Duleek Bellewstown 1-11 St Patricks 2-8 (aet)

(6-5 on penalties)

Duleek Bellewstown advanced to the semi finals of the Meade Potato Intermediate Championship  with a dramatic 6-5 sudden death penalty shoot out victory over neighbours St Patricks Stamullen on Friday night in Ashbourne. Having watched Ryan Lynch make his second penalty save of the shoot out Jamie Flaherty calmly stepped forward to smash the ball to the back of the net and send players and supporters into rapturous excitement,

Coming to Ashbourne this was a game which was always going to be difficult and challenging. There is never much between the sides and while this was a great way to win a match  it is  also heartbreaking way to exit a championship  This was a game with everything , Both teams had their periods of supremacy , both teams had their chances, some squandered some taken both had frustrations with refereeing decision. What more could you want.

Playing into the town goal St Patricks first attack could have yielded a score but for a timely interception by Cianan Byrne which resulted him having to go off for some attention.  St Patricks continued their early pressing game an were two pints to the good after 5 minutes with a point from a freee a nd point from play; John Flood opened the Duleek Bellewstown account with a pointed free after a foul on Tom Bowden in the eight minute and Ciaran Flynn had the sides level in the twelfth with a point from play after some interchange play between Shane Crosby and John Flood put him in the scoring zone and he levelled the scores.

The next score did not come until the 20th minute with the intervening period being tense and having no clear pattern and with the attacking threats of both teams falling short  as a result interceptions and turnovers in the tackle.  

However in the twentieth minute after a period of interplay from the Duleek Bellewstown attack saw the ball again turned and when it look like the St Patricks defense were exiting their lines Tom Bowden turned over the  St Patricks player at the edge of the large square, steadied and shot low to the net. It looked at that stage as if Duleek Bellewstown would push on but they continued to be frustrated by the St Patricks defense and some inaccurate shooting.

As the half  time clock approached Shane Crosby added  a point from play after some quick thinking by Kevin McCann at a free kick released him to slot one of his trademark long distance shots  and this was followed by a fine Jamie Crosby 45 after his own goal bound shot was saved by the St Patricks keeper.

But St Patricks made sure that the gap was reduced after their number 11 pointed to leave 4 points in it at the break 1-4 to 0-3

Popping over three points in the first three minutes of the second half it looked as if Duleek Bellewstown  were going to run away with the game. Within thirty seconds of the restart John Mc Donnell pointed  from play and this was followed by a Jamie Crosby free a minute later .  After a St Pats wide Cianan Byrne secured possession from the resultant kickout and went off on a mazy run and after beating 3 defenders by pure pace he slotted over for the score of the game to put 7 points between the teams after those three minute.

A pointed St Patricks free in the sixth minute reduced the deficit to 6. The in the tenth minute the game was turned upside down for Duleek Bellewstown. A turnover on a Duleek Bellewstown attack on the stand side saw the ball moved across field quickly and from a resulting quick free a Pats forward broke free and buried to the corner of the net.

This score was the oxygen that the Pats needed and they upped the tempo  forcing turnover a snap shots from Duleek Bellewstown and as the third quarter ended a pointed free saw the gap now at two. The Pats then went in front after playing a bit of keep ball around the middle the prised open the Duleek Bellewstown defense and the ball was buried to the bottom of the net. So in the space of 15 minutes Duleek Bellewstown went from 7 points in front to a point behind with ten minutes to go.

The sides were level on the twenty third minute when Tom Bowden pointed but almost immediately pats resored their lead with a fine point from their wing forward of his left side . As the game entered the final  5 minutes of normal time Duleek Bellewstown laid siege  to the Pats half but could not break their defensive wall  down to get their shot off.

With the clock running past 5 minutes of injury time a Pats attempted point dropped short and Reyna Lynch moved the ball down field and from the resulting attack Darren Heeney’s shot was blocked out for a forty five . Then taking ownership of the responsibility and the pressure he calmly slotted over the forty five to send the game to extra time .

Extra time continued the pattern of normal with scoring chances at a premium , turnovers a plenty and  defences on top.  A pointed John Flood free and an immediate response from the Pats meant that the sides were level at the end of the first period of extra time.

Pats had the lead with a point in the 3rd minute and in the next minute  a Cian  Ryan interception  in the half back area saw the ball moved to Jamie Flaherty  who spotted Davy Moore  and from around 30 yards he pointed for what was to be the last score of te same . Both sides had a couple of opportunities to secure that vital score but it was not to be and the penalty shoot out was next.

The shootout was another level of drama. Pats went first and scored then Shane Crosby grazed the top of the cross bar with the keeper beaten. Ryan Lynch then made a great save from the second pats attempt and Jamie Flaherty bought things level with a fine shot. The next 3 penalties each from both sides were all well taken  with Jamie crosby Alan Bowden and Darren Heeney all scoring. It was now down to sudden death . St Pats scored theirs and Shane Crosby, under extreme pressure I would think, kept his cool and  buried his ; Still level; Ryan Lynch guessed right and smothered the Pats attempt. It was now down to Flats and  he made no mistake . 6-5 on penalties  ; Game over;

The next match is the semi final on Saturday October 1st in Pairc Tailteann against Dunderry.

Duleek Bellewstown: R Lynch, S O’Leary, K McCann, O Miland, C Ryan, T Bowden, C Byrne, E Lenehan, S Crosby, J Mc Donnell, J Flood, J Crosby, C Flynn, A Bowden , J McWeeney; Subs used: J Flaherty, E Heeney, D  Moore, D Heeney, C Woods

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