Gaeil Colmcille and Skryne met in the fourth round of the Fairyhouse Steel Meath SFC a glorious Pairc Tailteann. With both teams having lost their previous round games were keen to get back to winning ways.
Kells welcomed back to Seanie Curran to the starting XV while Conal Courtney made way for Cormac Keegan in the two changes from the team that lost to Navan O’Mahony’s ten days ago.
The first half proved a cagey affair and it was the 7th minute before the opening score would come when Brian Hanlon tapped over a free. Skryne replied soon after but a brace of points from Hanlon saw Gaeil Colmcille move two points clear after 15 minutes.
Fionn Reilly gathered a loose ball that dropped short in the square and as he rounded the defender he got brought down and referee David Gough awarded a penalty to Kells. Up stepped Hanlon but the Skryne goalkeeper was equal to the task and kept Hanlon out with a wonderful save. Hanlon did manage to hit over the 45 to push Kells 3 points clear.
Skryne hit two points in a row in the 21st and 22nd minute and reduced Kells lead to the minimum. Gaeil Colmcille started pressing the Skryne kick-outs and got their rewards when Evan Sheridan, Fionn Reilly, and Oisin Reilly all added points from play.
Kells were dealt a blow just before half-time when Keegan received his marching orders and meant Kells lead of 0-07 to 0-03 was nothing to sit back on.
Gaeil Colmcille reshaped at the break and got off to the perfect start when Seamus Mattimoe hit three points to Skrynes one point. Gaeil Colmcille was awarded a second penalty in the 40th minute when Fionn Reilly got taken down once more and up stepped Hanlon but this time as he aimed high the ball sailed over the bar.
Skryne were struggling to get use out of their extra man and Fionn Reilly hit two more points before a Hanlon free on 45 minutes pushed Kells lead out to 11 points. The game was all but sealed one minute later when a well-worked moved ended up with Fionn Reilly palming to the back of the net.
Four minutes later and brother Oisin grabbed Gaeil Colmcille’s second goal of the game and when substitute Ryan Farnham netted on in the 28th minute it was over as a contest. A great response from the Kells men who now move onto to a final round fixture with the inform Senechalstown in a fortnights time,
Gaeil Colmcille: J Carry-Lynch, P Tormay, B Smith, A Muldoon, J Quigley, C Keegan, J Reilly, E Sheridan (0-01), O Reilly (1-02), S Mattimoe (0-03), S Curran, L Ferguson (0-01), M Barrett, F Reilly (1-04), B Hanlon (0-07).
Subs: C Courtney for Smith (inj), R Farnham (1-00) for Hanlon, F Ferguson for L Ferguson
