Donaghmore Ashbourne revived their hoganstand.com SFC campaign with an emphatic win over struggling Oldcastle at Simonstown on Friday evening.

Donaghmore Ashbourne 2-17
Oldcastle 0-6

Donaghmore-Ashbourne posted their second win from four outings in Group B thanks to the midfield dominance of Bryan Menton and in particular Andrew Tormey whose mobility proved eluded Oldcastle.

The pair posted four points between them with Menton scoring three times. Full-forward David Morgan's also registered three times from play while his aerial ability enhanced Donaghmore-Ashbourne's arsenal.

By the end 11 different players were on the scoresheet for Donaghmore-Ashbourne with SFC debutant Michael Deegan - son of the former Dublin defender of the same name - also scoring three points (two frees).

The Donaghmore-Ashbournes subs scored 1-3 between them, matching Oldcastle's tally. Barely 20 seconds had passed when Morgan pointed Leo Turley's charges in front.

Oldcastle enjoyed plentiful possession in the opening quarter but were unable to convert it into scores, hitting five wides in the opening quarter.

County man Paddy Gilsenan fired wide with a goal attempt for Oldcastle in the second minute before his team mate Conor McHugh hit an upright with a point attempt.

Corner-back Tommy Rahill prevented Ciaran Ellis' effort for a point before Morgan doubled his and Donaghmore-Ashbourne's tally. The men in green had five points on the board before registering their first wide midway through the opening half.

Paddy Rahill was the only starting Oldcastle player to score from play and notched his side's opening score in the 19th minute to leave it 0-1 to 0-5. Robert Farrelly was the sole other scorer for the team in royal blue jerseys in the opening half.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne led by 0-7 to 0-2 at the break. They tagged on three points within six minutes of the resumption. Tormey started the move that led to the opening goal which was finished to the net by sub Cathal Field in the 37th minute and the board read 1-10 to 0-2.

Menton added the next point before assisting Ciaran Beirne with the game's second goal in the 42nd minute. The third quarter was still in progress and 15 points were in it, 2-11 to 0-2.

Two Paddy Rahill points in quick succession softened the look of the scoreline slightly for Colm Coyle's charges who face Skryne in round five in a bid to avoid a fifth defeat of the campaign.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne face Summerhill in the final round with victory imperative while the outcome of the other games in the group could have a bearing on the fate of last year's beaten semi-finalists.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne - Andy Colgan; JP Casserly, Sean Curran (0-1), Jason Boland; Conor Carton, Shane Melia, Eoghan Riordan; Ciaran Ellis, Bryan Menton (0-3), Andrew Tormey (0-1); Ciaran Ellis (0-1), Eric Callaghan (0-1), Eoin Reilly; Ciaran Beirne (1-1), David Morgan (0-3), Michael Deegan (0-3, 2fs). Subs - Cormac McGill for Riordan (19), John Broderick (0-1) for Callaghan (25), Cathal Field (1-1) for Ellis (28), Rory O'Connor for Carton (49), Conor Carey (0-1) for Reilly (53).

Oldcastle - Sean Rahill; Matthew Cadden, Cian McPartland, Tommy Rahill; Darren Hawdon, Rory McHugh, Owen Gilsenan; Conor McHugh, Stephen Tierney; Paddy Gilsenan, Niall Mangan, Paddy Rahill (0-3); Robert Pakenham, Ronan Farrelly, Robert Farrelly (0-2fs). Subs - Sean Maxwell for Pakenham (12), Eoin McNamee for Mangan (39), James Tuite for Hawdon (46), Shane Maguire (0-1) for Cadden (52).

Referee - Richard Morris (Blackhall Gaels). Tweet

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