Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels welcomed Clann na Gael to Grangegodden for the second round of the minor league Division 1.
A superb opening point from Taidgh Dardis after two minutes was followed by two further points from play by John Gormley and Fergal Flynn before Clann na nGael got their opening score of the game. Gormley’s second point of the game extended the lead again but two pointed frees by the visitors soon reduced the gap to the minimum. Some excellent defending by the fullback line of Oisin Farrelly, Oisin Walsh and Killian Murray prevented Clan na Gael from levelling the scores and midway through the half Dardis burst through the Athboy defence and rifled the ball to the back of the net.
Although Clann na nGael got the next score with a pointed free, a Tiernan Anderson free and a Fergal Flynn point seemed to put the hosts in control with 7 minutes of the half remaining. However the visitors got on top for those last minutes, outscoring the home side by 1-03 to a single Tiernan Anderson point, the goal coming despite some excellent goalkeeping from Darren O’Higgins. This left the sides level, 1-07 apiece at half time.
The Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels side upped the intensity at the start of the second half. Eoghan Flynn, playing despite feeling unwell earlier in the day, and Jack Galligan put pressure on the Clann na nGael defence, leading to a Fergal Flynn goal and a Conal McGovern point. Noah Boshell, Oisin O’Reilly and Paul Hennessy in the half back line, and the hard working Rian Early at midfield kept their opponents in their own half for most of the next ten minutes.
During this time Anderson added three further frees to extend the lead to 7 points. Clann na nGael responded well and a point and goal within a minute quickly reduced the deficit. A Fergal Flynn point with 5 minutes to go eased the nerves. The sides traded frees to finish the scoring, with Tiernan Anderson accounting for the last score.
Gaeil Colmcille/Loughcrew Gaels: Darren O’Higgins, Oisin Farrelly, Oisin Walsh, Killian Murray, Noah Boshell, Oisin O’Reilly, Paul Hennessy, Rian Early, Fergal Flynn (1-03), John Gormley (0-02), Taidgh Dardis (1-01), Eoghan Flynn, Jack Gallligan, Tiernan Anderson (0-06F), Conal McGovern (0-01)
