The 1942 SFC-winning Donaghmore team (see caption in story)

Donaghmoreashbourne bidding to emulate 1942 team

Donaghmore/Ashbourne will be bidding to win the SFC Keegan Cup for the first time when they tackle Navan O'Mahonys in the eagerly-awaited decider at Páirc Táilteann on Sunday at 3.30. 

However, the SFC title was won by the original club Donaghmore back in 1942 and that team was captained by the legendary Peter McDermott who later had a great association with Navan O'Mahonys.

Donaghmore won the Meath Senior Football Championship in 1942 with a 1-8 to 0-2 victory over Skryne.

In 1943 Donaghmore lost in the senior final to Duleek (0-2 to 1-8) and the club has not appeared in a senior final again until this year.

The panel from 1942 in the photograph was (from left) back - D Brady, C Skelly, J Lawless, J O’Dea, J Loughran, P Byrne, L Geraghty, W Boland, K Delaney, P Clarke, J Isdale, T Farrell; front - M Caffrey, J May, P. McDermott (Capt), A Donnelly, D Murphy, J Flanagan; sitting - F Murphy, A Farrell. Not included in the photo from the final were L Brady, P Clarke, J Kennedy.

Speaking to the Meath Chronicle, Donaghmore / Ashbourne manager and former Dublin player Paul Clarke said: 

“The Keegan Cup would sit well here in Ashbourne, but this club is still emerging as a force in Meath, over the next few years that should be evident as the younger players start to make a major impact.


“I’m honoured to get this opportunity, yes there is great rivalry between Meath and Dublin, there always will be, that’s the way it should be, but it didn’t influence my decision in any way when it came to this particular role.


“Things couldn’t have gone any better for me this year, initially the aim was to assess the players and then work on what we have.


“Now we are in a championship final, wouldn’t it be a great achievement for a Dublin man to lead a Meath team to the Keegan Cup in his first year?

Admission to Sunday's game is €15, usual concessions apply.