Gaeil Colmcille produced an excellent comeback in the dying stages of this Premier Championship Division 1 tie with Barry Farrelly the hero as he hit three free kicks in the dying moments to steal the two points on offer.
With all the focus on the All-Ireland Semi Final, the few die hard supporters made it to Grangegodden and while events on TV were epic, the Premier Championship didn’t disappoint. The Moors got off to a blistering start and struck for a goal and three points inside the opening seven minutes. A Barry Farrelly free on 9 minutes settled the Kells team but that was soon cancelled out by another Donaghmore/Ashbourne point.
Both sides traded scored in the 12th and 15th minute with Danny McGovern getting on the board for Gaeil Colmcille. McGovern struck two more points to cut the lead to four points. Gaeil Colmcille wing back Daniel Farrelly hit the point of the half from just inside the 45 yard line to leave a goal between the sides. A free by The Moors was cancelled out by a free from McGovern as Kells trailed 0-06 to 1-06 at the break.
Gaeil Colmcille left just the minimum between the sides inside the opening two minutes when McGovern and Farrelly pointed to get Kells right back in the game. Donaghmore/Ashbourne dis restore their two point lead but when Tony Smyth pointed in the 40th minute, once again just one point separated the sides. Just as the referee Martin Dawson called a halt for the second half water break, a McGovern free drew the sides level.
Donaghmore/Ashbourne looked to have won the game when they went two points clear with 59 minutes played on the clock but that’s when the place kicking from Farrelly came into play. The first in the 60th minute gave the home side a chance of salvaging a draw and when the Donaghmore/Ashbourne keeper messed up a short kickout, Ahmed Lawal pounced over turned the defender while getting hauled to the ground. Farrelly stepped up and levelled things up.
There was still time for more drama when the referee awarded a free deep into injury-time, and with ice in his veins, Farrelly pointed over like he done so many times in pressure situations for Kells to give them the win.
Gaeil Colmcille: Conor Murray, Cormac Ferguson, Adam Donnelly, Conor Arkins, Fionn Smith, Danny Mudoon, Daniel Farrelly (0-01), Aaron Browne, Cian Doogan, Tony Smyth (0-01), Shane Bennett, Alex Williams, Barry Farrelly (0-06), Danny McGovern (0-06), Cormac Mattimoe.
Subs: Stephen Reddy, Ahmed Lawal, Cormac O’Reilly
