Gaeil Colmcille Minors after the week off thanks to a round two bye made the trip to Duleek to face unbeaten Duleek/Bellewstown on Tuesday evening.
Manager Justin Carry-Lynch made one change to the side who drew with Simonstown in the opening round with Kilian Kelly replacing David Butler who was away. Kells got off to the perfect start inside the first two minutes when Full-Forward Sean Thornton picked up from where he left off from the last day and caught a high ball that was sent in, he turned his marker and excellently pointed with the left book from 30 yards out to give Kells the lead.
Duleek/Bellewstown hit two points from play before Thornton levelled things up as he got his and Gaeil Colmcille’s second point of the game when he caught an advanced mark over the Duleek/Bellewstown full backs head and he slotted over from 21 yards. In the 11th minute Gaeil Colmcille were forced into a change when Kilian Kelly had to go off with an injury and he was replaced by Jack Hogg who himself was returning from injury.
Hogg made an instant impact as he gathered a break from the Duleek/Bellewstown kickout and as the ball found its way to Liam Barry, Barry turned in on his left foot and pointed for Kells to regain the lead. As the scoreboard flip-flopped, Duleek/Bellewstown found themselves in front 0-04 to 0-03 in the 23rd minute but once again the sides were level when Kells midfielder Kevin Carpenter pointed with his left foot.
Once again Kells were back in front when Andrew Butler pointed in the 27th but as the game followed a trend Duleek/Bellewstown got a equalizing score before the break to leave it 0-05 each at half-time.
Both sides traded scores early in the second half with Butler pointing from a free, Duleek/Bellewstown were ahead once again on 36 minutes and the home side went close to getting the opening goal of the game but the effort just went wide of the Kells goal. The sides were level at seven points each by the 39th minute when Hogg caught cleanly from a Glen Gavagan kickout and after one-two with Butler saw him in space where he pointed over the Duleek/Bellewstown cross bar.
Both sides traded frees with Butler getting his third point of the day and as the referee called a halt for the second half water break the game was well and truly in the balance with the sides level at eight points each. The last quarter saw Duleek/Bellewstown get the first bit of daylight as they hit three unanswered scores to pull clear.
An Andrew Butler free kept Gaeil Colmcille in the game and the visitors could have snatched a late win after good running from Butler, the ball found its way into the hands of Liam Barry six yards out, he turned superbly but his shot was kept out by an outstanding save from the Duleek/Bellewstown No.1 to ensure the home side maintain their unbeaten start.
Gaeil Colmcille will dust themselves down after another brave performance and will take solace at the fact of keeping a free scoring Duleek/Bellewstown to just 11 points on the day thanks to the amazing work of the Kells defence bearing in mind the hosts scored 3-19 and 2-18 in the opening two rounds. The lads will now look forward to round four where they’ll welcome Killary Emmets to Grangegodden.
Gaeil Colmcille: Glen Gavagan, Aaron Glynn, Kristapus Vitkausus, Michael O’Byrne, Rian Early, Finn Mullen, Kilian Kelly, Oisin O’Reilly, Kevin Carpenter (0-01), Liam Barry (0-01), Finn Tegetmeier, Andrew Butler (0-04), Harry Flanagan, Sean Thornton (0-02), Conall McGovern.
Sub: Jack Hogg (0-01) for Kelly
Photo © Declan Lynch Meath Pics
