Dunshaughlin 3-13
St Ultan's 0-3

Dunshaughlin collected their first points of this year's Senior Championship with a facile victory over St Ultan's side in Pairc Tailteann.

Conor Devereux was the Dunshaughlin star scoring 2-3 but his performance and the game itself was largely overshadowed by a nasty clash of heads between Ray Maloney and a St Ultan's player towards the end of the game. The incident necessitated a twenty minute delay during which time two ambulances entered the field of play to bring the two players to hospital. Happily both players were discharged a few hours later.

Dunshaughlin were slow to start and indeed St Ultan's scored the first two points of the game before Conor Devereux opened Dunshaughlin's account in the 8th minute with a point following good work from Tommy Johnson. Martin Reilly levelled matters with a free a minute later. Devereux's first goal arrived in the 12th minute when he cheekily lobbed the keeper following a good Dunshaughlin move involving Reilly and Cathal O'Dwyer. As the half passed its midpoint Niall Kelly stretched the lead with a fine point from play. Ultans scored a free in the 17th minute to leave the score 1-3 to 0-3 but remarkably this turned out to be their last score of the game. In the final ten minutes of the half Dunshaughlin scored 1-4 to effectively end the game as a contest. Reilly punched over in the 21st minute following a one two with Niall Murphy. Devereux then pointed a '45 before Tommy Johnson scored a peach of a point with a trademark outside of the boot effort. Three minutes before half time Devereux briliantly blasted the ball to the top corner of the net from 20 yards. There was still time for another point when Cathal O'Dwyer teed up Caoimhin King to punch over the bar. The score at half time was 2-7 to 0-3.

With the game effectively secured there was little at stake in the second half only for Dunshaughlin to improve their score difference. Conor Staunton got off the mark for the night in the opening minute. Although Ultans showed admirable spirit Dunshaughlin's defence superbly marshalled by David Crimmins had little difficulty repelling their efforts. Three successive Reilly points followed by another Devereux point left the scores 2-12 to 0-3 after 48 minutes. A minute later Conor Staunton intercepted the ball outside the 45 yard line soloed forward and brilliantly finished to the net. Moments later the aforementioned unfortunate delay occurred. Understandably when Cormac Reilly resumed matters there was a reduction in intensity and there was only one further score when Reilly put over his sixth point of the night from a free.

Dunshaughlin will be happy to maintain their hopes of qualifying on a night when their best performers were David Crimmins, Tommy Johnson, Conor Staunton, Conor Devereux and Martin Reilly

Dunshaughlin - Ronan Gogan, Mick Ahern, Kenny McTigue, Kevin Ward, Tommy Johnson (0-1), David Crimmins, Caoimhin King (0-1), John Crimmins, Ray Maloney, Niall Kelly (0-1), Conor Devereux (2-3), Conor Staunton (1-1), Martin Reilly (0-6 4f), Niall Murphy, Cathal O'Dwyer. Substitutes - David Devereux for O'Dwyer, Richie Kealy for Maloney Tweet

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