A blistering first-half display set champions Kiltale en route to an emphatic win over Dunboyne in this third round SHC fixture at Pairc Tailteann on Monday evening.
Kiltale 3-34, Dunboyne 1-11
Playing into the town goal on an evening laced with heavy showers, David Troy’s men laid the foundations for their third win from three inside the opening eight minutes when registering 1-7 without reply.
Teams have let big leads slip on other occasions, but Kiltale were relentless here especially in the opening 30 minutes when chalking up 23 scores.
When the sheltering dressing rooms beckoned it was 2-21 to 0-4. Dunboyne’s weren’t helped by the dismissal on a straight red card of full-back Andy McWeeney in the 12th minute.
Jack Regan’s 16-point haul doesnt tell the full story of the county man’s input. His workrate also impacted positively on the outcome. His assist for Stephen Donoghue’s sixth minute point from distance stood out.
The first of Daragh Gilmartin’s brace of points put Dunboyne on the scoreboard. Coupled with a Sean McGrath effort they left eight between the sides with 10 minutes gone.
The champions upped a couple of gears to move 15 points clear by the 20th minute. Six minutes later Jack Bannon capitalised on a Dunboyne defensive mix-up to net and leave the nearby scoreboard reading 2-18 to 0-4.
At the break, 23 points was the chasm between the teams. Stephen Moran pulled a point back for Dunboyne within a minute of resumption.
It was not surprising that Kiltale’s scoring rate dipped after the break, but they managed to outscore their opponents in black-and-amber by 1-13 to 1-7 in the second period.
Bannon bagged his second goal in the 42nd minute following Cian Smyth’s save from Fearghal McCabe. That left 29 points between the teams, 3-27 to 0-7.
Dunboyne doubled their tally in the final quarter. Their 1-4 was matched by a further seven Kiltale points.
Conor Gilmartin was Dunboyne’s goalscorer and his side might have notched a second goal in stoppage time when Neil Hackett penalty was brilliantly saved by stand-in Kiltale ‘keeper David Donoghue.
At this point Kiltale and Meath goalkeeper Shane McGann had departed with a injury.
The outcome sees Kiltale maintain their six-in-a-row bid while Dunboyne have a battle at the other end of the table.
In the next round Dunboyne face Kildalkey, while Kiltale are up against Killyon.
Kiltale – Shane McGann; David Donoghue, Phillip Garvey (C), William Mahady; Stephen Donoghue, (0-2), Padraig Kelly (0-2), James Kelly (0-3); ; Stephen Cummins (0-1), Shane Lenehan; Chris Reilly, Cathal McCabe (0-2), Jack Regan (0-16, 8 fs); Jack Bannon (2-1), Fearghal McCabe (1-3),Mark O’Sullivan (0-4).
Subs – Ross Ryan for O’Sullivan (47), O’Sullivan for McGann (60)
Dunboyne – Cian Smyth; Ger Murphy, Andy McWeeney, Niall Smyth; Alan Watters, Peter O’Doherty, Fergal O’Neill; Killian Smyth, Micheal O’Grady; Keith Doyle, Stephen Moran (0-2), Neil Hackett (0-4, 2fs); Sean McGrath (0-3), Michael Dunne, Daragh Gilmartin (0-2).
Subs – Ben O’Dwyer for D Gilmartin (24), N Watters for O’Grady (28), Adam Hynes for Doyle (ht), Conor Gilmartin (1-0) for Dunne (37), Darragh Finlay for Moran (59).
Referee – Killian Jones (Kilcock)
Match report via HoganStand.com.