Skryne and Gaeil Colmcille fired up cracker in Round 5 of the All County A League Division 3A in Fr. McManus Park, with the sides level with 54 minutes on the clock it was the visitors who grabbed the last three points and the two point came back up the M3 to Kells.
The result wasn’t looking likely with five minutes on the clock as Skryne raced into a 1-03 to 0-00 lead as Gaeil Colmcille struggled to get to grips with the game. When The Gaeils sparked, it was with immense speed and as Kristapus Vitkuskas overturned a Skryne attack and as Kells broke out from defence, Alex Williams struck the back of the net with the aid of the crossbar.
That point was soon followed by a point from Zak Griffin and a pointed free from Barry Farrelly reduced the gap to a single point with 11 minutes played. Two points in a row from Skryne saw them pull three clear but a second goal on the night for Kells drew the teams level as “Onion Sack” Farrelly lifted the net out of it.
Gaeil Colmcille couldn’t capitalize on that goal and Skryne outscored Gaeil Colmcille two points to a Farrelly point to lead 1-08 to 2-03 at half-time.
Skryne started the second half in the same fashion as the first getting the opening point but this was soon cancelled out by a Farrelly free. From the free Gaeil Colmcille were reduced to 14 men following a sending off and Skryne would have the numerical advantage for the final 25 minutes.
Going down to 14 men, Kells response was emphatic and took the lead for the first time in the game when the evergreen Gary Arkins cut inside from the right side and his trustworthy left boot blasted the ball beyond the Skryne keeper.
Skryne stayed calm and restored their lead in the 39th minute with two quickfire scores to lead 1-11 to 3-04. With 42 minutes on the referee’s watch Kells got their fourth goal of the game as Arkins turned provider for the onrushing wing-back Fionn Smith to palm to the net.
In a game that ebbed and flowed throughout, Skryne chalked off two scores to once again leave the sides all sqaure and as they shared they next two scores it was Gaeil Colmcille 4-05 to Skryne’s 1-14 with less than five minutes remaining. Despite being down to fourteen men, Gaeil Colmcille grabbed the final three scores of the game, two from Farrelly who was immense throughout and second half substitute Gary McGovern tapping over a free ensured the win for Gaeil Colmcille who face off against Carnaross in Round 6.
Gaeil Colmcille: Sean Thornton, Kristapus Vitkuskas, Adam Donnelly, Liam Byrne, Fionn Smith (1-00), Cormac Ferguson, Ajay Tormey, Sean Cleary, Cian Doogan, Alex Williams (1-00), Zak Griffin (0-01), Danny McGovern, Barry Farrelly (1-06), Gary Arkins (1-00), Cormac Mattimoe.
Subs: Danny Muldoon, Shane Bennett, Stephen Reddy, Gary McGovern (0-01), Daniel Farrelly
