A Jack Hogg point seven minutes from time proved the difference as Gaeil Colmcille’s seconds overcame Ballinlough in the J.M.B Sportsfield Services Division 4 played in Grangegodden.
In what was a sluggish start by both teams, the hosts used the strong breeze to their favour as the Kells forwards drew two fouls from the Ballinlough backs and Full-Forward Alex Williams duly obliged to give The Gaeils a 0-02 to 0-00 lead with four minutes on the clock.
That was as good as it got for Gaeil Colmcille for the next twenty minutes as Ballinlough found their groove and rattled off five scores without reply to lead by four, 0-06 to 0-02 with three minutes remaining in the half. Gaeil Colmcille got themselves back in the game and somehow saw themselves level at the break after Williams converted his third free left of the game and left three between the teams. In the 30th minute, smart thinking from Gary McGovern who saw the Ballinlough keeper off his line and he excellently dinked the ball into the back of the net to leave it 1-03 to 0-06 at half time.
Ballinlough, now playing with the benefits of the conditions got the opening score of the half in the 35th minute to take the lead once again but scores were at a minimum and Kells called on Williams once again, this time it was a score from play that equalised for Kells, the score in which was waved wide by the Ballinlough players but most importantly marked as a score by Referee Peter O’Halloran.
Both sides traded frees in the 47th and 49th minute to leave the scores level. Williams then added his sixth point to see The Gaeils take a one point lead with eight minutes remaining. One minute later and Jack Hogg got a fine individual point that his second half performance deserved to see Kells lead by two points. Ballinlough responded with a free but as they went in search for an equalising score they couldn’t use the conditions in their favour hitting three wides in the final minutes to see Kells take the two points on show.
Gaeil Colmcille: Sean Thornton, Phelim Dunne, Bruno Griffin, Max Finlay, Kilian Kelly, Cormac Ferguson, Danny Muldoon, Noah Boshell, Sean Cleary, Eoghan Flynn, Seanie Curran, Jack Hogg (0-01), Gary McGovern (1-00), Alex Williams (0-06) Daniel Farrelly.
Subs: Conor Arkins for Kelly, Oisin O’Reilly for Curran, Cormac O’Reilly for Flynn
