On a perfect evening for hurling Kiltale and St. Peter’s Dunboyne served up an entertaining match which was close for most of the 60 minutes before the away side scored the final three points of the encounter to run out five point victors.
Indeed Kiltale also started the better in a low scoring first quarter and led by four points to two at the water break with points from Adam Murphy, Fergal McCabe and two Chris Reilly frees.
Although St Peter’s would add just two more points in the first half, the last strike of the half was a 65 which went straight into the Kiltale net leaving just two points between the sides – a great Shane Lenehan strike from play and four more pointed frees from Reilly left the maroons with nine points at the break.
The home side scored first in the second half, but it was Kiltale who dominated most of the quarter, after a superb catch by Cathal McCabe in the middle of the field he ran towards goal and slotted over for the point of the night, followed shortly by another candidate for the accolade when a pin-point Eamonn Ryan pass found Murphy – now operating in the forward line – who slotted over from a tight angle. Murphy was ably supported in the inside line by Sean Hughes on his first senior start.
The away side outscored the home side by six points to one in the first fourteen minutes of the second half but again Dunboyne struck with a goal at a vital time just before the water break to keep them very much in the hunt.Kiltale re-grouped at the final sos uisce and ended the stronger scoring four points in a three minute spell, the pick of which was David Donoghue’s long-range effort from the left.Further points from Fergal McCabe, and Murphy together with two more frees from Reilly – who’s free-taking was flawless all night – saw Kiltale over the line with a well deserved five-point win.
That’s two from two and next up for the maroons is a home tie with Killyon next Friday night.
KiltaleC. Ryan; W. Mahady, P. Garvey, B. O’Reilly; C. Shirren, P. Kelly, E. Ryan; A. Murphy (0-04), C. McNally; D. Donoghue (0-01), C. Reilly (0-11 all frees), C. McCabe(0-01); S. Lenehan (0-01), F. McCabe (0-03), S. Hughes.Subs: G. McVann for Hughes.