain Cathal Finn pointed in the 28th minute to leave it 0-6-all at the break.
Dunboyne resumed on the front foot with a point each from McCarthy and Lenihan within 75 seconds of resumption. They pushed on with goals from Lenihan and Shane McEntee, seemingly flatlinining the contest. Stuart Lowndes and Niall Jones played supporting roles for the latter score.
An O Coileain point didn't seem significant when it arrived but his 39th minute goal - with support from Jake Regan - left just five points in it. Points from Lenihan and McCarthy kept Dunboyne motoring.
Points in quick succession around the midpoint of the second-half from Gillespie and Shane Crosby cut the gap to four points, 1-9 to 2-11, heading into the final quarter.
O'Mahonys maintained momentum with five points on the bounce in a six-minute spell. McCarthy's final point temporarily stemmed the flow of scores for the home side but couldn't alter the outcome.
Scorers: O'Mahonys - Ruairi O Coileain 1-5 (0-3 fs); Paul Whelehan 1-2; Jake Regan 0-4 (3fs, 1 45); Shane Gillespie 0-2; Shane Crosby, James Reilly 0-1 each.
Dunboyne - Donal Lenihan 1-6 (0-1 45, 0-1f); Rob McCarthy (0-4, 3fs); Shane McEntee 1-0; Niall Jones, Cathal Finn 0-1.
O'Mahonys - Marcas Brennan; James O'Malley, Niall McKeigue, Ian Matthews; James Reilly, Gary O'Brien, Shane Crosby; Dylan Regan, Conor Finnegan; Ruairi O Coileain, Brian Dillon, Daragh Maguire; Shane Gillespie, Paul Whelehan, Jake Regan.
Dunboyne - Padraig Curran; Jack Scannell, Shane Weston, Gary Timoney; Johnny Meehan, Cathal Finn, Colin Clarke; Stuart Lowndes, Shane McEntee; Jason Daly, David McEntee, Cathal Lacy; Rob McCarthy, Niall Jones, Donal Lenihan. Subs - Sean McGarrell for Daly (ht), Daly for Lacy (45), Darragh Nolan for Meehan (54)
Referee - Colm McManus (Gaeil Colmcille)
