Navan O’Mahony’s 1-14 Duleek Bellewstown 0-18

Duleek Bellewstown came out as victors by the narrowest of margins in the first round of the IFC, after a game which was close throughout. 

The first score came after four minutes, during which Duleek Bellewstown had not relinquished possession. The second score followed immediately afterwards, again from Duleek Bellewstown before Evan Coffey kicked O’Mahony’s first score of the game. Another scoring opportunity was created after a great interception from Conor Finnegan, but it ended narrowly wide. Minutes later, Craig Munnelly O’Toole was also blocked down in the square.

The next ten minutes saw Duleek Bellewstown extend their lead to five points, with four points from play. Within a ninety second period, two scores from Aodhan Mallon (one two pointer after a pass from Duggie Dillon and a single point) from play reduced the gap to two. The sides then exchanged points and it was again Mallon who scored for O’Mahony’s. 

Darragh Maguire kicked an impressive two pointer to leave the sides level with five minutes on the clock in the first half. Mike O’Reilly followed up a minute later with a goal to give O’Mahony’s the lead for the first time. Duleek Bellewstown however finished the half strongly, kicking four points in as many minutes to go in ahead at the break.

Navan O’Mahony’s 1-07
Duleek Bellewstown 0-11

Quick off the mark in the second half, Duleek Bellewstown extended the lead to two points within forty seconds of throw in in the second half. Five minutes later, a very impressive two-pointer from Robbie Keelaghan drew the sides level again. 

An opportunity from Duleek Bellewstown was denied by the upright and delivered from the danger zone by Darragh Murphy in the ninth minute. Two minutes later, they edged ahead again until Keelaghan converted two frees to give O’Mahony’s the lead.

A two pointer with ten minutes remaining swapped the lead again and Duleek Bellewstown followed this with a point from play to leave two in it. Aodhan Mallon kicked a point from play in the fifty second minute. A good run from Sean Betson was required to prevent another Duleek Bellewstown score moments later.

In the fifty-fifth minute, a breach of the three back rule left Keelaghan with a 21 yard free to draw level. Duleek Bellewstown took a short-lived lead with a point from play within a minute before Keelaghan did likewise at the opposite end of the pitch. 

Paddy Dillon got in for a textbook block on the Duleek Bellewstown forwards as they tried to get the winning score, but three minutes later they managed to split the posts. Despite a number of opportunities, O’Mahony’s had some late wides and couldn’t get the elusive score to get a share of the spoils.

St Michaels await in the next round. 

O'Mahonys: Jamie O’Reilly, Darragh Murphy, Paddy Dillon, Sean Betson, Louis Collins, Mike O’Reilly (1-0), Darragh Maguire (0-02, 1 2P), Aodhan Mallon (0-05, 1 2P, 1F), Conor Finnegan, Evan Coffey (0-01), Oisin O’Brien, Duggie Dillon, Craig Munnelly O’Toole, Ronan Clarke, Robbie Keelaghan (0-06, 1 2PF, 3F)

Ivo Fitzherbert for Clarke, Shane Maguire for Maguire, Conor Brady for D Dillon

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