Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels and Clann Na nGael met in a cold Dunganny for the Meath MHC division 1 semi final, with both teams hoping to join Ratoath in the decider. The sides had previously met in the spring league, with Clann Na nGael coming out on top in a high scoring affair.
As the teams gathered for the game sad news was coming through from Kells of the passing of Gaeil Colmcille legend Dessie Ferguson. A minutes silence was observed in his honour before the game.
It was Clann Na nGael who started the brightest on this occasion, with sharpshooter Joe Ennis sending a sideline cut straight over the bar 3 minutes in. Daire Shine responded shortly after, cutting straight through the middle of the Athboy defence and firing over from 45 yards out. Clann Na nGael then regained the lead with another Ennis point, this time from play.
Two minutes later though, Ronan Cunning, who was cruelly forced off through injury shortly after, cleverly picked up the ball and carried it towards goal, before shooting from the 21 yard line. His shot dropped short, but was fumbled by the Clann Na nGael keeper and crept in, putting the Gaels 2 points up. Some excellent defensive work from Shine kept Clann na Gael at bay, however they were able to add another free on 18 minutes. This was cancelled out by a Tom Shine free 5 minutes later, leaving Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels 2 points up as the referee called for a late water break.
Clann na Gael once more started the brightest, with a well taken Sean Óg Tiernan point from play straight after the restart, but once more it was cancelled out by a Tom Shine free 65 metres out a minute later. Tom then pointed another free, this time won by his brother Daire after some good work by midfielder Oisin McDermott. Some heroic defending saw the combination side take a 1-4 to 0-4 lead in at half time.
For the third time, Clann na Gael opened the scoring with another Ennis free in the first minute of the second half. Soon after, wing back Eoin Briody burst through two men with the ball in his hand and was able to pick out Tom Shine. Tom found substitute Andrew Gormley with pass down the sideline, then took the return pass and sent the ball over from play.
Clann Na nGael got the next two scores, the first after a clever short free in to full forward Luke Ennis and the second from a placed ball on the left hand side. Daire Shine then got the score of the game, controlling a long ball on his hurl on his own 45, running to the opposite 45 and striking it over, without catching it at all. This was followed by another Joe Ennis point from a free, but Daire then won a free on his own 65, which he duly pointed, leaving the score at 1-7 to 8 to Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels at the second water break.
Clann Na nGael again opened the scoring almost immediately with another free. 5 minutes later, wing back Eoin Briody went an amazing run, outpacing his marker and flicking the ball over two Clann Na nGael defenders heads, bringing him one on one with the keeper, however his low shot was well saved by Athboy keeper Brendan Smith, denying him a wonder goal. The ball was cleared straight to Tom Shine though, who easily pointed.
The momentum was now with Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels. Substitute John Gormley was fouled and Tom Shine pointed the resulting free. This was followed by a well taken point by James McDonnell after he broke free from his man and split the posts from 40 yards out. Clann Na nGael kept the pressure up but were simply unable to break down the tenacious Gaels backline. Andrew Gormley got the final score of the game, pointing from the tightest of angles after a long ball in from a free, meaning a final score of 1-11 to 0-9 in favour of Seanie Geraghty’s charges.
Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels: Tommy McKeown, Matthew Farrelly, Jack Connell, Taidgh Dardis, Sean Thornton, Daire Shine (0-03, 0-01f), Eoin Briody, Oisin McDermott, Oisin O’Reilly, Rian Early, Tom Shine(0-06, 0-05f), James McDonnell (0-01), Hughie Corcoran, Ronan Cunning (1-00), Kit Óg Lynch
Subs: Conall McGovern, John Gormley, Fergal Flynn, Andrew Gormley (0-01), Darren Higgins
Clann Na nGael: Brendan Smith, Daragh O’Reilly, Jeaic Murray, Luke Cahill, Odhran Daly, Eoin Fitzsimons, Jack Kelly, Nathan Hegarty, Brandon Geraghty, Sean Óg Tiernan (0-01), Eugene O’Reilly, Joe Ennis (0-07, 0-05f, 0-01LB), Keelan McKenna, Luke Ennis (0-01), Ronan McLoughlin
Subs: Eoin Kelleher, Oisin Durcan, Ross Farrelly, Liam Kelleher, Dylan Doherty, Fionn Mullen, Tiernan Boyle
A big thanks to Cormac O’Reilly for providing us with the excellent report.
