Slow-starting Duleek taste their opening league defeat

FOLLOWING a win and a draw in their opening two games, Duleek-Bellewstown suffering their first defeat of the campaign against a St Michael’s side who were picking up their first points of the campaign.

The hosts began and finished strongly and that proved to be the main difference, though the east Meath side were well in contention following a slow start.

By the 10th minute the Carlanstown men had built up a 1-3 to 0-0 advantage, the goal stemming following a long delivery which was broken down

ST MICHAEL’S DULEEK-BELLEWST’N 1-12 1-9

and eventually volleyed to the Duleek net.

However Duleek-Bellewstown responded strongly to the challenge and when James McWeeney centred Ciaran Flynn was on hand to force the ball over the goal-line. McWeeney, Jamie Flaherty, Shane Crosby and Flynn then added points to edge the visitors ahead and the sides eventually finished the half level at 1-5 each.

St Michael’s raced into a three-point lead within five minutes of the restart, but three successive points from John Flood regained parity with 10 minutes remaining.

It was the home side who finished stronger, however, out-scoring their opponents four points to one to clinch their first win. DULEEK-BELLEWSTOWN: A Dowling; C Woods, J Brannigan, S McArdle; D Moore, B Moore, G Reddy; S Crosby 0-1, R Clarke; J Crosby, J Flaherty 0-1, J Roche; J Flood 0-4, J McWeeney 0-1, C Flynn 1-1. Subs: J Murphy for Branagan, E Byrne for Roche, G Reilly for McArdle, S Nolan 0-1 for Flynn.