Two weeks is a long time in Gaelic Football and Gaeil Colmcille wrote the wrongs of Tully Park a fortnight earlier when they closed out this Premier Championship Division One tie with a five point win over Dunshaughlin in Grangegodden.
The hosts got off to the best possible start inside the opening six minutes with the movement of the Gaeil Colmcille forward were causing problems for the Dunshaughlin defence with Danny McGovern slotting over two points followed by an superb Cormac Mattimoe point. Dunshaughlin got their opening point also in the sixth minute, in what was a frantic opening to the game.
McGovern added a free on nine minutes but two points in quick succession from Dunshaughlin left just a point between the sides with 13 minutes on the clock. Barry Farrelly, playing at corner forward, got on the end of a squared fisted ball and turned and slotted over with the right foot to extend the Gaeils lead.
Gaeil Colmcille had the better of the exchanges after the first half water break with a free from McGovern and an advanced mark by Mattimoe opening Kells lead to four points. The lead turned to seven in the 27th minute when wing-forward Shane Bennett drove through the Dunshaughlin defence and fired past the keeper to get the opening goal of the game. Dunshaughlin finished the first half scoring as Referee Donal Smyth called a halt for the break with Gaeil Colmcille leading 1-07 to 0-04.
The host, who were in a similar position against Seneschalstown in the opening fixture must have thought history was going to repeat itself when Dunshaughlin struck for a point and a goal inside the opening three minutes of the half. Credit to Gaeil they cancelled out the Dunshaughlin goal with a well worked move which started with an Aaron Browne catch in the middle of the field from the kickout, Browne ignored the referees whistle for a mark and drove at the Dunshaughlin defence, two quick passes, Browne to Alex Williams and Williams to McGovern left the forward one on one and he calmly dispatched to the bottom left hand corner with the inside of his left foot.
A point from Phil Ward, and an Alex Williams point on the 40th minute and Kells looked out of sight. But the visitors never lay down and outscored Gaeil Colmcille four points to one after the water break to leave a tense finish to the half. As Dunshaughlin went in search of a goal, the Kells full-back line of Cormac Ferguson, Adam Donnelly and Fionn Smith which was immense throughout the evening kept Dunshaughlin at bay and it was a breakaway point from substitute Ahmed Lawal that sealed a five point win for Gaeil Colmcille.
Gaeil Colmcille: Conor Murray, Cormac Ferguson, Adam Donnelly, Fionn Smith, Daniel Farrelly, Aaron Browne, Danny Muldoon, Phil Ward (0-01), Cian Doogan, Shane Bennett (1-00), Barry Smith, Alex Williams (0-01), Barry Farrelly (0-01), Danny McGovern (1-05), Cormac Mattimoe (0-02).
Subs: Tony Smyth, Stephen Reddy, Conor Arkins, Ahmed Lawal (0-01).
