Loss puts Duleek in last-chance saloon
BLACKHALL GAELS DULEEK-B/ST’N 1-13 2-6
THE relegation trapdoor looms large for Duleek-Bellewstown after they came out the wrong end of the first play-off game to decide who drops down to intermediate level at Skryne last Saturday evening.
This defeat leaves the east Meath side facing into a must-win clash against Skryne in Dunshaughlin this Sunday. They will likely be without Eanna Byrne for that vital encounter after the midfielder was red-carded in the closing stages of this closely fought encounter. Blackhall’s Jonathan Myler also saw red resulting from a melee that developed moments before the final whistle.
Showing no ill effects from the 30-points drubbing at the hands of Donaghmore/Ashbourne in their final group game, Duleek-Bellewstown displayed an abundance of spirit and plenty of hard graft as they recovered from a four-point deficit to lead by the minimum at half-time. However, they were unable to build on that promise as their scoring dried up and they could only manage a single goal for the entire second half.
It wasn’t that they didn’t create the chances, but their finishing was wayward as they tallied eight second-half wides. They were still on level terms with 10 minutes of normal time remaining, but Blackhall dominated from there to the finish and made that superiority count on the scoreboard.
Quick-fire points from Sean Whelan and John Kelly had Blackhall off the mark within four minutes before midfielder Micheál Dowling opened Duleek-Bellewstown’s account with a fine longrange effort.
With Robin Clarke operating as a third midfielder Duleek-Bellewstown started winning their fair share of possession and Jamie Crosby and Steven Nolan pointed in quick succession to edge them ahead. County player Donnacha Tobin shot an equalising point before a Paddy Brady point had Blackhall ahead on 14 minutes.
That lead was extended when the Duleek-Bellewstown defence failed to clear a centre from Paul Kelly and Jonathan Myler pounced to rattle the net.
However the four-point lead didn’t last long as Steven Nolan got on the end of a long delivery from Clarke, after it had been misjudged by full back Colm McElligott, and the full forward produced a neat finish past keeper Tommy Dalton. A John Flood converted free had the sides level before Sean Whelan regained the lead momentarily for Blackhall.
It was the Duleek-Bellewstown men who finished the half stronger, though, with points from John McDonnell and John Flood to lead 1-6 to 1-5 at the break.
Blackhall upped the tempo at the start of the second half and points from Donnacha Tobin and an Alan Nestor ‘45 had them back in front. Again Duleek-Bellewstown responded and a speculative effort from the impressive Jamie Crosby went all the way to the net as Blackhall keeper Tommy Dalton seemed to be distracted by the inrushing Steven Nolan.
The goal on 39 minutes left it 2-6 to 1-7, but that proved to be Duleek-Bellewstown’s only score of the half as Blackhall hit seven successive points without reply.
Blackhall lost Shane Whitty to a black card a minute after coming on as a sub, but they were on level terms following Sean Whelan’s 50th-minute point.
Paul Kelly then fired the Kilcloon/Batterstown outfit ahead and Alan Nestor spurned two further chances before Whelan doubled their lead a minute from the end of normal time.
Further scores in added time from Whelan and Paul Kelly sealed the win as the game ended on a sour note, forcing referee Seamus O’Connor to issue two red cards. BLACKHALL GAELS: Tommy Dalton; James Kelly, Colm McElligott, Tom Murphy; Paddy Brady 0-1, Tom Delaney, Dan Carty; Donnacha Tobin 0-2, Robbie McGuinness; Paul Kelly 0-2, Paddy O’Brien, Alan Nestor 0-2 (1 ‘45); John Kelly 0-1, Jonathan Myler 1-0, Sean Whelan 0-5 (1f). Subs: Donnacha Healy for Delaney (29), Shane Whitty for McGuinness (45), John Fagan for Whitty (BC 46), Kevin O’Keen for Nestor (BC 60+). DULEEK-BELLEWSTOWN: Anthony Dowling; James Murphy, Kevin McCann, Jamie Flaherty; Shane Crosby, David Moore, Gary Reilly; Eanna Byrne, Micheál Dowling 0-1; Darren Mills, John McDonnell 0-1, Jamie Crosby 1-1; John Flood 0-2 (1f), Steven Nolan 1-1, Robin Clarke. Subs: Stephen McArdle for Murphy (47), Darren Heaney for Mills (48).
REF: Seamus O’Connor (Carnaross) Moynalvey v Gaeil Colmcille, SFC quarter final, Trim, Sunday, 2.0 Simonstown v Dunboyne, SFC quarter final, Pairc Tailteann, Sunday, 4.0 Duleek-Bellewstown v Skryne, SFC relegation play-off, Dunshaughlin, Sunday, 12.0 Ballinlough v Nobber, IFC quarter final, TBC, Sunday, 12.0