MINOR FOOTBALL

THE Donaghmore-Ashbourne minor boys footballers have a Group B final against Oldcastle next Monday afternoon (2.30pm) at St. Ultan’s to look forward to.

If you're not up to much on the Bank Holiday, all support would be welcome. Tickets must be pre purchased online.

Last Monday the Group B team recorded a victory at home to Dunboyne in the semi-final, shooting 2-15 and conceding just 1-4.

They key to the win was the work rate across the team to press the visitors in on their own kickout.

Dunboyne might have had a couple more goals early in the second half before Donaghmore-Ashbourne’s second goal, a fine flowing move finished to the net by Zach Thornton.

Some fine last ditch defending from goalkeeper Jack Keenan, full back Oisin Daly, Eoin Kelly, Conor McNally, Matthew Scanlon and Cian Dowling kept Dunboyne at bay when it seemed the net would bulge.

The team missed a lot of chances so there is plenty to polish up on, but on a more positive note we had 11 different scorers.

Goalkeeper Jack Keenan saw all his kickouts retained while he also went upfield to help set up a point, after setting up a goal the week before. 

Last Tuesday night our second team lined out for a friendly against Thomas Ashe - the St. Margaret’s/St. Finnian’s amalgamation - and came away with a deserved draw.

A late Dannan Donnelly point tied it up at St. Margaret’s, while there were other fine scores on the evening for wing back Jake Dennehy, roving wing forward Niall O’Sullivan, full forward Daniel Doherty and midfielders Liam Monaghan and Cian Dowling.

The squad have a number of injuries but are hoping to welcome back Davin Jones, Darragh McCabe and Derry Sullivan over the coming weeks.

Fielding two teams this Spring has proved tricky with seven players involved with Meath minors. 

But with the help of under-15s Shane McGrath, Daniel Doherty, Sean Ward, Alex Fitzpatrick and Issac Soden we have been able to field in every game, although our Group G game with Dunboyne was postponed.   

The Group G side started out with a tough defeat in Longwood in which our midfielder, Davin Jones picked up a nasy hand injury and had to leave the fray at half-time.

Longwood were too strong but the players kept at it in the second half, even when the game had gone away from them. 

On the same evening, we traveled to Oldcastle for a Group B encounter.

This was a tighter affair with the team battling back from 10 points down, but running out of time as they came up just a single point short on a 2-16 to 4-9 scoreline. 

It was a brave effort by a group lining out together for just the first time and only getting to know each other’s game. 

A week later we had two home games at the same time on Pitch 1 and 2 with the two sides doing the warm-up together.  

The Group B side put in a strong first half and never let up to secure the team’s first win of the year against Summerhill.

The accuracy in point taking was a real stand out from a number of players.

The side’s attitude in the first half was summed up by the incessant tackling of corner forward Dannan Donnelly.

And by Derry Sullivan running 50 yards to tackle an opponent and slow him down, before diving full length to block his shot. At the other end, Scott Johnston’s radar was on as he hit four goals.

Meanwhile, on Pitch 2 the Group G side delivered a much improved display, but left five or six goals behind them against a Ballinlough side, which came away with the win. 

It’s been a tough few weeks for the Group G side who despite ever improving performances lost out to Clann na nGael at home and Oldcastle away. 

Meanwhile the Group B team defeated St. Pat’s, Stamullan at home, Dunboyne away and Moynalty-Carnaross at home to secure their place in the knockout stages of this six team warm-up league. 

40 full minors have been involved to date with five under-15s helping out too.

After next Monday’s Group B final, new eight team leagues begin the following Monday for both our sides.

DONAGHMORE-ASHBOURNE MINOR FOOTBALLERS: Callum Thomas, Ben O’Sullivan, Patrick Moran, Adam Doran, Cian Dowling, Thomas O’Riordan, Tom Beggy, Tom Ryan, Niall O’Sullivan, Jack Lynch, Ryan Murphy, Leon Mahon, Sam Dunne, Harrison Dunphy, William Carr, Conor Lawless, Cian Quinn, Andrew Skelton, Dannan Donnelly, Liam Monaghan, Scott Johnston, Jack Doran, Alex McCann, Derry Sullivan, Jack Keenan, Conor McNally, Fionnon Hogan, Darragh McCabe, Davin Jones, Eoin Byrne, Jake Dennehy, Mikey Lemati, Eoin Kelly, Oisin Daly, Matthew Scanlon, Evan O’Kane, Zach Thornton, Aidan Mackey, Michael O’Sullivan, Daithi Kinahan, Alex Fitzpatrick, Daniel Doherty, Issac Soden, Shane McGrath, Sean Ward.