Nine points down at half-time, Gaeil Colmcille produced a spirited second half in Grangegodden outscoring their opponents Trim by 18 points to advance to the final of the LMFM Minor Football League Division 1.
Trim registered the opening score of the half with just one minute on the clock and two pointed frees from Trim’s James Foley saw them take a three point lead. That lead was doubled in the fifth minute when the Trim forwards capitalized on a mistake in the Kells backs and keeper Glen Gavagan could do nothing to keep out the shot. Another Foley free in the seventh minute gave the visitors the perfect start.
An Andrew Butler free settled any nerves Gaeil Colmcille had but Trim had the perfect response as they struck for a second goal in the 9th minute, this was followed by a another free and Trim led 2-05 to a single point as the teams went in at the first half water break. While the first quarter was dominated by Trim, the second was amazingly won by Gaeil Colmcille with just a single score from Butler closing the gap to nine points. With the half drawing to a close, Trim were reduced to 14 men after their wing forward was shown a second card and a pulling down the Kells player.
Justin Carry-Lynch made three changes at the break, bringing on Tiernan Anderson and Gormley twins Andrew and John. From the throw up the lads had an instant impact as John Gormley played Anderson through and he somehow managed to pick out the hard working Kevin Carpenter who pulled on the ball to the back of the net, Two points from Andrew Gormley either side of an Andrew Butler point say the lead reduced to a single score as Gaeil Colmcille got themselves back in the game.
Three more scores in a row for the home side saw the sides level when Jack Hogg, Anderson and Butler all pointed for Gaeil Colmcille to leave the sides all square on 1-08 to 2-05 with corner forward Sean Thornton playing a part in all three scores. Trim reacted well to the Gaeil Colmcille fight back and straight away regained their lead with a point in the 40th minute. One minute later and the teams were level once more when John Gormley laid the ball off to the Kells centre-back Ajay Tormey who turned his man and from 45 yards out pointed.
Gaeil Colmcille took a three point lead with 12 minutes to go after scores from Andrew Gormley, Butler and Corner forward Liam Barry. Trim pointed from play in the 49th minute to close the gap to two points but three scores in a row from Butler, Andrew Gormley and an excellent score from Rian Early, the wing back finding himself in an advanced position and his score saw the lead stretch to five. Both sides traded the next two scores with Anderson getting his second of the game for Kells.
As Trim went in search for a goal they tried to get in behind the Kells backs, but the rock at the back for Gaeil Colmcille, Kristapus Vitkausus overturned the ball on his own 14 yard line. Kells worked the ball through the hands the whole way up the pitch and Butler spotted Tormeys run from deep and as he laid off, Tormey steadied himself and opened his body to side foot the ball to the bottom corner to all but seal the Gaeils passage to the final. An Andrew Butler free in the 59th minute and with his seven point of the evening completed the comeback for the Kells lads who now progress to face Navan O’Mahony’s in the final.
Gaeil Colmcille: Glen Gavagan, Aaron Glynn, Kristapus Vitkausus, Bruno Griffin, Kilian Kelly, Ajay Tormey (1-01), Rian Early (0-01), Kevin Carpenter (1-00), Oisin O’Reilly, Andrew Butler (0-07), David Butler, Finn Tegetmeier, Liam Barry (0-01), Jack Hogg (0-01), Sean Thornton.
Subs: Andrew Gormley (0-04), Tiernan Anderson (0-02), John Gormley, Conall McGovern, Michael O’Byrne
Photo © Declan Lynch
