Wolfe Tones power past Donaghmore/Ashbourne to Meath SFC glory

Wolfe Tones' Sarán Ó Fionnagáin celebrates after his side's goal against Donaghmore Ashbourne INPHO/James Crombie

Wolfe Tones claimed their first Meath senior football championship title since 2021 with an impressive 1-19 to 0-12 victory over Donaghmore/Ashbourne this afternoon.

An electric start at the Donaghmore/Ashbourne grounds saw Tones build up a 0-8 to 0-3 lead after 25 minutes before Tom Gavigan struck for a goal two minutes later.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne responded with five unanswered points in the run-up to half-time, as Zach Thornton, Bryan Menton, Darragh McGovern and Andrew Colgan (two-point free) all found the target to leave the score at 1-8 to 0-8 at the break.

Sean Penny, Sáran Ó Fionnagáin (2) and Thomas O’Reilly added to Tones’ tally after the restart. Caolan Ward and Andrew Tormey then exchanged scores, leaving five points between the sides with 15 minutes remaining.

Ó Fionnagáin and Colgan (‘45’) each hit scores before Kyle Moran pushed the Kilberry outfit's tally to 1-15, and further points from O’Reilly (2), Ward and Oisín Martin sealed the club’s third-ever Keegan Cup triumph.

Wolfe Tones: Ciarán Ó Gallachóir, Conor Sheppard, Shane Glynn, Andrew Crawford; Oisin Martin 0-03, Ross Gallagher, Seán Penny 0-01, Adam O’Neill, Eoin Donegan; Caolan Ward 0-06, Thomas O’Reilly 0-03, Sarán Ó Fionnagáin 0-04, Tom Gavigan 1-00, Fiachra Ward, Kyle Moran 0-02.

Subs: Cian O’Neill for F Ward, Adrian Crawford for Penny, Padraic Diamond for Andrew Crawford, Stephen Sheppard for Moran.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne: Andrew Colgan 0-3, Evan Quinn, Shane Melia, Sean Curran, Thomas McGovern, Conor Carton, Seán Tyrrell, Kevin Cully, Jamie Browne, Bryan Menton 0-01, Andrew Tormey 0-2, Kevin Fenton 0-01, Darragh McGovern 0-02, Stephen Carton 0-01, Zach Thornton 0-02.

Subs: Cillian Hegarty for Cully, Evan Kelly for Thornton (both 42), Michael Deegan for Fenton (45), Michael O’Sullivan for S Carton (49).

Referee: David Coldrick (Blackhall Gaels)