In the first competitive game at the newly named Paddy O'Brien Park, Navan O'Mahonys saw off visitors Duleek-Bellewstown in the Division 1FL Wednesday night.

Navan O'Mahonys  4-11 Duleek-Bellewstown  0-13

Two goals in each half were central to O'Mahonys' success in their final home league fixture. But for the efforts of Duleek-Bellewstown 'keeper Anthony Dowling and his defence the home side might have raised more green flags.

Nine different players got on the scoresheet for David Nelson's men who had four separate goalscorers. Conal McGinley accounted for nearly half of the Duleek-Bellewstown tally with seven points.

Crucially, Graham Geraghty's men never looked like poaching a goal from the home rearguard while four different men got off the mark for Duleek-Bellewstown.

Conal McGinley's tally included the game's opening score, an excellent effort from the left wing. O'Mahonys responded to move five points, 1-4 to 0-2, clear by the 19th minute when Darragh Maguire fired home the opening goal.

Duleek-Bellewstown responded postively with four points on the spin, one each from John Flood and Mark Collins to compliment a brace from McGinley (one free).

That left just a point in it with 29th minutes gone. Then Gary O'Brien's speculative effort wound up in the Duleek-Bellewstown net before David Bray added a point. In between Anthony Dowling saved well from Sean Keating's close range effort.

Ahead by 2-5 to 0-6 at the break, O'Mahonys added a third goal within five minutes of the restart with Sean Keating netting. Shortly after Dowling saved well from David Bray but the latter pointed on the rebound. The home side moved 11 points clear by the 50th minute, but Duleek-Bellewstown rallied with four scores on the spin through John Flood and McGinley (three).

The final score came courtesy of sub Kevin O'Hanlon in the 57th minute who netted within seconds of his introduction. Victory secures O'Mahonys' league status while Duleek-Bellewstown are also safe from relegation despite tonight's result.

Next up for both teams is SFC round four action with Navan O'Mahonys facing Ballinlough on Friday, August 7 at Athboy while Duleek-Bellewstown face Summerhill two days later.

O'Mahonys - Colm Honan; Darragh Smyth, Shane Crosby, Andy Leech; Brian Dillon, Conor Finnegan, Gary O'Brien (1-0);  Damien Moran, Stephen MacGabhann (0-1); Ross Geraghty (0-1) Darragh Maguire (1-0), Henry Finnegan (0-1); Cathal Smyth (0-3), David Bray (0-3), Sean Keating (1-2). Subs - Ian Matthews for MacGabhann (19), Declan McGuinness for Smyth (bc 26), Kevin O'Hanlon (1-0) for McGuinness (56).

Duleek-Bellewstown - Anthony Dowling; Sean Kennedy (0-1), Robin Clarke, James Murphy; Shane Crosby, David Moore, Shane Townley; Stephen Nolan, Padraig Howard;  John Flood (0-4), Mark Collins (0-1), Stephen McArdle; Des Teeling, Conal McGinley (0-7, 4fs), Wayne Noone. Sub - Gordon Hynes for Noone (37).

Referee - Gerry Keoghan (Dunsany)

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