Duleek-Bellewstown singing in the rain

IFC quarter-final spot secured

Duleek-Bellewstown..... 0-0-13

Oldcastle....................... 0-0-7

Knowing anything less than a four-point win over Oldcastle at rain soaked Carlanstown on Thursday night wouldn't be good enough in their bid to book a place in the IFC quarter-finals Duleek-Bellewstown duly delivered the victory they needed.

Before throw-in Oldcastle knew they could afford a defeat, so long as it was by no more than three points, but that cushion, that safety blanket at the back of their minds, took some urgency, some bite from their game as Duleek-Bellewstown were the dominant side throughout.

On an dreary wet evening that would have felt like the sunny Algarve to Electric Picnickers, Duleek-Bellewstown were composed and confident throughout and with Eamonn Armstrong home from Australia, where he has enjoyed a magnificent rookie VFL season with St Kilda, they caused Oldcastle all sorts of problems.

There were times when Oldcastle threatened not to let Duleek-Bellewstown built up the cushion they needed, but once the east Meath side got themselves into the position they needed they were ruthless in possession.

Duleek-Bellewstown took the game to Oldcastle from the off. Even after an early chance from Armstrong dropped short, the Aussie Rules convert was on hard to create a goal chance for Kyle Doherty inside a minute. That chance went abegging, but from the resultant free John Flood opened the scoring.

James McWeeney doubled the lead a minute later and even though Pat Crawley pulled one back for Oldcastle, it was Duleek-Bellewstown who remained on the front foot with Armstrong opening his account before another free from Flood made it 0-4 to 0-1.

The impressive Paul Hennessy responded with a point for Oldcastle, but the pace of Sam O'Leary continued to cause problems for Joe Sheridan's side and he restored Duleek-Bellewstown's three-point lead in the 20th minute.

Crawley and Pearse Sheridan suggested Oldcastle were not ready to let Duleek-Bellewstown pull clear when they pointed to make it a one-point game, but Anthony Malone's side made a charge before the break with points from McWeeney (two) and James McGarvey securing a 0-8 to 0-4 interval lead.

Knowing that if they could maintain that lead throughout the second-half, Duleek-Bellewstown would book their place in the last eight at Oldcastle's expense and they managed the game well.

Crawley (free) and McWeeney traded points in the opening four minutes of the second period, but as the weather deteriorated scores were difficult to come by and that suited Duleek-Bellewstown who retained possession well.

Nine minutes elapsed before the next score as Crawley closed to gap to three, but after a 15 minute barren spell O'Leary fisted over to give Duleek-Bellewstown the four point cushion they needed, 0-10 to 0-6, and when McWeeney stretched it to five with six minutes remaining it looked bleak for Oldcastle.

That fear of slipping up led to some careless shooting from Oldcastle as they missed two long range effort in their panic for two-pointers, on a night when two-pointers were never an option.

In contrast Duleek-Bellewstown kept it simple. After Crawley closed the deficit to four with a free in the 59th minute Oldcastle had chances from Crawley and Jason Scully to get to within three.

However, Joe Hartford made it 0-12 to 0-7 in injury-time and after Sheridan saw a 63rd minute two-point attempt drop wide Duleek-Bellewstown countered again to wrap up the win and seal progression with Johnny McDonnell putting the seal on the win to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

Duleek-Bellewstown - Ryan Lynch; Cillian Kirwan, Colm Regan, Glen Callaghan; Cianan Byrne, Tom Bowden, Oisin Miland; Shane Crosby, Robin Clarke; Kyle Doherty, Eamonn Armstrong (0-1), Sam O'Leary (0-2); John Flood (0-2 frees), James McWeeney (0-5 one frees), James McGarvey (0-1). Subs - Joe Hartford (0-1) for McGarvey 43m, Johnny McDonnell (0-1) for Flood 48m.

Oldcastle - Mick Galligan; Cian McPartland, Thomas Sheridan, Oran O'Reilly; Rory Crawley, James Cooke, Steven Lawless; Oran Mulvanny, Paul Hennessy (0-1); Shane Boylan, Colin Hawdon, Pearse Sheridan (0-1); Ryan Halpin, Pat Crawley (0-5 two frees), Jason Scully. Subs - Dylan Garrigan for McPartland 38m, Ronan Maguire for R Crawley 39m, Robbie Farrelly for Halpin 43m, Paddy Rahill for Mulvanny 58m.

Referee - Ciaran Flynn (Dunsany).