Ben Cullen stars in Duleek victory
Sept 1984
Duleek 0-9 Meath Hill 1-5
Inspired by an outstanding performance from centre half back Bernard Cullen, Duleek had an expected win over Meath Hill in this Intermediate Quarter final at Fr. Tully Park in Seneschalstown on Sunday last.
The superb Cullen never gave county panellist John Cunningham a kick and indeed Cunninghams three scores only came when he was switched to midfield.
The wing half backs of Duleek Pat Shanley and Phelim Joyce also contributed enormously to Duleek’s victory with Shanley in particular always seeming to have any amount of time on the ball and also notching the first point of the hour after less than a minutes play.
However this was undoubtedly a fine team effort by the winners and one which would make them hed hot favourites in most peoples books to defeat Slane in next Sunday’s semi final.
Shanley opened the scoring and them after seven minutes converted full back Mickey Crawley, operating in the right corner of attack took a fine pass from Mal Cullen and shot over. Immediately following the kickout Meath Hill keeper Jimmy Lee made a god save from Shay Lane. John Maguire and Mal Cullen added to the points to leave the winners 0-4 to 0-0 ahead after twenty minutes play.
Francie Yorke from a free opened Meath Hill’s accont in the twenty second minute but then the losers were dealt a severe blow when Pat Matthews had to retire injured six minutes before the break.
Another pointed free from Yorke concluded the first half scoring leaving Duleek 0-4 to 0-2 ahead at the end of an entertaining half hour.
The action hotted up somewhat on the resumption and after John Davis had extended Duleek’s advantage with a well struck point. John Mooney cleared a Tony Boyle shot off the line with David Lenehan well beaten, before Cunningham now operating at midfield scored a nice goal after he gathered a break from Dermot Griffins kick out and soloed fully thirty metres unchallenged before shooting past a helpless Lenehan.
Mal Cullen and Cunningham swapped points before things got really heated midway through the half when referee Padd y Kavanagh booked Meath Hill mentor P. McCabe for coming on the field without permission and also booked Meath Hill’s John Cunningham and Sean Boyle both of whom (though more so Cunningham) were extremely lucky to remain on the field.
Yorke from a freee and Shay Lane from a free also exchanged points before Mickey Crawley and Martin Creable edged Duleek two popints clear and indeed the losers only reply came from a Cunningham free.
Right on the final whistle Jimmy Lee pulled off a great save from a point blank Sean Rochford shot leaving the final score Duleek 0-9 Meath Hill 1-5.
The worst fears of Meath Hill fans before the game about their forwards lack of scoring ability were well and truly realised as they managed a total of only six scores altogether and no fewer than three of these cmae from right half back Frank Yorke from frees. In fact John Cunningham was their only other scorer. Meath Hill were also probably not helped by hte fact that it was nearly two months since their last championship contest. However they were generally out manoeuvered by a slick Dulkeek XV who on this display could go very close indeed to bringing the intermediate title to the East Meath Village for the second time in six years.
Incidentally the Seneschalsotwn grounds were in their usual superb condition.
Duleek: D. Lenehan, A. Watters, H. Maguire, J. Mooney, P. Shanley 0-1, B. Cullen, P. Joyce, M. Crosbie 0-1, M. Cullen 0-21, P. Dunne, J. Davis 0-1, S. Rochford, S. Lane 0-1, J. Maguire 0-1, M. Crawley 0-2. Subs T. Cudden Watter, J. Lane J. Maguire.
Meath Hill: J. Lee, M. Breslin, H. Maguire, P. McMahon, F. Yorke 0-3, LK. McCabe, D. Griffin, P. Matthews, T. Matthews, G. McMahon, J. Cunningham 1-2, S. Boyle, T. Boyle, G. Gunne, T. Maguire. Subs, P. Tully D. Matthews, G. McMahon, T. Maguire M. Kearns P. Matthews.