Despite a promising start from the Kells men, Duleek/Bellewstown were more efficient in front of the posts scoring two points in the opening 5 minutes. Fionn Smith eventually replied with a point from play after 8 minutes.
The remainder of the half followed a similar pattern to the first period. The hosts added two points despite good play from the Gaeils before Ajay Tormey converted a 45 on 18 minutes.
This was followed by three Duleek/Bellewstown points, two from play and one from a free and Fionn Smith got his second of the evening just before the half time whistle.
Half time 0:07 to 0:03
Kells dominated the first five minutes of the second half without making an impact on the scoreboard. Point efforts from Fionn Smith and
Jack Hogg came off the post in the first and second minutes and Cormac O’Reilly had a goal effort blocked down shortly afterwards.
After a scoreless opening 9 minutes to the half, four points then arrived in as many minutes. Unfortunately for Kells these were to increase the Duleek/Bellewstown advantage as two from play and one from a free were divided by a single response from play by Hogg.
Duleek/Bellewstown managed to maintain this gap at six points as the sides traded the next four scores, all frees, as Liam Barry and Ajay Tormey conversions were each met with immediate responses from the hosts. At this stage there were 10 minutes left in the game and fierce defending from the visitors kept the hosts scoreless for these remaining minutes. Tormey tapped over a free and the Gaeils were unfortunate when a goalmouth scramble was eventually cleared by the Duleek/Bellewstown defence. Hogg was then hauled down as he broke through on goal resulting in a black card for Duleek/Bellewstown and another converted free for Tormey.
Kells pushed on in search of scores as Duleek/Bellewstown packed their defence, and the deficit was reduced to three points when Tormey got his sixth of the evening as the game entered injury time. This proved to be the final score as Kells were unable to find the elusive goal that would earn them a share of the points.
Gaeil Colmcille: Glen Gavagan, Taidgh Dardis, Bruno Griffin, Max Finlay, Killian Kelly, Fionn Smith (0-02), Finn Mullan, Kevin Carpenter, Sean Cleary, Finn Tegetmeier, Zak Griffin, Cormac O’Reilly, Rian Early, Jack Hogg, Ajay Tormey (0-06)
Subs: Liam Barry (0-01) For Zak Griffin, Daragh Smyth for Finn Tegetmeier, Andrew Butler, Sean Thornton
