BMC claim scalp as Duleek exit

BMC Utd achieved the biggest shock in the opening round of the Meath & District League Challenge Cup when they defeated Premier high-flyers and last season"s finalists Duleek on Sunday. Using the spaces on their familiar Thomastown pitch BMC made a perfect start after only six minutes when Peter Fox found the net with a magnificant long-range effort. Duleek sought to get into the game and created a number of chances however they remained adrift at the interval. BMC continued to work hard in the second-half and they were rewarded on the hour mark when Joe Melia headed home for a cracking goal. Duleek piled on the pressure without managing to break through for a goal as BMC remained strong. The visitors finally found the net in injury-time. BMC held on to win a thrilling contest which was a hard-fought cup tie and definitely not a game for the fain-hearted. Best for BMC were Joe Melia and Jimmy McQuaid who dominated midfield while Padraig Cunningham and Philip McGuinness did exceptionally well at the back to starve Duleek of goal chances. BMC Utd - W Reilly; J O"Higgins, P Cunningham, P McGuinness, P Traynor, K O"Reilly, J McQuaid, J Melia, T O"Reilly, P Fox, V Murarz. Subs - E Smith for T O"Reilly, R Sysak for K O"Reilly, K Gaughran for Murarz. Kells/Blackwater 2 Skryne/Tara 5 This turned out to be a ding-dong Challenge Cup encounter with Div 2 side Skryne/Tara displaying an impressive cutting edge in front of goals to defeat Div 1 opponents Kells/Blackwater on Sunday. Playing with the wind in the opening half Kells/Blackwater led at the break with a goal from a Seanie Bennett free. It was a completely different scenario after the break with two goals from Jamie Jordan putting Skryne/Tara in front. Jordan was brought down for a penalty that was converted by Cillian McManus with Allan Carty slotting home two late goals. Patrick O"Rourke made a number of excellent saves for Skryne/Tara with Ian Dowd, Carty and Jordan also contributing big displays. David Drew, Bennett and John L McGee were in sparkling form for the home side. Kells/Blackwater - D Drew; C Tormay, D Smith, M Kavanagh, W Russell, S Bennett, B Hanlon, S McManus, J L Magee, B Connolly, D Connolly. Subs - D Butler for B Connolly, D Tormay for D Connolly. Other Challenge Cup ties included Albion Rovers visit to Rossin. Albion are currently languishing close to the bottom of the Premier League and would have been very wary of a trip to Div 3 table-toppers, Rossin Rovers, but they proved too strong with Lee Wright netting a first half hat-trick. The only all Premier clash paired Glaslough and 2007 winners, Navan Town, but a couple of goals from Nigel McQuillan and one each from Sean McMeel and Stephen Creighton proved enough to put the Mongahan side into the next round with a 4-2 win. Square Utd were pushed all the way by Summerhill Celtic in a five-goal thriller in Ardee. Extra-time was required before Square eventually got through with goals by former Mosney player, Fabio Teles, Alan Kirk, and Eamonn Callaghan. Carrick Rovers had little difficulty against Fordrew in an 8-0 rout with Brian Marron helping himself to a hat-trick with Barry Hand (two), John Babington, Martin McDermott and Gary Connolly completing the tally. PREMIER RESERVE Slane 2 Duleek 3 Slane scored two goals but still lost out to Duleek in this Premier Reserve clash on Sunday. David Byrne put the home side ahead after good work by Cody Reilly and Eoin Connor. Duleek hit back to lead 2-1 at the interval before Reilly netted a spectacular second for Slane who pressed forward for a third only to be caught out by their opponents who stole in for a third just before the end. Excellent for Slane were Reilly, Anthony Hickey, Simon Lenehan and Gavin O"Brien. Slane - G O"Brien; A Hickey, T Birch, C Smith, R Byrne, B Lenehan, E Connor, S Lenehan, E Driver, D Byrne, C Reilly. Subs - J Cassidy for Lenehan, S Smith for D Byrne. Glenmuir 3 Slane 0 Slane conceded a early own goal and despite dominating for long spells after that they ended up losing this Premier Reserve encounter to Glenmuir away on Saturday. The home side made sure of victory with two late strikes while Slane were left to rue missed chances, the story of their season so far. Ivan Lenehan and Tommy Macken stood out for the visitors. Slane - G O"Brien; R Finnegan, P Lougheran, J McCarthy, J Gibney, T Macken, D Rock, E Woods, A Harding, D Collins, I Lenehan. Subs - J Warren for Woods, G Kealy for McCarthy.