Wolfe Tones maintained their winning ways in the hoganstand.com SFC Group C with victory over Dunshaughlin at Skryne on Thursday night.

Wolfe Tones .......1-14
Dunshaughlin ...... 1-11

Wolfe Tones had two points to spare over Blackhall Gaels first time out. They went one better here with a strong team display to prevent Dunshaughlin building on their fist round win over Simonstown.

Significantly 10 different players registered scores for Darren Fay's charges who laid the foundations with a quick-fire start that saw them post 1-3 without reply in the opening seven minutes.

Cian Ward got on the end of a Stephen Sheppard delivery to fire home his side's goal in the 7th minute from close range. It proved to be the difference between the sides on the scoreboard in the end.

Ward also landed three second-half frees, hit the upright with two point attempts from play and was wide with a close range free in the last action of the game.

Of greater significance was his improved work rate while his finger prints were on several of the remainder of Wolfe Tones' tally.

Sheppard showed up very well at wing-back for the 'Tones and managed two points from play. Eoghan Harrington complimented a strong showing at centre-half-back with a brace of points from play.

Corner-back David Coleman impressed in preventing Conor Devereux matching his first round tally of five points from play. The Dunshaughlin number 13 managed two such scores here.

After that blistering start, Wolfe Tones remained in front until the end. However Dunshaughlin got to within a point of last year's SFC runners-up in the run-in to half-time.

Following a lively first-half, Wolfe Tones led by 1-7 to 1-5 at the break. While all the leaders' scores came from play in the opening 30 minutes. Trevor Dowd's 14th minute goal was the only such score for Paddy Christie's men in the first period.

Dowd's goal enhanced the contest greatly while an excellent Sheppard point wrapped up the first-half scoring.

Wolfe Tones took control again from the restart while Dunshaughlin passed up a number of scoring opportunities.

By the 50th minute, the Tones were leading by 1-12 to 1-6 and the contest appeared to have flatlined.

A Ray Maloney point followed by an excellent Conor Devereux effort ignited a Dunshaughlin rally. Sub Niall Murphy also contributed as the team clad excellently in black with amber trim cut the deficit to the minimum, 1-11 to 1-12, by the 57th minute when Cathal O'Dwyer pointed a free.

That proved to be Dunshaughlin's swansong on this occassion as Wolfe Tones closed in a second win of the campaign on with two pointed frees from their top scorer.

Wolfe Tones - David Nolan; Aodhan McKeown (0-1), Ciaran McLoughlin, David Coleman; Stephen Sheppard (0-2), Eoghan Harrington (0-2), David Fogarty; Stephen Corrigan, Alan Callaghan (0-1); Mark Coleman (0-1), David O'Neill (0-1), Niall McLoughlin (0-1);Cian Ward (1-3, 0-3fs), Paddy Caffrey (0-1), Darren McGrath (0-1). Subs - Eanna Harrington for McGrath (48), Fiachra Ward for Fogarty (56).

Dunshaughlin - Ronan Gogan; Alastair Doyle, Kenny McTigue, Michael Ahern; Tadhg O Dubhshlaine, Caoimhin King, Tommy Johnson; John Crimmins, Ray Maloney (0-1); Fergus Toolan (0-2 fs), Trevor Dowd (1-0), Fearghal Delaney; Conor Devereux (0-2), Martin Reilly, Cathal O'Dwyer (0-5, 4fs). Subs - Liam Ormsby for O Dushlaine (29), Niall Murphy (0-1) for Reilly 42).

Referee - Joey Curley (Moynalty)

***

DUNSHAUGHLIN REPORT

Dunshaughlin 1-11
Wolfe tones 1-14

Despite never leading in this second round championship tie played in Skryne Dunshaughlin will feel that had they been more clinical they could very well have ended up with at least a point as they made the short journey home this Thursday evening. It was the Tones who seized the early initiative having started in a blistering pace with the score board doing the talking for them and registering 1-3 after just 6 mins with 2 fine scores from centre back Eoin Harrington a point from Niall McLoughlin along with a text book Cian Ward goal being the pick of their scores. Dunshaughlin finally got off the mark with a badly needed score with a Cathal O' Dwyer free at the 8th minute at a stage when it looked like this was going to be a sided affair. Both sides went on after this to trade scores before Dunshaughlin team captain Trevor Dowd scored a fantastic team goal with some great work from Tadhg O' Dushlaine and a fantastic ball in from John Crimmons. It was Fergus Toolins turn to then step up and be counted for with two fine converted frees one from a very tight angle and the other an impressive strike 40 metres out the field along with another Cathal O' Dwyer free to leave now just a point between the teams with 24 minutes gone. Possession was now key in this fascinating contest with Dunshaughlin now starting to get their fair share of it but sadly for them this was not converted into scores and it was Wolfe Tones who had the final say in the half with another score in the 32nd minute leaving them 2 points up at the break. The second half resumed with the tones determined to smother the newly found Dunshaughlin confidence with 3 unanswered free leaving them 5 points to the good before Dunshaughlin again got their second wind with some nice scores from Cathal o' Dwyer, Ray Maloney, Niall Murphy and a fantastic long rang score from Conor Devereux now leaving just 2 points between the sides. Cian Ward the tones sharp shooter was keeping them always just in front of Dunshaughlin but it was the black and ambers never say die attitude that was still keeping them in the game and this refusal not to give us was rewarded by another converted Cathal O' Dwyer free after some good build up play from Fearghal Delaney to now just leave the bare minimum between the teams with 5 minutes to go. Sadly for Dunshaughlin this was to be their last score of the game with Wolfe Tones finishing out the game strongly with 2 more Cian Ward frees to leave them 3 points to spare and another 2 points in the bag.

Dunshaughlin R.Gogan,A.Doyle,K.mcTigue,M.Aherne,T.o'Dushlaine,T.Johnson,C.King,,J.Crimmons,R.Maloney(0,1),F.toolin(0.2),T.Dowd(1-0),F.Delaney,C.Devereux(0.2),M.Reilly,C.o'Dwyer(0.5)
Subs: Liam Ormsby for T.o'Dushlaine, Niall Murphy(0,1) for Martin Reilly Tweet

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