Donaghmore Ashbourne got a morale boosting victory in Ballivor last Thursday night, when the team came from four points behind at half-time to close out the game in the dying minutes.
Mattie Doran cooly tagged over two late points to cap off a fine team effort and seal the victory. Wins on the road outside Division 1 and 2, particularly with club second teams, are notoriously hard to come by, never mind in Division 3.
That made this particular win a victory to savour, and the lads were delighted at the final whistle after over six minutes of injury time were played. It also moved the team up the table. It was a second win in seven games and now gives the side a good chance of avoiding relegation. The bottom side goes down to Division 4, with the 10th and 11th placed teams playing off to see who joins them.
Currently Donaghmore Ashbourne are on four points alongside Blackhall Gaels, with Ballivor and Kilmainham on three points and Dunsany on two points, but Blackhall and Kilmainham both have a game in hand.
Enough of the primary school maths. This win was way more noteworthy for the senior football debuts of minor players Fionn Mulvihill, Niall Lawless, Kaelem Keogh and Pauric Gaughan and the major contribution they made, ably assisted by Aidan Keogh, who stepped up to play very well in attack as a ball winning outlet.
It was a real baptism of fire for the four minors as they all slotted into the middle eight, meaning they were heavily involved in the hard running and the physical stakes, and they weren’t found wanting against much older and more experienced players. They took whatever punishment was going and ploughed on. They kept looking for the ball and refused to hide. This was critical to the win, and their performances really lifted the other lads on the team.
The side got off to a great start when Andy Tormey converted a penalty after a lunging tackle got the man and not the ball, and the team skipper also knocked over a lovely point into the breeze after an one-two with Nathan McGrath, who worked tirelessly on the wing and gave in some sweet foot passes in the second half. On the other wing Daniel Doherty put in a great shift too at both ends of the field.
But Ballivor got on a roll and just before half-time nicked a goal when a high ball was deflected to the net as they led by 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.
It looked like it might not be Donaghmore Ashbourne’s day when Daniel Doherty crashed a goal chance off the bar and the keeper saved his follow-up, but the lads kept plugging away and Michael Deegan knocked over two points to get the team back into the game. Donaghmore Ashbourne defended superbly with the forwards leading the way and Darragh Gleeson turning over four balls from midfield with super tackles. They got some big blocks and catches throughout the game from Dominion Agbaha, Milo Connolly, Sean Curran and Shane Melia. Niall Lawless won a great ball at the end from a Pauric Gaughan kickout and the lads worked the winning scores with real coolness. Stephen Carton was lively throughout, linking the play really well, while Evan O’Kane and Sean Tyrrell brought great energy as half-time substitutes.
Pauric Gaughan’s kickouts were excellent throughout and he was able to find his shorts really well, giving the team a platform to go on and win the game. He also made a brilliant first half save at a critical juncture.
Overall, a great win with a lovely mixture of youth and experience, and a lot of smiles on faces at the end, particularly at how well the young lads stepped up to the plate in a tough encounter.
Donaghmore Ashbourne: Pauric Gaughan, Milo Connolly, Sean Curran, Dominion Abagha, Kaelem Ryan, Niall Lawless, Fionn Mulvihill, Darragh Gleeson, Daniel Doherty, Stephen Carton, Nathan McGrath, Andy Tormey, Mattie Doran, Aidan Keogh: Michael Deegan, Evan O’Kane, Shane Melia, Sean Tyrrell.
