DULEEK/BELLEWSTOWN… 0-13
OLDCASTLE..,0-07
Can one man make that big of a difference to a team? It would appear that can be answered in the affirmative after the return of the mercurially talented Eamonn Armstrong gave the Louth border club the required extra inches to negotiate their way past Oldcastle and into the knockout stages of the Meade Farm IFC.
The wintry conditions failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the large crowd or the quality of football on show at the beautifully appointed home of St Michael’s GFC in Carlanstown.
It’s beyond question that a large percentage thereof were in situ to see that man Armstrong. One of several young players released back to their clubs here in Ireland.
Very quickly the masses got what they were after as the inspirational special talent was conductor in chief of the green, white and yellow orchestra.The residents of Tony Callaghan Park needing to win by a minimum of four points to overtake their opponents and advance in the race for the Mattie McDonnell Cup.
They were exactly at that point by half way, 0-08 to 0-04. With the scores arriving via the experienced John Flood, James McWeeney, Armstrong and Sam O’Leary.
At the other end, Pat Crawley, Paul Hennessy and Colin Hawdon battled manfully to keep Joe Sheridan’s side afloat but the half time chasm was as good as it got for the blue and white.
Having jumped the most important hurdle up to this point, for as long as Eamonn is available to the men from Crocafotha and with the classy Alan Bowden seemingly on his way back from a broken leg, the combination club will be one name the other contenders will want to avoid in Sunday evening’s draw.
DULEEK/BELLEWSTOWN – R. Lynch; C. Kirwan, C. Regan, G. Callaghan; C. Byrne, T. Bowden, O. Miland; R. Clarke, S. Crosby; K. Doherty, E. Armstrong, S. O’Leary; J. Flood, J McWeeney, J. McGarvey.
SUBS – J. Hartford for McGarvey, J. McDonnell for Flood.
OLDCASTLE – M. Galligan; C. McPartland, T. Sheridan, O. O’Reilly; R. Crawley, J. Cooke, S. Lawless; O. Mulvany, P. Hennessy; S. Boylan, C. Hawdon, P. Sheridan; R. Halpin, P. Crawley, J. Scully.
SUBS – D. Garrigan for McPartland, R. Maguire for R. Crawley, R. Farrelly for Halpin, P. Rahill for Mulvany.
Referee – Ciaran Flynn (Dunsany)