Gaeil Colmcille oversaw a determined Navan O’Mahonys side in Paddy O’Brien Park on the opening night of the 2024 All County A Leagues Division 1. A late Brian Hanlon free was enough to see the two points go back up the M3 in this rescheduled fixture after its postponement on Thursday evening.
In a game that finished 0-08 to 0-07 both sides defences can hold their heads high as scores were few and hard to come by. Gaeil Colmcille’s Evan Sheridan opened the scoring in the opening minute after he was excellently picked out by his midfield partner Liam Ferguson. Four minutes would pass until the second score of the game and Kells doubled their lead thanks to Jonnys Quigley who reaped the awards of a lung bursting run and he smartly chipped the ball over the bar.
O’Mahonys got their first score of the evening in the 11th minute after a quick thinking sideline from Jake Regan resulted in a 14 yard free been given and Regan himself tapped over. Fionn Smith got Gaeil Colmcille’s third point one minute later after he popped up in the right place to point in what was a collectors item for the corner back.
The home side reacted well to Smiths score and found themselves level on three points each with 18 minutes played. The final third of the half saw just two scores, one from either side as a Hanlon free was cancelled by a point from play by O’Mahonys to leave the sides level at the break on 0-04 each.
Like the first half, Kells got the opening score and this time it was an excellent mark from Oisin Walsh who was making his Senior League Debut for Gaeil Colmcille to see them lead by one. That would remain the score until the 39th minute until Aodhan Mallon levelled things up for O’Mahonys.
A goal was on the cards for Gaeil Colmcille soon after but Ryan Farnham saw his effort cleared off the line brilliantly by the O’Mahonys defender. The ball then ricocheted to Walsh who found the back of the net but for Referee Joseph Curran adjudged Walsh to have been in the square before the ball arrived and the game remained level.
With both sides missing opportunities Alex Williams popped up with a brilliant score on what was his Senior League Debut also to see Kells lead by one. The Gaeils lead was doubled soon after thanks to Walsh’s second point of the game, this time a wonderful point from play and a fist pump to go along with it.
With 15 minutes remaining you would be forgiven to think the visitors would kick on but the Navan side never gave up and by the 55th minute the sides were once again level this time with Jake Regan hitting a monster score with the outside of his left boot and Robbie Keelaghan getting the equaliser to set up a tense finish.
As the clock struck 60 minutes, a counter attacking move from Kells saw Referee Curran award a free and Hanlon duly obliged to see them take a one point advantage. As O’Mahonys went in search for another equaliser, the Kells defence stood firm as they had all day and vital interceptions from Fionn Smith, James Reilly and Liam Ferguson saw The Gaeils close out the win and opening round two points.
Gaeil Colmcille: Barry Farrelly, Fionn Smith, Rian Early, Paulie Tormay, Jordan Muldoon, Barry Tormay, Jonny Quigley (0-01), Liam Ferguson, Evan Sheridan (0-01), Adam Muldoon, Ryan Farnham, Alex Williams (0-01), Oisin Walsh (0-02), Brian Hanlon (0-02), James Reilly
Subs: Daniel Farrelly for J Muldoon, Liam Barry for Williams, Gary McGovern for Hanlon
