Duleek Bellewstown 2-14 Oldcastle 2-14

A crisp dry day under blue skies in Bellewstown, saw DuleekBellewstown renew recent rivalries with Oldcastle. A draw in the Corn Na Boinne in recent weeks ensured Joe Sheridan’s return to the hill would be a tasty one. And so it turned out.

The match, played in front of a modest home crowd, saw early domination from the visitors in blue with 4 points in first 6 mins against a solitary DB point from Eoghan Heeney. 

Both teams missed chances with DB’s Tom Bowden driving awide when a goal chance was on. John McDonnell dropped a free short on 10 mins but made rapid amends before pointing a free soon after.

Robert Caffrey then drove a wide after hard work from Eoghan Heeney out the field and Oldcastle went down the field to score two unanswered points after 13 mins.

Sterling defensive work from Cillian Kirwan was needed to recover a Dominic McCabe fumble in front of the DB goal, a rare error from the strong fullback who otherwise had a fine display.

John McDonnell then traded points with Oldcastle’s number 14 before the games first contentious decision. After great outfield work by Oldcastles strong and impressive numbers 9 and 11, a goal bound rasper was blocked by Colm Regan to raptures from the home crowd. However, the joy was short lived as the ref signalled a penalty for a foot block.

The penalty was duly converted with Oldcastle then following up with an unopposed run the full length of the field for an easy point.

Shane Crosby, as ever dominant for DB, had a wide on 20 mins but not lying down combined well with Darren Heeney to put Kyle Callaghan through for a great goal.

Eoghan Heeney had a small difference of opinion with his opposite number on 22 minutes and saw yellow before a rejuvenated Jamie Flaherty refound his kicking boots to drive two back to back 2 pointers from well outside the 40 m arc. 

Flaherty’s heroics lifted the team and it felt that DB were on the ascendancy. Not to be outdone, John McDonnell followed up with his own 2 pointer only for the ref to downgrade to a single pointer moments later.

Oldcastles number 15 took a yellow card on 29 mins before Kyle Callaghan's resultant free fell short into the waiting Brian Duffy who buried it to give DB a 3 point lead.

A further pointed free from Kyle Callaghan saw DB with a well deserved lead of 2-9 to 1-8 at half time after a shaky start.

The second half saw an early missed  free from John McDonnell on right hand side and a further wide from James McWeeney ( sub for Brian Duffy) soon after. Five mins in, Darren Heeney saw a black card for an off the ball foul. Oldcastle capitalised with a pointed free and then a fine  two pointer from their number 19.

James McWeeney pointed from inside the 40m line after hard work from Shane Crosby, Robert Caffrey and Colm Regan who sustained a leg injury before being subbed by Caoimhin Kirwan.

Kyle Callaghan, in a man of the match display, showed his defensive side on 12 mins before Darren Heeney came back after his enforced break and Callaghan drove a further 2 pointer from 45 m to set up a tense finish.

Oldcastle, not to be outshone, answered with an unstoppable goal on 15 mins and a pointed free. The tide seemed to have changed with all the refs decisions going the way of Oldcastle.

Late on, Shane Crosby won possession in his own half and drove forward to just outside the 40 m arc winning a free inside Kyle Callaghans range but the ref decided to move the ball back 5 m and the chance was lost. A late Tom Bowden missed chance saw the game finish in a draw. 

A strong display after a slow start will have pleased. Much done, more to do. 

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