Despite opening up an eight point lead at half-time, Carnaross needed a late goal from Sam Reynolds to ensure victory over Dunshaughlin.

Carnaross 2-11 Dunshaughlin 2-8

B League (Division 5)

Played in Dunshaughlin – 16/2/2018

Credit must go to Dunshaughlin whose pitch was in fine condition for early February. Carnaross played with the wind in the first half and found scores easier to come by. Points from Patrick McDermott, Shane Casserly and Dermot McGee gave Carnaross an early lead. However Dunshaughlin brought plenty of pace to the game and kept the Carnaross defence on their toes. Two pointed frees narrowed the gap for Dunshaughlin, one as a result of a Dermot McGee clothes-line on a poor gawson, before Killian Porter finished a fine team move to the net to give The Ross some breathing space. Cian O’Reilly added two more scores from centre back while Paul Donoghue and Patrick McDermott (2) were also on target. Dunshaughlin replied with two more points of their own before Dermot McGee closed the first half scoring leaving Carnaross in the lead 1-09 to 0-04.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half were relatively uneventful. The sides traded scores with McDermott and Donoghue on target for the Hoops. Indeed Paul Donoghue’s score was in fact the highlight of the second half as Killian Porter dropped the ball on his chest while aiming for Dermot McGee 30 yards away. The Big Man on the square “Papa D” made no mistake and split the sticks from 40 yards. Carnaross were relatively comfortable at 1-11 to 0-06 but a Dunshaughlin comeback was on the cards.

The Black and Amber made the most of the youth in their middle third to score 2-02 on the hop which even the evergrey Thomas Nugent in goals could not keep out. The game was well and truly in the melting pot with the score a draw entering injury team. But cometh the hour and cometh the man. Matthew O’Reilly was found in space after a good interchange of passes. The sideline screamed to fist a point, but Matt was ruthless, selling the dummy before laying it on a plate for Sam Reynolds to blast the winning goal. Carnaross then held possession well until the final whistle and were glad to leave with the two points, on a final score of 2-11 to 2-08.

Carnaross: Thomas Nugent, John Brogan, Tomás Plunkett, Jack Roche, Killian Porter (1-0), Cian O’Reilly (0-2), Cian Yore, Pierce Fleming, Sam Reynolds (1-0), Dillon Fox, Dermot McGee (0-2), Michael Brogan, Patrick McDermott (0-4), Paul Donoghue (0-2), Shane Casserly (0-1). Subs: Peter Mullan for Michael Brogan, Matthew O’Reilly for Paul Donoghue, John L McGee for Dermot McGee.