Gaeil Colmcille and St. Colmcille’s second strings battled it out for survival in Division 3A of the A Leagues in Grangegodden with the loser almost a cert to get relegated to Division 4.
St. Colmcille’s got the perfect start three minutes in when they found the back of the net. Kells responded in true fashion tagging on the next three scores, Barry Farrelly pointing followed by his cousin and name sake Daniel four minutes later, a Danny McGovern left the sides level with eight minutes played but all Gaeil Colmcille’s hard work was undone when St. Colmcille’s hit their second goal of the game followed by a point to see them take a four point lead.
Once again Kells dug deep and a point from Stephen Reddy followed by a point by Centre-Back Danny Muldoon cut the lead in half and by the 23rd minute Gaeil Colmcille were level as McGovern and Barry Farrelly each got their second points of the game. Gaeil Colmcille took the lead for the very first time when Muldoon got his second point but St Colmcille’s drew level straight away.
Gaeil Colmcille once again took the lead thanks to Ajay Tormey but the sides were soon level once again. As the game approached half-time, Kells struck for their first goal as wing back Daniel Farrelly capped off an impressive first half when he found the back of the net as The Gaeils went in three points up at the break 1-09 to 2-03.
With the east coast side getting the early goal in the first half, it was the north Meath side who struck early in the second half when goal poacher Alex Williams found the back of the net. Williams followed his goal with a point just after Colmcille’s got their fourth point of the game and Danny McGovern got his third of the game to see Kells push seven points clear with a quarter of the game remaining.
Amazingly that was to be Gaeil Colmcille’s last score of the game as the seasiders applied all the pressure in the final quarter. Five scores in a row left just two between the sides and a nervy finish but Gaeil Colmcille held out and secured the all important win and lift them up to fourth in the table and secure Division 3A status for 2023.
Gaeil Colmcille: Sean Thornton, Conor Arkins, Aaron Browne, Adam Donnelly, Fionn Smith, Danny Muldoon (0-02), Daniel Farrelly (1-01), Ajay Tormey (0-01), Cian Doogan, Alex Williams (1-01), Fionn Ferguson, Sean Cleary, Barry Farrelly (0-02), Danny McGovern (0-03), Stephen Reddy (0-01).
Subs: Kristapus Vitkasas for Arkins, Cormac O’Reilly for Cleary, Cormac Mattimoe for Williams, Dylan Roche for Smith, Shane Bennett for Ferguson.
