Blackhall secure draw to advance to shc quarterfinals

Blackhall Gaels and Dunderry played out an entertaining 0-15 to 1-12 draw at Kilmessan on Sunday with the result ensuring it’s Blackhall who advance to an SHC quarter-final clash with Trim.
Third spot in Group B was still up for grabs prior to the simultaneous throw-in in Athboy when Killyon took on the other side in the hunt for qualification, Navan O’Mahonys.
Blackhall knew a win would secure their place, but they were also aware that any slip up would allow either or Dunderry back into the frame, but as it transpired O’Mahonys heavy loss to Killyon left them out of the picture and Dunderry’s failure to secure an 11-point winning margin against Blackhall put them out of the reckoning.
Dunderry sensed they could achieve the impossible when Luke Martyn batted brilliantly to the net just before half-time and when David Gilkeson stretched the lead to four points within three minutes of the restart they started to believe.
However, Blackhall stayed in the contest gamely with Darren O’Loughlin showing the way with 11 points including the late equaliser which secured the draw and a place in the quarter-final against Trim and the chance of a semi-final against Kildalkey.
In the days other games Kildalkey trounced Rathmolyon 4-22 to 2-3, while Killyon beat Navan O’Mahonys 2-16 to 0-8.
The group stages of the SHC are now complete with defending champions Kiltale through to the last four as Group A winners, while Kildalkey also advance to the semi-finals.
Dunboyne will face Killyon in the quarter-finals with the winners set to face Kiltale, while Blackhall will take on trim with the victors to tackle Kildalkey.