An evening of incessant rain in Kildalkey, and impeccable shooting from Conor Roche saw Gaeil Colmcille cause one of the shocks of the Championship when they pipped Boardsmill in Group A of the Intermediate Hurling Championship by the smallest of margins to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Boardsmill got off to a great start as a goal was quickly followed by a point all within the first three minutes. The response from Kells was just as swift as a Roche free and a Barry Tormey goal drew the sides level. Roche pointed two more frees, either side of a Boardsmill point from play, and when the full-forward then hit the post from play Danny Muldoon was on hand to extend the Gaeils lead.
Boardsmill then converted a free before both sides were reduced to 14 player’s following red cards with 20 minutes gone. The teams traded the next four points with Conal McGovern and Roche accounting for the Kells scores, but Boardsmill had the last say of the half when their goalkeeper pointed a free to leave it all square at halftime.
As with the first half it was Boardsmill who made the better start in the second as they added two more points from play within 5 minutes. The deteriorating conditions resulted in a number of missed chances for both teams over the remainder of the third quarter.
A fine save from Gary McGovern during this period kept the Gaeils in the game. Once again Roche stepped up and pointed two frees. Tormey from play, and another Roche free twice gave Kells the lead, but both times Boardsmill equalised.
With three minutes remaining, an eighth point for Roche proved to be the last score of the game, and the match winner in a hard fought victory.
Gaeil Colmcille: Gary McGovern, Fionn Smith, Mickey Foley, Adam Muldoon, Cormac Ferguson, Danny Muldoon (0-01), Rian Early, Evan Sheridan, Keith Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly, Barry Tormey (1-01), Cormac O’Reilly, Conal McGovern (0-01), Conor Roche (0-08, 6f), Taidgh Dardis.
Subs: Harry Flanagan, Sean Curran.
