Our Mens Senior Footballers began their Championship journey on Friday evening as they battled Na Fianna in Páirc Tailteann. It was a beautiful summers evening with a low-lying sun behind the Donaghmore Ashbourne goal making visibility difficult for the attacking side.

Evan Kelly opened the scoring for Donaghmore in the first minute with Andy Colgan (45) and Zach Thornton (free) keeping the scoreboard ticking over early on. Na Fianna players were pressurised as soon as they retrieved the ball, and that pressure yielded scores for Michael O’Sullivan and Darragh McGovern to move five points clear after 11 minutes.

County players Sean Rafferty and Shane Walsh linked up well with the latter scoring Na Fianna’s first point of the game on 15 minutes, however a minute later Andrew Tormey reinstated the five point lead. The Queeney brothers both raised white flags for Na Fianna before Thornton  stuck another free over the bar for Donaghmore. Another Jamie Queeney point was cancelled out by a two-pointer from Tormey following some excellent play by Centre Back Shane Melia.

Colgans kickout were on point and the Donaghmore big men were having joy catching or breaking the Na Fianna kickouts. Seán Curran and Evan Quinn, both venturing upfield from defence had goal chances but the Na Fiann keeper did well to keep the ball out of the net. The half ended with Michael Deegan and Walsh pointing for their sides.

The second half proved more challenging for our lads as Na Fianna threw caution to the wind. Rafferty pointed straight from the throw in to close the gap to four points before Kelly popped his second point of the evening, although he was unfortunate not to raise a green flag. Two points for Na Fianna were followed up by a Queeney goal, as Rafferty continued to cause problems with his running game.

With the scores now level, O’Sullivan and Melia did their bit by raising white flags before the younger Queeney brother did the same. Na Fianna were denied their second goal of the game following an outstanding one handed save by Colgan, however, the game was level as the resulting 45 sailed between the posts.

As the minutes ticked down, the scores dried up, but Na Fianna were given a golden opportunity to take the lead as they were awarded a penalty. Colgan wasn’t called upon this time as the ball sailed wide. The scores wouldn’t be level for long though as, with five minutes remaining, Na Fianna took the lead for the first time.

Kevin Fenton, Dylan Brady and Evan O’Kane were called upon from the bench with Fenton making a huge impact. He levelled the match not once, but twice in the dying minutes before Tormey rolled back the years and stuck a monster point over the bar to give Donaghmore a one point lead as the hooter sounded.

As the fans waited for the ball to go dead and the game to end, Rafferty made another trademark run from defence and was found with an ocean of space to himself. With the last kick of the game, the Meath star pointer for Na Fianna to level the game.

Starting 15 – A. Colgan (0-02), C. Carton, S. Curran, C. Hegarthy, J. Crumlish, S. Melia (0-01), E. Quinn, K. Cully, E. Kelly (0-02), J. Browne, D. McGovern (0-01), Z. Thornton (0-02), M. O’Sullivan (0-01), M. Deegan (0-01), A. Tormey (0-04).

Subs – K. Fenton (0-02) for Thornton, E. O’Kane for Cully, D. Brady for Deegan.