Bellurgan stay in the hunt

PREMIER BELLURGAN 2 NAVAN COSMOS 0 BELLURGAN kept their title dream alive and delivered another hammer blow to the reigning champions hopes of retianing their crown.

Having been deducted three points in mid week for playing an ineligible player against Boyne Harps, this defeat leaves Cosmos 10 point adrift of Muirhevnamor with two games in hand.

But Bellurgan are still very much in the hunt as two goals in the closing ten minutes moved them level with Newfoundwell, two points behind Muirhevnamor with two games each left to play.

Muirhevnamor have to play Navan and Boyne away, while Bellurgan also have two away games remaining against Newfoundwell and Trim. The Drogheda men also have play Duleek.

This was a must win game for both sides, and Cosmos with the aid of the wind were the more threatening side in the first-half, but Colm Conroy squandered the one clear-cut chance they made just before half-time.

Bellurgan seized the initiative from the start in the second-half with Paddy Quinn the central axisin their attacking play, and enjoying a really fine time in his last game prior to his wedding this weekend.

His link-up play was superb and it was from one such move that saw Dairmuid Murphy race completely free down the right and cross to the far post where Brian White arrived to steer the ball past the scrambling Cosmos goalkeeper Conor Gilsenan.

It turned out to be a painful and unhappy game for the latter as five minutes he chopped down Niall Donnelly to earna straight red card red card.

Stephen Finnegan stepped up to take the spot-kick and drilled it low to his left but the stand-in Cosmos goalkeeper guessed right to make a great save. However, the champions couldn’t clear the ball and when it was played back into the box Quinn fittingly applied the coup be grace when he slid in and directed it under the diving goalkeeper.

It was a win full of character by Bellurgan, and Paudie Gollogley and his charges with the ample contribution of Quinn can be justly proud of their season no matter how it ends. They are also still in the Tully bookmakers cup. BELLURGAN: Robert Arthur, Sean McEvoy, James Renaghan inj (Owen Traynor 25) Sean McEvoy, Ray Finnegan, John Smith , Diarmuid Murphy, Brian White, Stephen Finnegan, Owen Armstrong(Niall Donnelly 65), Ciaran Sheelan, Paddy Quinn( Ciaran Clarke 89). Other sub Daniel McDonnell.