Dunsany on the scent of final ticket again

Goals each side of half-time provided the platform for Dunsany to go on and make it five wins from five outings in the JFC on Skryne's excellent surface on Sunday. Those goals fuelled Dunsany with the momentum and power to push on and overcome the steely resistance offered by a battling if limited Duleek/Bellewstown side. And while Dunsany will be delighted to go into the knock-out phase yet to experience the bitter taste of defeat they will not be taking anything for granted. Time and again Dunsany have shown the type of form in the group games to suggest that they can go all the way and win the Matthew Ginnity Cup only to have their ambitions splintered at the semi-final or final stages. This time around they will proceed with hope in their hearts, but also with considerable caution. Still, they indicated in this robust encounter played in the heat of a fine August day that they have the resolve and the strength in depth needed to go the distance. They finished this tie with Sean Stephens coming off the bench to fire over three points and close out the game. Also left sitting on the bench was the injured Stephen Clynch. Dunsany will be hoping he can return to full fitness to help them now that they have reached the business end of the championship. While Dunsany dug out some excellent points it was those goals which proved crucial in the end. There was only seconds remaining in the first-half when Dunsany's Barry O'Donnell lofted the ball into the square from a sideline out on the left. The Duleek/Bellewstown goalkeeper David Andrews almost got his hands to the ball. Instead it spun loose and there was Dunsany's Bernard Gargan to slot home from close range. The score could hardly have arrived at a better time providing Dunsany with a real psychological boost going into the break and a lead of 1-6 to 0-6. The second-half was only four minutes old when Dunsany launched another attack. Gargan was once again involved. He passed to Eoin Marsh who sent the ball goalwards and there was O'Donnell at the far post to punch to the net. That goal put Dunsany firmly in the driving seat and while Duleek/Bellewstown responded almost immediately with a sharply-taken goal through Aaron Reilly - after he was set up by Aodhan O'Byrne - there was always the sense that the force was with the team in red. Brian Faherty and the highly influential Marsh formed a formidable midfield combination for the winners while Mark Brennan, Gargan and Ger O'Neill posed major threats up front. O'Neill also had a 'goal' ruled out for square ball. Paul O'Brien also came off the bench to bag a point while Stephens was unlucky not to add more to the three scores he notched up late in proceedings, powering his way through the middle of the opposition backline before firing over. Defensively Dunsany gave little away with Duleek/Bellewstown making the most of a rare opportunity to grab their goal. Duleek/Bellewstown had a productive opening half and points from Jamie Bissett and John McDonnell kept them in the hunt. Dunsany netminder Niall Flynn also made a fine save at a time when Duleek/Bellewstown were going well. Bissett continued to be an influential figure after the break slotting over from play and a free with James Devereux, Jamie Flaherty and John McDonnell others who split the posts. Maybe it was the heat or the fact that Dunsany moved up a gear or two, but Duleek/Bellewstown faded considerably in the closing stages. Their hopes had melted away well before the final whistle brought this lively contest to a conclusion. Dunsany - N Flynn; P McGovern, P Kennedy, N Munnelly; R Donnelly, E Ferguson, D Clynch; B Faherty (0-1), E Marsh; J Keena, M Brennan (0-3 two frees), B O'Donnell (1-0); B Gargan (1-2), G O'Neill (0-3 one free), A Hogan. Subs - C Keena for Clynch half-time; S Stephens (0-3) for O'Donnell 44 mins; P O'Brien (0-1) for Gargan 49m; C Brennan for Hogan 55m. Duleek/Bellewstown - D Andrews; E Curley, D Teeling, G Reilly; K McGrogan, P Callaghan, S Kennedy; A O'Byrne, S McArdle; J Bissett (0-7 four frees), J Devereux (0-1), J Flaherty (0-1); J McDonnell (0-2), T Andrews (0-1), A Reilly (1-0). Subs - A Whearty for McArdle 42mins; McArdle for Reilly 51m. Referee - Frank Gallogly (Dunshaughlin).