O Raghallaigh’s 0-13 Roche Emmets 3-12

Roche reached 14 points in Division Two – for just the second time since the leagues were restructured ahead of 2007 – following Sunday’s comfortable victory at the Gaelic Grounds.

Emmets led from start to finish with three first half goals providing Paul Grier’s men with an insurmountable buffer in humid conditions.

Liam Carthy was first to lift the net and when Mark Byrne and Barry O’Hare – who played duck and thunder with the home backs – followed suit, Roche were well on their way to a seventh win of the league season.

Leading 3-6 to 0-5 at the interval, with O’Hare, Carthy, Byrne and Mark Reynolds hitting points, Emmets were sluggish in the third quarter and allowed O Raghallaigh’s to close to within six.

Though a stronger finish, which almost yielded a fourth goal after James McDonnell rattled the crossbar following a flowing team move involving Gerard Browne and Peter Lynch, nudged the buffer towards double digits.

It was also just the second time in 10 outings where Emmets failed to concede a goal – a stat which was arguably the most pleasing aspect of the display.

Victory sends Roche back to the summit of the table ahead of the round 11 clash with Hunterstown Rovers at Páirc de Róiste on Friday night.

Roche: Evin Quigley; Gerard Browne, Peter Lynch, Harry O’Connell; Andrew Carroll, James McDonnell, Caoimhín Reilly; Mark Reynolds (0-1), Martin Carroll; Robert Mackin, Liam Carthy (1-1), David O’Connell; Mark Byrne (1-3), Barry O’Hare (1-6), Glen Stewart

Subs: Dan O’Connell (0-1) for Mackin, Fintan Watters for Carroll, Mikey McCourt for Carthy

Referee: Kevin Levins (Hunterstown)