Rathkenny denied by fair means and foul AT PAIRC TAILTEANN
LAST year’s beaten finalists Donaghmore/Ashbourne overcame a potential banana skin in this opening-round Group A SFC tie at Pairc Tailteann last Thursday evening.
The win could be described as a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly, with the Ashbourne men well short of their best and forced to deploy some very negative tactics at times to get them over the finishing line.
The purists would describe it as cynical and they wouldn’t be too far off the mark as twice in the final quarter, with just a goal between the sides, Rathkenny players were dragged to the ground after creating openings for goals. First the tearaway Donal Keogan was pulled down as he attempted to break through the Ashbourne cover and minutes later veteran Donal Curtis was rugby-tackled from behind when he only had keeper Jack Hannigan to beat.
It resulted in black cards for Daragh McGovern and Paul Gilligan respectively, but the points scored by Jack Gore from the resulting frees were scant reward for the Rathkenny men.
With Andrew Tormey and Sean Curran on the injured list and Michael Deegan and James Colgan having transferred to clubs outside the county, Donaghmore/Ashbourne started without six of the team that took the field in last year’s senior final.
It was a player listed at number 30 on last year’s county final programme, John Broderick, who did most of the damage to Rathkenny. The full forward enjoyed a very productive evening and ended with a personal tally of 1-5 for the hour, with all of his scores coming from play. Despite that match-winning performance, Broderick wasn’t
the best player on view as that accolade fell to Rathkenny’s Donal Keogan who produced a breaktaking display.
Centre half Keogan was up against Bryan Menton and he not only nullified his county teammate but also posed a major scoring threat throughout with his surging runs. Keogan ended with a goal and a point, was narrowly wide with another goal effort in the closing stages and was also halted illegally when he looked set to break through for another goal.
It was Ashbourne who began in promising fashion with points from Thomas McGovern and Dylan Brady within 90 seconds.
The evergreen Donal Curtis had Rathkenny off the mark and then the underdogs were boosted by a Donal Keogan goal on five minutes. The centre back ran onto a pass from Robbie Garry and crashed the ball past Jack Hannigan.
Caolach Halligan continued Rathkenny’s fine start with a point, but the Ashbourne men were ahead again when John Broderick got on the end of a pass from Thomas McGovern to slap the ball to the net on 10 minutes.
That lead stretched when McGovern was again the provider, setting up his twin brother Daragh for a second goal on 16 minutes.
Rathkenny, though, stuck to the task, and with Keogan a colossus and Brian and Christy Meade ruling midfield, they were back on level terms following a Curtis point on 27 minutes.
Scores late in the half from the outstanding Dylan Brady and Daragh McGovern left Ashbourne leading 2-7 to 1-8 at the break.
Sean Barry’s charges increased their lead on the restart, with John Broderick adding to his tally. The full forward accounted for four second-half points. while Dylan Brady also proved a menace alongside him in the full forward line. even if his finishing was erratic at times.
Jack Gore was unfortunate to see a goal effort cleared off the line on 39 minutes, and while Rathkenny did create other goal opportunities their only score from play in the second half was a point from Halligan.
They did manage to get within two points midway through the final quarter, but it was Ashbourne who held on through foul and fair means in what was an interesting contest. DONAGHMORE/ASHBOURNE: Jack Hannigan; JP Casserly, Cormac McGill, Jack McCarney; Conor Carton 0-1, Shane Melia, Paul Gilligan; Conor Carey, Kevin Lanigan; Ciaran Ellis, Bryan Menton, Daragh McGovern 1-1 (0-1f); Dylan Brady 0-4, John Broderick 1-5, Thomas McGovern 0-2. Subs: Jack Giles for Casserly (21), Shaun Byrne for Ellis (41), Leo Reilly for D McGovern (BC 49), David Carey for Gilligan (BC 53).
RATHKENNY: Colin Curtis; Niall Brannigan, James Macken, Joe Gore; Stephen Crosbie, Donal Keogan 1-1, Thomas McGuinness; Brian Meade 0-2 (1f), Christy Meade 0-1; Ivan Lenehan, Jack Gore 0-4fs, Robbie Garry; Caolach Halligan 0-3 (1f), Donal Curtis 0-2, Keith Timmons. Sub: Brian Lenehan for Timmons (51). REFEREE: Martin Griffin (Simonstown Gaels)