Gaeil Colmcille welcomed the amalgamated sides of Castletown and Syddan to Grangegodden for the opening round of the U20 ‘A’ Championship.
The visitors got the opening score of the game in the fifth minute but two points in quick succession from Finn Tegetmeier and Ajay Tormey saw Kells take the lead. Killary Emmets drew the game level in the 12th minute before Zak Griffin restored Gaeil Colmcille’s lead with a point in the 15th minute.
With the game swinging in both ways it was Killary who regained the lead with two points in a row but Tormey got his second and Kells fourth point of the game to see the sides level at 0-04 each. Killary Emmets struck the next two points of the game and looked to be taking a lead into half time before Ajay Tormey struck for a goal in the 28th minute to see Gaeil Colmcille lead 1-04 to 0-06 at the break.
Killary got the perfect start to the second half with a goal to see them take a two point lead. A second Zak Griffin point was cancelled out by two Killary points to see them lead by three points with 38 minutes played.
Cormac O’Reilly and a second Tegetmeier point reduced the gap to the minimum with Killary leading 1-08 to 1-07. With the game in balance, Killary put daylight between the sides when the struck for 1-02 to no reply to pull six points clear with 12 minutes remaining.
Gaeil Colmcille were handed a lifeline as Zak Griffin tore down on goal and was hauled to the ground resulting in a black card for the Killary Emmets player. Tormey pointed the resulting free and Cormac O’Reilly got his second point of the game to leave four between the sides. With 57 minutes played Gaeil Colmcille were awarded a penalty as Jack Hogg was fouled in the large rectangle. Ajay Tormey sent the keeper the wrong way to leave just a point between the sides with three minutes and injury time remaining.
Gaeil Colmcille pressed the Killary defence but could not find the equaliser that arguably the deserved in what was a good battle between the two sides. Next up for the Kells men is a trip to Duleek to face Duleek/Bellewstown wile Killary Emmets face Kilbride who also had an opening round one point win.
Gaeil Colmcille: Glen Gavagan, Taidgh Dardis, Bruno Griffin, Max Finlay, Cormac O’Reilly (0-02), Fionn Smith, Kilian Kelly, Ajay Tormey (2-03), Sean Cleary, Kevin Carpenter, Zak Griffin (0-02), Finn Tegetmeier (0-02), Oisin O’Reilly, Jack Hogg, Rian Early.
Subs: Darragh Smyth
