Dunshaughlin 2-08
Gaeil Colmcille 1-09

All roads led to Kilmessan on Easter Sunday for the eagerly awaited first round of the Dixer Dunne Challenge Cup between
Dunshaughlin and Gaeil Colmcille.

Despite some confusion among the travelling Hardy Bucks party all players managed to make the venue..... Kevin Bannon certainly had his Weetabix rather than Easter eggs for the breakfast and he was eggcellent in the first half bagging a brace of very well taken goals created by some great interplay throughout the side. The Black and Ambers playing with the aid of a strong breeze continued to push on and lead at half time 2-5 to 0-2.

Prominent in the encouraging first half display were Ciaran Hoary, Ronnie
Yore who showed out in front of his man and Sean Doyle who stopped a few tricky dropping balls and Keith 'skip' Rooney before he got winded in a tough challenge.

Despite some focus being on the Band "Rubber Duck" who were heading the "Dublin House" that evening Shane Kellys charges were encouraged to remain focused and finish off the job in hand.With Kells down to 14 men due to an injury in the 1st half - 15 men were required before local whistler Mick Ryan could start the 2nd half - informed word on the line was that
Experienced County Board Official Sultan Fitzpatrick- who was just back from a wedding in Spain last week - was going to tog off to make up the 15 required for the game to continue.

Eventually a Kells man emerged from the well appointment Kilmessan dressing rooms and the 2nd half was under way. Kells are proud men and with the elements behind them upped their game considerably and started to put the rear-guard of Moylsie ,Johnnie McDonnell, brother -in-law Gary 'the hitman' Flanagan and captain Paul Walsh under severe pressure.

The Drumree Road outfit were restricted to attacking on the break and it was on one such break that debutant Brendan Walsh flashed a shot wide but it was scores from that man Bannon again, a fine fisted effort from the Galway bases student David Baggott and David McMahon which keep Dunshaughlin ahead when Ryan blew the full-time whistle. It was a very encouraging performance from all and sets the hardy bucks up nicely for the 2nd round of the dixer dunne cup #hardybucks

Team: Sean Doyle, Kevin Moyles, John Joe McDonnell, Paul Walsh, Ciaran Hoary, Keith Rooney, Gary Flanagan, Paul Sheehy, David McMahon, Simon O' Reilly, David Baggott, Des Keane, Kevin Bannon, Ronnie Yore, Gavin Malone

Subs: Ciaran Murphy for Simon, Eoin Farrelly for Rooney, Brendan Walsh for Dessie, Cillian Dennehy for Gavin and Simon O'Reilly back on for Paul Sheehy

*****

Gaeil Colmcille report:

Dunshaughlin 2-08
Gaeil Colmcille 1-09

Gaeil Colmcille lost out narrowly to Dunshaughlin in this JDFC first round game played in Kilmessan on Sunday Morning last.

Dunshaughlin playing with a strong breeze had a comfortable 2-05 to 0-02 lead at half time. a point from Colin Tormay and a late free from Niall Flanagan, was the only two scores from the Kells men, they had their chances but five fell short into the goalies hands and four wide's didn't help matters on the score board.

In the second half two quick points from Niall Flanagan and Alan Tormay ,gave them hope. Evan Sheridan and Alan Hickey started to win a lot of possession at the middle and the Gaeils kept plugging away and brought it back to just (0-03) with five minutes left, but Dunshaughlin scored the next two points to put (0-05) between them once again.

Mark Carrigy got a great goal for the Gaeils deep into injury time but it was to late at that stage and a great second half recovery was not enough to save the day.

Gaeil Colmcille. J Skelly, R Daly, S Flood, T Sheridan,R Fox, C Ferguson, C McGivern, E Sheridan(0-01),A Hickey, D McConnell,N Flanagan(0-04,3f),M Carrigy,(1-00) C Tormay (0-02) A Tormay,(0-02) B Tormay. Subs, M Rennicks for S Flood (inj) Tweet

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