Dunboyne buoyant as Skryne fall

The way is clear for the quarter-finals of the Meath SFC following the seventh and last round of games in the group stages yesterday.

Holders Dunboyne scraped through, but 2004 winners Skryne missed out on the closing stages for the second year in a row.

Five points from Ger Robinson boosted Dunboyne to a 0-10 to 0-7 win over Trim at Dunsany. Nigel Crawford and David Gallagher showed up well at midfield for the defending champions while Trim, who had already qualified, lost former county full-back Darren Fay, early in the second half, to a mild concussion.

Dunboyne’s would have been in vain had Skryne overcame neighbours Walterstown at Pairc Tailteann, but, boosted by a rare goal from former All-Ireland winner Paddy Reynolds, after seven minutes, Walterstown finished up 1-10 to 0-10 victors.

The Walterstown on top of Group B while Wolfe Tones, who had also earlier booked their place in the last eight, scored a 4-15 to 0-13 victory over Ballinlough at Bohermeen.

Blackhall Gaels, who lost to Dunboyne in last year’s final, topped Group A following their 0-8 to 0-7 success over favourites Navan O’Mahonys at Dunshaughlin. Both sides had already advanced but O’Mahonys had county midfielder Mark Ward dismissed on a straight red card.

St Patrick’s from Stamullen are proving the surprise packets , with former Meath goalkeeper Cormac Sullivan filling a Kieran Donaghy-like role at full forward. He got among the goals in the 2-13 to 0-9 win over Dunshaughlin, at Walterstown.

Dunshaughlin missed out on the quarter-finals for the first time since 1998, and, despite losing three times and drawing once, Colm O’Rourke’s Simonstown Gaels grabbed the last qualifying place in that group.

A 1-15 to 0-5 win over Kilmainhamwood, at Kells, with the manager’s son Shane kicking eight points, put them through as Barney Rock’s Duleek slipped up, losing by 1-9 to 1-13 to Duleek, at Pairc Tailteann.

The pairings for the quarter-finals (on the weekend of September 24th) are: Blackhall Gaels v Dunboyne, Navan O’Mahonys v Trim, Wolfe Tones v St Patrick’s, Walterstown v Simonstown Gaels. Relegation play-off: Cortown v Kilmainhamwood.