Duleek-Bellewstown 0-11 Longwood 1-6
Alan Bowden was on the scoresheet for Duleek-Bellewstown.
© Drogheda Independent
A tricky opening assignment for the beaten finalists of the last two years but Duleek-Bellewstown managed to grind out the victory in the IFC at Dunsany on Saturday.
It was a closely-contested affair throughout with the outcome in doubt until substitute Eamonn Armstrong struck the insurance point deep into added-time.
Darren Heeney and Tom Bowden had early points for the east-Meath outfit before Longwood got off the mark. John Flood added a third point from a mark and when the same player scored again, it left Duleek-Bellewstown leading by 0-5 to 0-2 after 16 minutes.
Heeney hit a spectacular score to leave it 0-6 to 0-3 on 21 minutes before Longwood produced a strong finish to the half with Conor Dixon pointing and then Seán Coloe pouncing for a goal after Duleek-Bellewstown ’keeper Ryan Lynch had blocked his initial effort. That left Longwood leading by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break and Duleek-Bellewstown facing an uphill battle.
Last year’s finalists needed to up the intensity levels in the second half and they made a promising start and quick-fire points from Alan Bowden and Cianán Byrne had them back in front.
They enjoyed plenty of possession after that but the game was well into the final quarter before Alan Bowden added to their tally from a free. That levelled proceedings once more after Coloe and Niall Mulvey had pointed for the south Meath side.
Heeney’s third point regained the lead but Duleek-Bellewstown were hanging on in the closing stages until Armstrong’s point made the game safe.
DULEEK-BELLEWSTOWN: Ryan Lynch; Sam O’Leary, Colm Regan, Cillian Kirwan; Oisín Miland, Brian Fitzpatrick, Cianán Byrne 0-1; Robin Clarke, Shane Crosby 0-1; Tom Bowden 0-1, Darren Heeney 0-3, Alan Bowden 0-2; John McDonnell, John Flood 0-2, James McWeeney. Subs: Jamie Crosby, Eamonn Armstrong 0-1, Dylan Collins, Kyle Doherty.
LONGWOOD: Billy Hogan 0-2 (1f, 1 45); Adam Leacy, Tomás O’Brien, Conor Dixon 0-1; Adam O’Brien, Joey Stenson, Ross Kerrigan; Seán Coloe 1-2, Mickey Burke; Anthony Healy, Damien Healy, Brian Stagg; Bob Maguire, Ciarán Sheridan, Niall Mulvey 0-1. Sub: Ben McLoughlin for A Healy.
