Navan O’Mahony’s 0-17 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-12

Navan O’Mahony’s claimed the U21 B HC, with a win over Donaghmore/Ashbourne in Dunganny on Sunday, the result being a reversal of the result in the round-robin stage. In spite of a good start, Navan O’Mahony’s found themselves behind at the break, albeit against the wind in the first half. 

Shane McCarthy opened the scoring with a point from play shortly after the throw-in, soon nullified by a point from the Ashbourne side at the opposite end. This pattern repeated itself almost immediately again, with midfielder Colm O’Toole scoring for his side, leaving it two points apiece after as many minutes.  A period of dominance ensured for Navan O’Mahony’s, with McCarthy pointing from play again.

Two pointed frees from Captaen na Foirne Cormac Keyes saw Navan O’Mahony’s take a three point lead after ten minutes. This was increased to a five point lead after fifteen, with Sean McDermott and Keyes both splitting the posts from open play. The third quarter saw Donaghmore/Ashbourne claw back this lead, with no intention of going down without a fight. Scoring six points in this time, five on the trot after Navan O’Mahony’s last score, they led at the interval by a single point. 

Navan O’Mahony’s 0-08 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-09

With no wides in the opening half, Navan O’Mahony’s had their shots on target and so needed to get the ball in front of goal with the wind in the second half. Keyes, deadly accurate with frees all day, snatched back the lead for the Brews Hill outfit with two frees and a point from play in the opening ten minutes of the half. 

Two minutes later, two Donaghmore/Ashbourne frees saw the sides level once again before McDermott took an excellent point to edge his side ahead. This wasn’t to last for long however, as another free midway through the half meant the sides couldn’t be separated at this stage.

However, just as Donaghmore/Ashbourne had done in the first half, Navan O’Mahony’s managed to push up the gears and drive on in the closing quarter. A pointed free from Keyes in the eighteenth minute gave Navan O’Mahony’s a lead which they would protect and increase until the final whistle.

Keeping Donaghmore/Ashbourne scoreless in this time, points from Keyes and Eoghan Nugent kept the scoreboard ticking over and ensured that it was Navan O’Mahony’s day. Overall, it was a great team performance from one to fifteen, finishing off a great season for this team, beating every other team in the grade. Navan O’Mahony’s and Meath County Board Official Michael Bennett presented the cup to captain Cormac Keyes

Navan O’Mahony’s: Max Lafford, Thomas Cully, Finn McNally, Rio Russell, Evan Brady, Darragh Connell, Evan Cully, Jack McConnell, Colm O’Toole, Cormac Keyes (0-10), Jack Flynn, Ed Nash, Sean McDermott (0-02), Shane McCarthy (0-02), Finn Malone

Subs: Sam Formosa for Connell, Eoghan Nugent (0-02) for Malone, Connell for O’Toole

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