Hunterstown Rovers top group following victory over Dundalk Young Irelands

Hunterstown Rovers top Group 2 with a two point win over Dundalk Young Irelands and Kilkerley Emmets exhaled a huge sigh of relief as they also advanced as second seeds.

Emmets needed a Rovers win to keep their Seamus Flood hopes alive and led by Ryan Burns they did so.

Having controlled the contest from a bright opening, Rovers let their guard down somewhat in the second half but there was no suggestion of letting the win slip from their grasp.

A narrow loss still would have seen them top of the group but you suspect Colm Donnelly’s men have their own standards to adhere to and that is how it played out and in the professional manner of the group navigation overall.

The blood pressure in those around Kilkerley was slightly raised towards the end of this encounter when Paddy Taaffe was sent off for Rovers.

A heavy shoulder on the advancing Jordan O’Donoghue was deemed to be of the red card variety from referee Jonathon Conlon.

A few long dropping balls were then sent in, county net minder Peter McStravick cracked the cross bar, numerous scrambles ensued and even a breakaway from Burns was denied by Fergal Sheekey to leave the door slightly ajar for the Irelanders to sneak away from elimination.

Despite being jaded and somewhat disjointed, Hunterstown got the stops and gladly displayed their spirit by putting their backs to the wall.

Full of desire at both ends in both halves Hunterstown deserved the win.

Right from the off, the winners set the tone. Jamie O’Callaghan in his championship debut clipped over from the throw-in and Ryan Burns was sensationally sharp.

Cutting in from the right and finding the range with a sweet brace before O’Callaghan’s second.

McStravick missed a free he really should have scored in between but without that settler, Declan Mussen and Bernie Ruane’s side struggled. Burns made it five unanswered scores to nil by the time Jordan O’Donoghue notched a close free in the 20th minute.

That sluggish drought proved costly in the finish as once the Irelanders got up and running they quickly narrowed the gap and nearly made Hunterstown pay.

McStravick atoned with two brilliant free’s to cut the margin to a more competitive two points.

However, James Rogers shone in a swift blitz before half time to make it 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval. The Louth under 20 backed himself from tight angles on the right hand side with his right to essentially decide the outcome of the game.

Ireland's bright spark, with the absence of the suspended Dean Maguire, was the trusty Dermot Mone. The veteran again cut the deficit as the sides would go point for point in the entirety of the second half.

Score for score was exactly what Hunterstown needed to do to manage the game and they did so but more close for comfort than Kilkerley would have liked but Davy Finn’s move typified the gears Hunterstown could have risen to.

Irelanders hung in the game but Hunterstown batted away everything that was thrown at them and hung on for the win with a fixed glaze.

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Donovan Sheridan; Euan Woodlock, Patrick Taaffe, Martin Lennon; Cillian Taaffe, Dáithí Carroll, David Finn 0-1; Shane Halpenny, Tony McKenna; James Rogers 0-2, Glen Mathews, Jamie O’Callaghan 0-2; Paul Carrie, Ryan Burns 0-5 (2f), Dean Burns. SUBS: Ryan Ward for Mathews (43), Marc Ward for McKenna (46), Finn Kelly for O’Callaghan (53), Brendan Lennon for D Burns (53), Richie Taaffe for M Lennon (58).

DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheekey; Mickey Mone, Ciaráin Murray, Mark Gahan; Liam McStravick, Jamie Browne, Cian Ó Niaraigh; Ryan Malone, Peter McStravick 0-4 (3f, 1'45); Seán Murphy, Jordan O’Donoghue 0-1 (1f), Ruairí Kelly 0-1 (1f); Dermot Mone 0-2, Derek Maguire, Cian O’Donoghue. SUBS: Conn O’Donoghue for Ó Naraigh (45), Caolan McCabe for Malone (53), Lee O’Donoghue for M Mone (56).

REFEREE: Jonathan Conlon (O’Connell’s).