Duleek Bellewstown 4-12
Nobber 2-8

Duleek Bellewstown continued their challenge for divisional honours when defeating Nobber is this B league Division 2 clash in Duleek on Saturday evening.

The first half was a very even affair with the teams level on 4 separate occasions before Duleek Bellewstown opened up a three point lead approaching half time. An early second half scoring burst provided the cushion for the remainder of the game and saw the home team run out comfortable winners by 10 points

Wayne 'Fodge' Noone opened matters with a point after 4 minutes when he forced the ball over the bar after some ping pong in the Nobber goalmouth and with both defences on top in this opening period it was Nobber who went into the lead with 2 points in quick successions on 10 minutes.

Jamie Bissett responded immediately from the kick out and had the teams level with a point from the left wing and when Daniel Martin cut out a Nobber attack he laid it off to Stephen McArdle who withstood a couple of tackles to place Mills who pointed to put the home time in front. Nobber drew level for a second time on 15 minutes with a fine point from their centre forward from 40 yards. On 18 minutes Robin Clarke intercepted a Nobber attack and hit a cross field pass to Darren Mills who scored to put the home side back in front and Nobber responded to draw level again when their wing forward pointed from a free. Straight from the kick out Nobber went back into the lead with a point from their number 12. Then a good move up field ended when Robbie Clarke was blocked over the endline and from the resultant forty five 'Fodge' Noone picked up a loose ball to bury a goal on 26 minutes to put the home team in front by two. Michael Dowling completed the first-half scoring just on half-time following a knockdown of the kick out was picked up by Mills who found Dowling running free and he pointed from 30 yards on the right. H/T Duleek Bellewstown 1-5 Nobber 0-5

Duleek Bellewstown started the second half in whirlwind fashion. Straight from the throw in Paul Martin found Wayne Noone with a long raking pass and he buried it in the left corner of the net. Inside a minute a 45 was pointed by Jamie Bissett after the Nobber keeper palmed a shot off the post. Direct from the kick out Kieron Collins picked up a loose ball flicked it to Noone who picked out Darren Mills on the overlap and he found the onrushing Ciaran Collins again who rifled the back of the net from 20 yards. And within yet another minute down Mills pointed to put the home side 12 points to the good after 5 minutes.

Nobber are nothing if not resilient and they refused to let these setbacks affects them. Straight from the kick out they surged up field and had reduced the deficit by four points within two minutes with a pointed free and then a goal straight from the kick out. But the home team themselves responded immediately with another Darren Mills point. And again Nobber responded with a point of their own to stay in touch.

The scoring eased off a bit after this and on 15 minutes a foul on Daniel Martin following good layoff from Wayne Noone with his shoulder led to a pointed free from Darren Mills and direct from the kick-out a good knockdown by Karl McDonnell to Daniel Martin saw Martin kicking a point of his left side to restore a nine point cushion between the teams at the end of the third quarter. And in the next attack James Burke pointed after a good run down the right. Again Nobber stayed in touch with a good point from their wing forward on 20 minutes and two minutes later Wayne Noone then replied with a point when he somehow evaded three tacklers and pointed from 40 yards after a good pass from: Kieron Collins.

Noone finally put the game beyond Nobber's reach with five minutes to go when a passing movement involving Noone, Darren Mills and Jamie Bissett saw Noone notch his hat-trick. And he could have made it four with his next opportunity when the ball was parried off the post by the Nobber goalkeeper.

But true to form Nobber continued to put pressure on the home defence and with some better passing could have better rewarded than with a goal from a penalty with the last kick of the game.

Duleek Bellewstown's scoring burst just after the break in opening up a 12 point cushion proved decisive but they will be disappointed that they allowed Nobber to match them score for score for the remainder of the game . Nevertheless this was good overall performance right throughout with a full hour's effort put in by everybody. The defense, which was well marshalled by Paul Martin and Stephen McArdle, will be happy that they restricted the opposition to 10 scores and the attack will be happy with the score that was run up but for some wayward passing could have been higher. Wayne Noone was the undoubted man of the match with 3-2 and he was well supported by Darren Mills, Jamie Bissett and Kieron Collins

Duleek/Bellewstown - A Dowling, J Flaherty, J Murphy, S McArdle, J Burke (0-1) P Martin, Robin Clarke, M Dowling(0-1) D Martin (0-1) Robbie Clarke E Byrne J Bissett (0-2 , 45) K Collins (1-0)W Noone (3-2) D Mills (0-5). Subs - J McDonnell for J Flaherty, Joey Martin for Robin Clarke, K Mc Donnell for M Dowling, T Andrews for Robbie Clarke, KMcDonald for E Byrne D Teeling for J Burke.​ Tweet

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