Duleek-Bellewstown start campaign in style

HAVING reached the Junior C semi-final last year Duleek-Bellewstown started their 2017 campaign with an emphatic win over Summerhill on a warm evening in Skryne.

The east Meath side dominated from the start and had a goal from Cormac McGroggan on four minutes.

Seven different players were on target with points as the eventual winners led 1-9 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter.

At half-time Duleek-Bellewstown were comfortably in front 1-14 to 0-4.

Summerhill’s faint hopes of a comeback were dashed in the opening three minutes of the second half, with Darren Mills pointing before Jamie Flaherty produced a storming run, playing a series of one-twos on his way to crashing the ball the back of the Summerhill net.

The tempo of the match eased

off after that as Duleek-Bellewstown ran out comfortable winners.

DULEEK-BELLEWSTOWN: R Nolan; C Woods, C Kelly, G Martin; D Crosby, J Flaherty 1-1, J Carolan; K Smith, S Nolan 0-2; P McGroggan 0-2, P Collins, C McGroggin 1-6; T Andrews 0-2, W Noone 0-1, D Mills 0-5 (2f), Subs: C McGroggin, E Connell, A Reilly, K Reilly, C Gogarty, P Curran.

A COMBINATION of youth and experience was to the fore as Syddan made a winning start in the Junior C championship at Castletown.

Miley Byrne, Martin Cassidy, Stephen Dillon and Shane Dardis gave Syddan the edge in experience with Dillon contributing three points from play over the hour.

The was also a fine contribution from young Eoin Duff Lynch who shot four points, while another experienced head Conor Dillon also weighed in with four points.

Another feature of the game was the welcome return to the Syddan colours of Eamonn Maguire who lined out in attack and scored an early point.

Victory came at a cost, though, as Patrick Rafferty suffered a serious facial injury and had to be hospitalised following an accidental clash.

Syddan made a great start to proceedings with a point from Stephen Dillon before Kevin Carry crashed the ball to the O’Mahonys net. At half-time the north Meath side led 1-6 to 1-4.

O’Mahonys had the opening score of the second half but Syddan tagged on the next four points to open up a 1-10 to 1-5 lead.

With Stephen and Conor Dillon and Lynch Duff keeping the scoreboard ticking over, the lead eventually stretched to seven points before the end.

SYDDAN: Ben Corcoran; Anthony Smith, Miley Byrne, Dylan Smyth; Paddy Rafferty, Martin Cassidy, Paul Smith; Stephen Dillon 0-3, Robbie Farrelly 0-1; Eamonn Maguire 0-1, Cathal Dardis 0-1, Eoin Lynch Duff 0-4; Conor Dillon 0-4, Shane Dardis, Kevin Carry 1-0. Subs: Shane Carolan for Rafferty.