A convincing win in the end, if you were to judge it by the final score, but a stuttering performance by our Intermediate hurlers was enough to remain unbeaten in their IHC group with 2 wins from 2 outings. Conditions were ideal in Boardsmill for the 1300 throw-in except for a slight breeze blowing into the clubhouse end. St Peters played against it in the first half and it took them a while to settle. Sean Quigley got the first score of the day in the 5th minute to help settle the team after a nervy start. The Kells lads almost raised a green flag 2 minutes later only for a super block from Ciaran Lonergan to deny them. Quigs responded smartly with a mighty score from out on the right hand side but by the 15th minute the teams were tied on 0:03 apiece with a Jason Gleeson free being countered with 0:03 (1f) from Kells. It was over the next 15 minutes that this game was really decided with the Dunboyne team hitting a purple patch, scoring 1: 10 (1f) with out response, including a well take goal from a tight angle from Sean Cregan after being picked out with a pinpoint pass by Gleeson. The hurling played during this 13 minute spell must have pleased the management team as some of the scores they got were well worked team efforts and heads-up hurling. The challenge going forward will be to maintain this as a consistent level. Kells closed the half registering their 4th and 5th points of the game leaving the score on 30 mins on Dunboyne 1:13 (2f) Gael Colmcille's 0:05 (1f);

The second half again started slowly with both teams splitting 10 points between them by the 18th minute, leaving the scoreline on 1:18(5f) to 0:11(3f). The Dunboyne lads rallied again though and outscored Kells 0:06 (3f) to 0:01 over the remainder of the half. On an afternoon when the forward division played in fits and spurts it was a game where the defense was dominant throughout. Evan McCrudden was immense on the edge of the square and D Delaney is certainly in 'hurler of the year' form so far in this championship at no.6. After his excellent performance with the second string during the week Conor 'Salmon' Gilmartin earned his first start of the year and was terrific throughout.

Overall a very satisfactory win and sets them up nicely heading into the next game against Wolfe Tones. What Noel and the management team will be most pleased about is that the numbers putting their hands up for starting positions is growing week on week.

Full Time: St Peters Dunboyne 1:24 (0:08f) Gael Colmcille 0:11 (0:03f)

Team: Paul Graves; Andy McWeeney; Evan McCrudden; Ciaran Lonergan; Conor Gilmartin; Diarmuid Delaney; Alan Watters; Fergal Chawke; Eoghan McCormack (0:02); Sean Quigley (0;07, 2f); Daniel Boyd (0:02); Jason Gleeson (0:07, 5f); Simon Cunningham (0:03); Sean Cregan (1:01, 1f); Niall Smith (0:01); Bench: Ger Murphy (for McWeeney); Conor Murphy (0:01) (for Gleeson); Ronan Conheady (for Smith);

Report by Eamon Murphy.