Gaeil Colmcille and Senechalstown met in the final round of the group stages in the Fairyhouse Steel Meath Senior Football Championship in the lovely surroundings of Drumconrath.
Gaeil Colmcille hit the opening four points of the match with Seamus Mattimoe grabbing a brace and Brian Hanlon and Martin Barrett getting on the scoresheet earlier in the match. Senechalstown responded well and hit the next two points to close the gap to just two points after 7 mins.
One minute later from the short kickout, Kells held onto the ball well and corner back Adam Muldoon laid the ball of twice and Muldoon carried on his run and when the ball came back to him he buried to the bottom left hand corner.
Both sides traced points with Fionn Reilly pointing from an acute angle and in the 22nd minute Kells grabbed their second goal when Hanlon palmed to the back of the net. Senechalstown added a pointed free in the 24th minute in between points from Hanlon and Mattimoe left Gaeil Colmcille ahead 2-07 to 0-04 at half-time.
Senechalstown came out for the second half and made a strong start hitting the first three points in a three minute spell to reduce the lead to 6 points. Gaeil Colmcille responded with a goal from Evan Sheridan one minute later. Senechalstown added another point before Kells struck for a brace of goals with Fionn Reilly and wing back Conal Courtney firing home.
Senechalstown rallied and hit two unanswered scores but when they looked to get momentum Kells went down the field and Mattimoe hit the back of the net for The Gaeils 6th goal of the game. Senechalstown got a lifeline with five minutes to go when they struck for two goals in a row and could have been closer when Gaeil Colmcille cleared off the line and Senechalstown had a penalty came off the upright to safety to the relief of the Kells players.
Any doubt in the result was ended when Gaeil Colmcille substitute Ryan Farnham struck for two late goals and substitute Fionn Ferguson with a lovely point with the outside of his right boot to confirm Gaeil Colmcille’s position at the top of Group A.
Gaeil Colmcille: J Carry-Lynch, P Tormay, B Smith, A Muldoon (1-00), C Courtney (1-00), S Curran, J Reilly, O Reilly, C Doogan, E Sheridan (1-00), M Barrett, L Ferguson, S Mattimoe (1-04), F Reilly (1-01), B Hanlon (1-02).
Subs: R Farnham (2-00) for O Reilly, F Ferguson (0-01) for Sheridan, S McManus for L Ferguson.
