FL Div 2: Duleek Bellewstown remain at the top
May 01, 2017
Duleek Bellewstown's John Flood
Walterstown 1-11 Duleek Bellewstown 3-10
With teams jostling into position after 6 rounds of the A league completed, Duleek/Bellewstown travelled to Walterstown for round 7 knowing that a further 2 points taken there would leave them neck and neck at the top of the league, or maybe out in front by a short head depending on results elsewhere. Carrying a litany of injuries into the game didn't auger well for the away team either and when Walterstown kicked the first 2 scores of the game in the 3rd and 5th minutes the gauntlet was well and truly laid down to the East Meath outfit.
However this Duleek/Bellewstown squad, under the guidance of Bunt, Liam, Mickey and Anthony are not afraid to battle, and Darren Heeney pulled a point back in the 6th minute to leave it 2 points to 1. This didn't unsettle the boys in black as they struck for home early in the game with a goal in the 7th minute only for John Flood to get a point at the other end in the 8th minute to leave a goal between the teams. A minute later Johnny McDonnell swept the ball low and hard into the Walterstown net after a swift move up the field which left the Duleek Bellewstown crew with their heads up and further points by both Michael Dowling in the 16th and 20th minutes and John Flood on the 28th and 29th minutes left Duleek Bellewstown leading at half time on a scoreline of Walterstown 1-5 Duleek Bellewstown 1-6.
With previous Meath stalwarts Eamon Barry and Martin O'Connell guiding the Walterstown boys from the line, our lads knew it would take a fully committed performance to get over the line in this encounter and that was helped 3 minutes after the restart when Brian Moore found himself in the unusual position of being in front of goal with only the keeper to beat. With another low sweeping shot the ball rattled the back of the Walterstown net to put a bit of daylight between the two teams. On another day this may have been enough to build a victory on but the home team struck with pointed scores in the 6th, 15th, 16th,17th and 18th minutes, with only one pointed score from Duleek Bellewstown in the 10th minute by Shane Crosby, to leave the sides level entering the final stages of the game.
The Duleek Bellewstown management used their squad well throughout the game, and one of their replacements Casey Dunne, latched onto a fisted centre from Johnny McDonnell to score the away teams third goal of the game. This setup the platform for victory and the 2 points that would put them outright top of Division 2 in the AC league. Further points in the 25th, 26th and 31st minutes by Anthony Dowling, Johnny McDonnell and Conal McGinley respectively with only one point in reply by Walterstown to leave a final score line of Walterstown 1-11 Duleek Bellewstown 3-10.
Duleek Bellewstown; Anthony Dowling, James Murphy, Jason Branigan, Shane Townley (Conal McGinley), Gary Reilly, David Moore, Kevin McCann, Shane Crosby, Robin Clarke, John Flood, Johnny McDonnell, Brian Moore (Des Teeling), Darren Heeney (Anthony Burke), Michael Dowling, Jamie Crosby (Casey Dunne).
