Champions advance despite two red cards
This slow burning Feis Cup encounter at Paddy O'Brien Park tonight escalated quickly in the closing stages as defending champions Donaghmore/Ashbourne survived the late dismissals of Andy Tormey and Cormac McGill to see off a surge from Navan O'Mahonys and advance with a 1-9 to 0-10 win.
Without their intercounty contingent Donaghmore/Ashbourne looked on course for a routine victory after Sam Benville applied the final touch for a goal which boosted them to a 1-8 to 0-5 lead at the three-quarters stage.
Up to that point O'Mahonys had failed to score from play, while Donaghmore/Ashbourne had opened up a healthy lead despite kicking six wides, but then the tide turned.
Henry Finnegan scored the hosts first point from play after 45 minutes and five minutes later O'Mahonys had Gary O'Brien black carded for stopping a quick sideline, while Tormey saw red for his reaction to O'Brien's spoiling.
Paul Gilligan restored Donaghmore/Ashbourne's six-point lead from a free with four minutes remaining.
However Damien Moran lofted over O'Mahonys second score from play before McGill picked up a black card for a trip on David Bray and having already received a yellow card earlier he couldn't be replaced.
O'Mahonys took advantage of their depleted and exhausted visitors as points from new recruit Paul Keenan (two, one free) and Conor Murphy closed the deficit to two points, but time ran out.