With Gaeil Colmcille Minors team position secured in the Division 2 Semi-Final, Jenkinstown Gaels provided the opposition for the final group game in Kilcloon. Andrew Butler proved the star on the night with the forward top scoring on 0-09 as Gaeil Colmcille won by 11 points
The Blackhall Gaels, Moynalvey and Boardsmill amalgamation made a lighting quick start with a goal inside the opening minute of the game. Gaeil Colmcille responded in true fashion and Harry Flanagan cancelled out the Jenkinstown Gaels goal when he found the back of the net on 4 minutes.
Gaeil Colmcille followed that goal with three points on the trot, two from Andrew Butler and one from Oisin O’Reilly. Jenkinstown Gaels didn’t let the Kells scores affect the and were level once again on 13 minutes with three point’s in a row. Gaeil Colmcille took the narrowest of leads into the first half water break when Ajay Tormey pointed to leave the visitors 1-04 to 1-03 ahead.
A Jenkinstown Gaels free once again brought left the teams all square bit from the resulting kickout, Gaeil Colmcille worked the ball up the pitch and Tormey laid the ball off to Jack Hogg, Hogg’s cheeky flick off the hands looped over the keeper but the crossbar denied the goal, fortunately for Kells Conall McGovern was in the right place at the right time to tap into an empty net.
Things got better for Gaeil Colmcille when Tormey hit the back of the net on 23 minutes and this was followed by a fortuitous goal by Liam Barry to extend the Kells lead. Jenkinstown Gaels, despite the blows kept coming back and got two goals of their own to leave the minimum between the sides, the first coming from the penalty spot and despite Glen Gavagan guessing the right way he was unlucky not to keep the effort out.
Both sides shared the final two points in half in which Gaeil Colmcille shaded 4-05 to 3-06
Jenkinstown Gaels started the second half in similar fashion to the first and pointed inside the opening minute. Gaeil Colmcille hit a purple patch and took control of the game, three points from Butler and a point from Flanagan was followed by a goal from the hard working Jack Hogg who once again proved a handful at Full-forward.
Tormey struck for two more points either side of two Jenkinstown Gaels points. The Jenkinstown amalgamation were finding scores harder to get with Finn Mullan central to all things defensively for Kells. With the game heading in to the closing stages Butler made sure of the win with his 8th and 9th points and set up a Semi-Final date with a Trim in Grangegodden on Tuesday 10th of August.
Gaeil Colmcille: Glen Gavagan, Aaron Glynn, Kristapus Vitkausus, Bruno Griffin, Kilian Kelly, Finn Mullan, Rian Early, Kevin Carpenter, Oisin O’Reilly (0-01), Andrew Butler (0-09), Liam Barry (1-00), Ajay Tormey (1-03), Harry Flanagan (1-01), Jack Hogg (1-00), Conall McGovern (1-00)
Subs: Sean Thornton and Michael O’Byrne
Photo © Declan Lynch
