After the disappointment of missing out in the Semi-Final’s of the LMFM Minor Football Championship, Gaeil Colmcille and Na Fianna faced off for a chance to make the Minor Shield final.
Na Fianna started the brightest and had the majority of the early possession and made that count when they pointed in the second minute. Gaeil Colmcille responded well and struck for the opening goal with wing-forward John Brady firing home.
Na Fianna got back on level terms with two points in a row but an excellent point from full-forward Zak Griffin, Griffin gathered the ball and turned his man and pointed from an acute angle. Kells went two points clear with Alex Williams pointing and things got better for The Gaeils when good work from the inside forwards saw good link up play with Luke Ronan, Jamie Jordan and Brady saw the ball squared to Griffin who palmed to the back of the net.
Na Fianna rallied well at the end of the half and hit the next four scores in a row to reduce Gaeil Colmcille’s lead to a single point at 2-02 to 0-07.
The Enfield/Baconstown outfit got off to the perfect start in the second half when a high ball into the full-forward line fell to the Na Fianna man who soccer style kicked to the back of the net. With Na Fianna in the lead and the wind in their sails kicked on and hit the next two scores to go three points clear. Gaeil Colmcille reduced the lead to a single point with Luke Ronan and substitute Ajay Tormey pointing.
As Kells pushed for an equalizing score Na Fianna added on two free kicks. Alex Williams got his second point of the game to ensure Kells kept in the game, Na Fianna added another point and in the 55th minute disaster struck for Kells when Na Fianna struck for their second goal of the game leaving six between the sides. Kells pushed hard for goals and were unlucky not to find the net with efforts from Williams who struck the upright, Paul Dowds saw his effort well saved, Nathan Moore looked likely to palm the ball to the net when Tormey looped a handpass into the square but somehow the Na Fianna men kept the ball out. Moore had another attempt at goal but his effort blazed over. With the clock deep into injury time Na Fianna hot the final score of the match to see them run out six point winners and they head on to the Shield Final to face St. Peter’s, Dunboyne.
Gaeil Colmcille: S Thornton, J Reilly, D Smyth, M Finlay, C Murphy, F Smith, R O’Boyle, S Cleary, C O’Reilly, J Brady (1-00), L Ronan (0-02), A Williams (0-02), M Cahill, Z Griffin (1-01), J Jordan.
Subs: P Dowds, A Tormey (0-01), B Shine, N Moore (0-01), K Vithauskas, K Carpenter, F Mullan,
Photo © Declan Lynch
