Dundrum showed glimpses of improving their recent erratic form with this hard fought victory over a tough tackling, hard hitting and very direct St Pauls outfit.

   With county star Paul McComiskey back in the fold the Dundrum players collectively lifted their game and after a frenetic 1st half led by three at the break.

   McComiskey was to the fore early on as he fired over from play and then knocked over a 21'. Captain Kieran Walsh then popped up with his first of the night. However, all this productive work was undone moments later when St Pauls netted after a hectic goalmouth scramble.

   The roving Jonathan McMullan soon got the Duns back in to the lead but St Pauls hit back once more. It then took a purple patch from wing forward Paul Rooney to resurrect Dundrum's fortunes. The nippy attacker evaded his marker twice to leave the away side two points to the good with ten minutes remaining to the interval.

   With the pressure on St Pauls responded with intent. With the tempo upped they landed four scores on the trot to take a two point lead. This advantage was short lived though and the resurgent Duns came back in to the game with purpose. Kieran Walsh landed a 45' before Cormac Venney bagged his first score of the night to level the game.

   Then just before the referee's half time whistle Conor McShane earned a dubious penalty for the Duns. The supremely confident Kieran Walsh duly dispatched his effort and led his team to a three point advantage with another thirty minutes of highly charged action remaining.

   The play in the 2nd half really stepped up a notch. Just like he did at the beginning of the 1st period, McComiskey opened with intent. In quickfire succession he drilled over two points. However, the drive in the St Pauls players really shone through after this as Conor McIllroy pointed and then the Holywood men found the net after a mixup in the Dundrum backiline.

   With only the minimum now separating the sides the next score would prove to be crucial. Luckily enough for Dundrum it arrivied for them with the bustling Conor McShane finding the net after working his way through the St Pauls rearguard.

   With four points now between the entities, St Pauls had to go hell for leather if they were to get any sort of positive result from the contest. In retribution for McShane's goal, Gerry Quinn's charges plundered over two points. However, their character was severely tested shortly after as the excellent Cormac Venney stabbed home from close range to grab the Duns their third three pointer of the match.

   With St Pauls resolve being pushed to the limit they suffered intermittent bouts of indiscipline which saw them have a man sent off. This didnt offset their forward line though as they conspired to rack up 0-03 without reply in the space of five minutes to leave their side within two points of their opponents.

   With eight minutes remaining it was the fitness of the Dundrum players that began to show. They started to run St Pauls ragged and scores from Paul McComiskey (0-03) and Cormac Venney (0-02) rendered St Pauls solitary effort ineffective.

   Overall, this was a much improved performance from the Duns. The return of McComiskey and Kavanagh from county duty really rallied the Dundrum troops and along with superb performances from Marty Melville, Kieran Walsh, Cormac Venney, Conor McShane and Martin Coughlan, the bayisiders were well worth their six point victory.

Dundrum: C.King, M.Rooney, M.Melville, N.McComiskey, J.McMullan (0-01), J.Hurley, M.Cunningham, K.Walsh (1-02, 1P, 1F), A.Doyle, C.McShane (1-00), P.McComiskey (0-07, 2F), P.Rooney (0-02), C.Venney (1-03), C.Hogg, M.Coughlan. Sub: D.Kavanagh.