The top of the table clash in group A of the IHC did not disappoint this morning in Batterstown. Two evenly matched teams met for the 3rd time this year with Rathmolyon again ahead at the final whistle, in a repeat of the Billy Byrne Cup final. While it wasn't a do or die game by any means it was still a marker for later in the championship when these two teams would be expecting to be in the shakeup. Tempers boiled over slightly before the throw-in with Fergal Chalke's helmet accidently being taken off by his opposite marker. But calm restored quickly and the ball was thrown in by experienced referee Mark Reilly to get the early awaited clash under way.

Dunboyne were first to trouble the scoreboard from a Jason Gleeson placed ball in the very first minute. Rathmolyon countered 60 seconds later with a free of their own. In a very even first 13 minutes the teams traded a further 3 points each leaving the score deadlocked on 0:4 apiece, with Sean Quigley, Ger Murphy and Gleeson all grabbing one each from play for Dunboyne. In the 14th minute the team in green went ahead for the first time from a '65, before adding to that one minute later with the first goal of the game with an overhead bat from their full forward. (Db 0:04 Rn 1:05). Quiggs and Gleeson (f) responded for St Peters to reduce the margin while Eoghan McCormack and Gleeson (f) added two more in the 25th and 30th minute. Rathmolyon were to finish the half on the up though and score two from play before the whistle went. This left the score at the half way point with Dunboyne trailing by a goal on 0:08 (3f) to 1:08 (1f, 1'65).

Rathmolyon pushed their lead out to 4 points with a point from play in the 2nd minute after the resumption. But the next 7 minutes were to belong to Dunboyne, 4 points without reply with 3 more from Gleeson (2f) and one from the hurl of Conor Murphy. (0:12 to 1:09). Rathmolyon responded with two from play before another Gleeson free in the 16th minute. This sequence was to repeat again from the 18th to the 21st minute - 2 more from play for Rathmolyon followed by a Gleeson free (0:14 to 1:13). Three more on the bounce from Rathmolyon pushed the gap out to 5 points and time was running out for the Black and Amber team. In the 25th minute Jason Gleeson picked up the ball in midfield and cut through the opposition defence before picking out Niall Smith who had the composure to hit the back of the net in a packed square. (1:14 to 1:16). Yet again Rathmolyon responded positively with a well taken score, out to three points. Gleeson (f) and Chalke pointed to leave one between the sides as the game entered injury time. Dunboyne had a couple of chances to draw level but both, unfortunately, trailed off wide. Rathmolyon pushed it out to 2 in the 33rd minute before Conor Murphy brought it back to one again with the last score of a rather enjoyable game. Final Score: Dunboyne: 1:17 (8f) Rathmolyon 1:18 (2f, 1'65);

With one more game to go in the Group stages this result more or less guarantees now that Rathmolyon will top the group and go straight into the semi finals. Dunboyne will more than likely have to be happy with the quarter final route should they get over Kilmessan in their last group game. They will learn a lot from todays game after three somewhat one sided games to date in the championship. Noel will be very happy with his defence after this morning's game with Evan McCrudden and Alan Watters again outstanding for Dunboyne, while the forwards battled well but found it hard to create space against a well drilled Rathmolyon rear guard. In reality the championship starts now and on the balance of everything the Black and Ambers are not in a bad place.

Team: Paul Graves; Andy McWeeney; Evan McCrudden; Ciaran Lonergan; Ger Murphy; Diarmuid Delaney; Alan Watters; Eoghan McCormack (0:01); Fergal Chalke (0:01); Conor Murphy (0:02); Daniel Boyd; Sean Quigley (0:2); Simon Cunningham; Jason Gleeson (0:10, 8f); Niall Smith (1:00); Bench: Killian Smith (For Simon Cunningham HT);