O’Connell’s 2-14 Roche Emmets 3-14

A third-quarter blitz earned Roche a deserved victory in Castlebellingham on Friday night – moving the boys in blue joint-top of Division Two following a third win out of four outings.

The hosts led 0-10 to seven at halfway but were blown asunder by Roche during the opening period of the second half – Emmets’ strong running and purposeful play securing Paul Grier’s charges a nine-point lead at one stage.

Substitute Liam Carthy put the winners in front for the first time when expertly rolling a goal beneath Stuart Reynolds and when Barry O’Hare was fouled for a penalty moments later, the same player stood up to dispatch past the veteran O’Connell’s custodian.

And another sweeping move led to a third three-pointer, this time Dan O’Connell picked his spot in the net as Roche seemed certain to cruise to the triumph.

Unfortunately, though, having spurned upwards on four further goal chances by that juncture in the affair, and with O’Connell’s intent on making a game of it, Roche’s buffer was reduced to six after a soft goal concession, Conor Culligan blasting home.

Emmets were now wearying and giving possession away cheaply, though they looked to have the insurance goal when Mark Byrne palmed in at the back post, only for referee Kevin Brady to deem the teenager to have been in the square before the leather arrived.

And in a cruel twist of fate, a dropping ball off the post at the other end fell ever so kindly for the inrushing attacker, Dean Stanfield, to bury beyond the helpless Jamie O’Hare.

Indeed, had a late bounce favoured the men in maroon, they may have rescued a draw as Roche continued to gift possession away.

A hard-earned win, nonetheless, on a night where Emmets had 10 different registrars – an impressive tally by any reckoning.

O’Connell’s: Stuart Reynolds; Liam Kiernan, Salem Rifaie, Jack Saddlier; Emmet Byrne (0-2), Jackie Agnew (0-1), Eibhin Caldwell; Conor Kiernan, Seán Cairns; Andrew Keenan (0-1), Dean Stanfield (1-2), Conor Culligan (1-0); Robert Quigley (0-7), Bernard Osborne (0-1), Stuart Osborne

Sub: Ciarán O’Brien for Cairns

Roche: Jamie O’Hare; Gerard Browne, Harry O’Connell, James McDonnell; Peter Lynch (0-1), Dermot Carthy (0-1), Caoimhín Reilly (0-1); Glen Stewart (0-2), Martin Carroll; James McArdle, Kevin Callaghan (0-1), Shane Byrne (0-1); Mark Byrne (0-4), Dan O’Connell (1-1), Barry O’Hare (1-2)

Subs: Conor Carthy for McArdle, Liam Carthy (1-0) for Callaghan, Enda Murphy for Reilly, Mikey McCourt for D O’Connell

Referee: Kevin Brady