Duleek ended the group stages of the Intermediate football championship in top spot as they overcame an under strength Syddan outfit in Donore. Duleek 1-15 Syddan 1-08 Duleek were the hungrier side throughout, and they fully deserved their seven point victory. Both teams have qualified for the quarter finals but must wait to see who their opponents will be. Duleek, playing into the breeze in the first half, were quickest out of the blocks. In the first fifteen minutes they scored six points without reply with scores coming from Curran(3), McGinley(2) and Colin Duignan. Syddan opened their account on seventeen minutes with a well worked team move. Duleek played a fast-moving open brand of football in the first half and further scores from Andrews, Byrne and Deveroux ensured they went in at the break seven points in front. Half-time: Duleek 0-10 Syddan 0-03 Syddan started stronger in the second period in an effort to reduce the gap. They upped the tempo and were rewarded with three points in the first eight minutes to reduce the gap to five points. However they were unable to get the goal they desired to bring them back to within striking distance of Duleek. Further scores from Karl McDonnell and Hynes meant Duleek preserved the seven point margin. The game was put beyond doubt when Michael Johnson was quickest to a rebound from a McGinley shot and slotted it home from close range. With a couple of minutes remaining a well worked move from the Syddan forwards yielded a goal but the final whistle blew shortly afterwards. Both teams will be looking to improve as they go into the knockout stages, with Duleek in particular guilty of some wayward shooting. Best for Duleek: Kenny McDonnell, Gordon Hynes and Tony Andrews. Duleek - Ricky Nolan, Mark Cudden, Ciaran Byrne, Kevin Smith, Bryan Tallon, Paul Martin, Gordon Hynes(0-01), Karl McDonnell(0-01), Aodhagan Byrne(0-01), Peter Curran(0-05, 1f), Kenny McDonnell, Conall McGinley(0-02), James Deveroux(0-01), Colin Duignan(0-02), Tony Andrews(0-02). Subs: David Crosby for A. Byrne, Michael Johnson(1-0) for C. Duignan, Bryan Cudden for J. Deveroux, Derek Teeling for C. Byrne Colin Crosby for T.Andrews. Tweet

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