Duleek Bellewstown 1-12 Ballinabrackey 2-9

A last gasp Jamie Crosby point sealed a valuable point for Duleek Bellewstown in the first game of the Intermediate Championship having been eight points in arrears at the interval.

In what is the group of death in the IFC,not losing the first game was paramount. At the final whistle both teams will wonder what might have been. In a game which was evenly contested throughout  Ballinabrackey will wonder how they managed to let that eight points lead get away and Duleek Bellewstown, while delighted to have secured the point, will also wonder how they let Ballinabrackey  get that eight points in front in the second quarter.

Playing with the wind Duleek Bellewstown opened brightly but it was Ballinabrackey who opened the scoing after 90 seconds with a punt from David Carroll.  This was followed soon after with a Con McGinley free after a foul on Mark Collins.  The sides shared the next two scores with Cianan Byrne finishing of a fine move . Ballinabrackey then went two points clear as the first water break was signalled.  A pointed John Flood free reduced the deficit before Ballinabrackey secured the first of their goals in the 22nd minute which was followed soon after by a point and then their second goal from the penalty spot  in the 26th. A John Flood free stemmed the flow before the Bracks finished their half with a pointed free to leave the them 8 clear.

HT Duleek Bellewstown 0-4 ;  Ballinabrackey 2-6.

The Bracks opened the second half in whirlwind and it looked as if their 8 points lead would be extended but some wayward shooting  in the first 6 minutes in  which they shot  5 wides meant Duleek Bellewstown  had time to recompose themselves.  Mark Collins triggered the comeback with a pointed free in the 6 minute and a pointed John Flood free on ten had two goals between the sides .  Two further pointed frees from Flood and Collins had the deficit at 4 and the momentum with Duleek Bellewstown. A defining moment in the quarter was the black card to the Bracks centre half which led to the Collins free  @ 12 minutes.

A long distance point from play from Shane Crosby on the 20th had just a single score between the sides  and a John flood  pointed free reduced the deficit  before the Bracks secured their first score of the half with a Danny Quinn point on 24 minutes.  Duleek Bellewstown next score was their  goal when Mark Collins got on the end of a long pass to flick the ball to the net to level the game with three minutes to go.

Both teams shared two points each  in the final phases of play with Ballinabrackey restoring their single point advantage, with points from Damian Carroll , each time Duleek Bellewstown drew level.  The crucial point came when a Ballinabrackey shot fell short  and Kevin McCann  recovered possession and the ball was worked up field  to Jamie Crosby who, having been involved a few times in the movement,   braced himself and kicked the point from 30 yds  to seal a valuable point in the race for the championship.

A fine end to the well contested match in which both sides will take positives and also realise that there is still a lot to do.

Duleek Bellewstown: A Dowling , J Brannigan, K MC Cann, S Mc Ardle, D Moore, R Clarke, B Moore, S Crosby (0-1) J Flaherty, J Flood (0-4) P Howard , C Byrne (0-1), M Collins (1-4), C Flynn, C McGinley(0-1), Subs Used D McCabe,  J Crosby (0-1), C Ryan, O Miland, C Regan

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