Gaeil Colmcille welcomed table toppers Trim to Grangegodden for the penultimate game in the Minor Football Division 2.
Gaeil Colmcille knew nothing more than a win would be good enough to see them progress to a Semi-Final, but it was Trim who’d get the opening point when a direct ball into full-forward James Foley was collected and tapped over the bar. Kells got the perfect response when a high ball into the square from an Oisin O’Reilly 45 was palmed to the back of the net by Centre-Forward David Butler.
The goal was followed up by a point from Sean Thornton, who collected a ball on the loop and struck beautifully over the Trim crossbar. Gaeil Colmcille held a four-point lead on 6 minutes when Ajay Tormey pointed. Foley and Tormey traded the next four scores with Foley hitting over two placed balls and Tormey scoring two from play. Trim, and James Foley struck for a goal in the 19th minute just as Referee Paddy Clarke called a halt for the first half water break and Gaeil Colmcille were kicking themselves only to be a point ahead.
Trim levelled the game up on 22 minutes but Jack Hogg who was having a superb first half at Full-forward got his name on the scoresheet when he pointed one minute later to give Kells the lead once more. Some good play out of the Gaeil Colmcille defence as well as great tracking back by Liam Barry who dispossessed the Trim forward, the ball was worked up the pitch and Oisin O’Reilly backed himself and pointed to give Kells a two-point lead. Trim pointed in the 32nd minute to leave the minimum between the sides with the home side leading 1-06 to 1-05 at Half-time.
A blistering four-minute spell in the second half saw Gaeil Colmcille take a commanding nine-point lead. First David Butler hit an excellent point followed by a great team goal which was finished off by Aaron Glynn, this was followed by a point from Tormey and in the 34th minute Tormey got Kells third goal of the game after another great team move ended up with the ball in the back of the net.
From nine points up in the 34th minute, Gaeil Colmcille could hardly believe that they went in one point down at the second half water break when Trim upped their game and hit 2-04 without reply. Manager Justin Carry-Lynch called on twins Andrew and John Gormley as well as Tiernan Anderson and Harry Flanagan and the four lads had a huge say on how the game would finish. An off the ball foul allowed Trim to go two points clear with 49 minutes played but Kells never lay down and O’Reilly found himself once again in the right place at the right time.
Great work by both Gormley’s and Andrew laid the ball off to Tormey who slotted over with the left foot to leave the game all square with 55 minutes on the clock. John Gormley called a mark from the resulting kickout and as the ball made its way to Andrew Gormley, he was fouled, and referee Clarke brought the free forward for Tormey to give Kells the lead.
Another point from Tormey left two between the sides as the game went into injury time. In injury time it was all about the missed goal chances for both sides, first Foley rattled the crossbar for Trim and Gaeil Colmcille went the length of the field, and a goal was on the cards when Tormey laid off to substitute Harry Flanagan, but the Trim keeper done well stand him up and push him wide where he laid off to O’Reilly who shot wide.
Trim went in search of a winning goal and as the Trim forward tore down on goal he was met with a perfectly timed shoulder by Tiernan Anderson who dispossessed the player and with the resulting clearance gave Gaeil Colmcille the all-important win.
Gaeil Colmcille: Glen Gavagan, Michael O’Byrne, Kristapus Vitkausus, Bruno Griffin, Kilian Kelly, Finn Mullan, Rian Early, Kevin Carpenter, Oisin O’Reilly (0-02), Sean Thornton (0-01), David Butler (1-01), Ajay Tormey (1-07), Liam Barry, Jack Hogg (0-01), Aaron Glynn (1-00)
Subs: Andrew Gormley, John Gormley, Tiernan Anderson, Harry Flanagan
Photo © Declan Lynch
