Corn na Boinne Duleek Bellewstown 1-19 Ballinlough 0-11
Duleek Bellewstown made their first trip to the well appointed Ballinlough pitch in a good few years and came away with a well merited double score victory over the home side in the Corn na Boinne quarter final.
From early evening it seemed as if the fixture would be played in a downpour but the sun broke through for the game and it was reflected in the performance of the visitors. After the home side hit a wide from their first attack, John Flood fielded the resultant kick out and the ball was worked to James Mc Weeney who pointed the first score for a lead that was never relinquished and by the eight minute the lead was out to four with points from Johnny Mc Donnell, Pauric Howard and Jamie Flaherty.
The home side had a bit of a purple patch and but for some wayward shooting and possession turnovers would have made inroads into the visitors tally but 2 points was their only reward , Pauric Howard then increased the lead and 3 further points by the 20th minute had the home side deficit down to zero and it looked like the momentum was with the home side. But from defensive turnover for the visitor,s possession was turned into attack and 6 points from John Mc Donnell (2) Jamie crosby, Jamie Flaherty, Stephen Mc Ardle and John Flood to a solitary point for the home side had the margin out to 5 by the interval.
Ballinlough opened the second half with some strong forceful running and laid siege to the their opponent goal for the first 5 minutes but thanks to some stout defending their only reward was a single point. John Flood replied and in what was probably the score of the evening for the visitors James Mc Weeney turned over a Ballinlough attack in his own half and after laying ff the ball to John Flood he continued his run up field and taking the return pass from Flood and calmly slotted over to extend the lead to 6 as the 40th minute approached.
Ballinlough continued to force the issue and go for the game and in doing so left themselves slightly exposed at the back. With John Mc Donnell and Ciaran Flynn holding the ball up well the lead war extended to 8 by the 51st minute with further pints from Flood (2) and Ciaran Flynn with a solitary home point.. A Further Ballinlough point reduced the gap and the major that the home side were seeking eluded them. In fact it was the visitors got the clinching goal when a minute or so after being introduced Jack Roche pounced to bury the ball in the net and he followed it almost immediately with a point.
Ballinlough to their credit never gave up the chase and continued to press forward at every chance they could but they found it difficult to break down a resolute defence . And as the game entered injury time John flood completed the scoring.
Next up is Dunderry on Tuesday 30th July in Walterstown :
Duleek Bellewstown: A Dowling, D McCabe, K McCann,S McArdle, J Brannigan, D Moore, G Reddy, B Moore, J Flaherty, J Mcweeney, J Flood,, J Crosby, JMcDonnelll, P Howard, C Flynn, Subs S Townley, J Roche, J Murphy, C Woods, D Teeling, ,F Hartford, P Callaghan,
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