Gaeil Colmcille travelled South on the M3 to Fr. McManus Park to take on Skryne knowing a win would see them reach the Semi-Finals of this year’s competition.
The opening minutes of this game yielded a point from Gary McGovern and a Shane Bennett goal in response to a Skryne point. Despite this bright start the odds seemed to be stacking up against Kells in the first quarter. They conceded three further points, lost fullback Niall Williams to injury and with just 15 minutes gone were reduced to 14 players following a red card. The setbacks appeared to inspire the Gaeils.
Andrew Butler kicked two superb points and then blasted the ball to the net to open up a five point lead all within the next five minutes. When the Skryne goalkeeper converted a 45, Butler was on hand again with a point to restore the lead. The hosts then had their own purple patch. A shot at goal took a wicked deflection and flew into the top corner of the Kells net.
They followed this up with three points to go ahead for the first time since the opening minute. In the closing minutes of the half Kells got on top again as McGovern and Butler both pointed frees to lead by the minimum when the halftime whistle sounded.
A free for Skryne levelled matters three minutes into the second half but despite their numerical disadvantage Kells went on to dominate the next ten minutes. Once again Butler pointed twice, once from a free, either side of two pointed frees from McGovern. Two Skryne points cut the lead, but before they could build any momentum Butler added his seventh point of the evening.
A minute later Harry Flanagan finished a fine effort to the net. Immediately after this a red card for Skryne evened up the playing numbers. Things got even better for Kells with less than ten minutes remaining when Shane Bennett got his second goal of the game.
The home side battled on and added three further points, but as they pushed for a goal the hard working Gaeils defence stood firm and held on for six point victory.
Gaeil Colmcille: Justy Carry-Lynch, Phelim Dunne, Niall Williams, Mark Gormley, Cormac O’Reilly, Conal Gormley, Max Finlay, Sean Cleary, Oisin O’Reilly, Caolan McConnell, Gary McGovern (0-04, 4f), Eoin Doogan, Andrew Butler (1-07, 2f), Shane Bennett (2-00), Harry Flanagan (1-00).
Subs: Eibheann Keegan for Williams, Gary Arkins for Flanagan, Conal McGovern for Bennett, Flanagan for Mark Gormley.
