Gaelic Games

Dunboyne far too strong for Shelmaliers challenge

The Meath champions progress in the Leinster championship after 10 point win

Dunboyne’s Robert McCarthy scored four points on Sunday. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho

Sun Oct 28 2018 - 17:19

Dunboyne 1-12 Shelmaliers 1-2

Dunboyne cruised past Shelmaliers, emerging with a comfortable 10 point victory in the opening round of the Leinster club football championship at Wexford Park on Sunday.

Two points from the ever dangerous Donal Lenihan, inside the opening three minutes, set to tone for what was to follow with the Meath champions comfortably ahead - 0-6 to 0-1 - after 20 minutes. A dominant Dunboyne side continued to lay siege to the Shelmaliers goal, although the Wexford champions did kick some dreadful wides both from play and frees.

Led by a dominant midfield pairing of Gavin McCoy and Stuart Lowndes and with Robert McCarthy kicking four excellent points from play - Dunboyne cruised into a 0-10 to 0-1 lead, when a Ross Banville goal from a quick Simon Donohoe free gave the home side a lifeline just before the interval.

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Shelmaliers’ struggles were to continue right through the second 30 minutes, and as the second half progressed the game deteriorated with both sides failing to score through the third quarter. In the 50th minute Cathal Finn finally raised a flag to extend his team’s lead.

Lenihan then set up substitute Shane Comiskey for a fine goal to kill off the contest with four minutes remaining, before the Wexford champions were reduced to 14 players with Dan Campbell sent off following an off the ball incident. Shelmaliers' solitary second half score finally arrived via Brian Malone but it was a day to forget for his team.

Shelmaliers: G Lawlor; D Campbell, J Cash, C O'Shaughnessy; S Donohoe, B Malone (0-1), J Donohoe; A Cash, G Malone; E Nolan, E Doyle (0-1), R Banville (1-0); C Hearne, C McCabe, A J Lehane.

Subs: T Barron for Hearne (41 mins); C Manley for J Donohoe (black card 47 mins); L Rockett for Lehane (49 mins); P O’Leary for Barron (50 mins); B Murphy for Banville (55 mins).

St. Peter's, Dunboyne: C Flynn; S Ryan, S McEntee (0-1), J Scannell; C Finn (0-1), J Donnelly, S Lavin; G McCoy, S Lowndes (0-2); N Jones, C Doran, C O'Dwyer; R McCarthy (0-4), M Dunne (0-1), D Lenihan (0-3, 0-1 free). Subs: S Comiskey (1-0) for Dunne (39 mins); C Lacey for Doran (39 mins); L Byrne for Jones (52 mins); M Murphy for Lowndes (59 mins); S Moran for McCarthy (59 mins).

Referee: B Tiernan (Kildare).

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