Wayward winners still too strong for Syddan

0-12 0-8

TWO teams at different end of the Division 2 table clashed in this rearranged fixture at Duleek and it was the home side who continued their promotion push with a deserved win.

The four-point margin of victory was hardly a true reflection on the hosts’ superiority, though, as they controlled proceedings for long spells but managed more wides than scores, 16 in all, including a second-half penalty.

Both sides relied on free kicks for half of their scores, while Syddan also shot more wides than scores, nine in total.

Conall McGinley top-scored for the winners, accounting for eight points, but he also hit a penalty kick the wrong side of the post following a foul on Kevin McCann on 32 minutes.

The corner forward was the star in the Duleek-Bellewstown attack and he also got fine support from John Flood and John McDonnell in particular.

Syddan were chasing the game throughout after McGinley converted two frees in the opening stages. Despite shooting 11 opening-half wides, the home side led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break, with Brian Dillon, Sean Clare, Daire Rowe and Jack Reid on target for Syddan.

The destination of the points were decided in the opening nine minutes of the second half as Duleek-Bellewstown tagged on five successive scores to go 0-11 to 0-4 clear.

Daire Rowe accounted for Syddan’s only point in the third quarter from a free, while the hosts’ last point came from a Flood free and they didn’t score in the final 15 minutes.

Points from Ronan Mooney, and Daire Rowe (two) brought Syddan closer, but they never looked capable of hauling back the deficit. Anthony Dowling; James Murphy, Brian Moore, Shane Townley; Kevin McCann, David Moore, Gary Reilly; Shane Crosby, Robin Clarke; John Flood 0-3 (1f), Eanna Byrne, John McDonnell 0-1; Conall McGinley 0-8 (5f), Micheál Dowling, Darren Heeney. Subs: Jamie Crosby for Heeney, Mark Collins for McDonnell, Ciaran Flynn for Flood), Stephen Nolan for Dowling, George Martin for B Moore (BC).

Gary Farrelly; Kevin Garland, Ben Bashford, Cormac Rafferty; Mark Fedigan, Ronan Mooney 0-1, Kevin Traynor; Sean Clare 0-1, Peter Sheehy; Michael Fedigan, Cormac Rowe, Jack Reid 0-1; Graham Garland, Brian Dillon 0-1f, Daire Rowe 0-4 (3f). Subs: Fiachra Ross for Reid, Gary McManus for Sheehy.

Joe Synnott (Donaghmore/ Ashbourne) •The Walterstown v St Colmcille’s Division 2 FL tie scheduled for last Saturday failed to materialise as Walterstown were unable to field. The points have been awarded to St Colmcille’s.