After a jammed packed weekend of football, Grangegodden was the venue for a highly entertaining Premier Division 7 game between neighbours Gaeil Colmcile and Drumbaragh. One man stole the headlines, not for the first time in his career as Gary Arkins top scored for Kells with 2-07.
Gaeil Colmcille opened the scoring in the 1st minute after a powerful run from Zak Griffin resulted in the ball going over the crossbar. From the resulting kickout, Drumbaragh got their score but two points from Gaeil Colmcille saw them take a 0-03 0-01 lead with five minutes played as Gary McGovern pointed from a free after Griffin was taken down and Arkins got his first point of the game from a free after good work from Cian Donlon.
In a tight opening quarter, Drumbaragh hit two points to draw the teams level but two points from Kells and one from Drumbaragh left the hosts with the slenderest of leads at the water break, McGovern getting his second and a dubious point from Ryan McManus.
Both sides shared the next six points with Arkins grabbing all three for Gaeil Colmcille, one of the visitors points looked destined for the net after Liam Byrne rose highest but his flick went goal wards and after the quick thinking by James Flanagan tapped over the crossbar. With 32 minutes played, Griffin got his second and the halves final score as Gaeil Colmcille lead 0-09 to 0-07 at the break.
Drumbaragh got the first score of the second half but that was cancelled out by the first goal of the game, excellent play from Gaeil Colmcille, and a perfectly timed direct ball in Arkins was caught and he turned his marker and finished low to the bottom corner. Again both sides shared the next four points with Arkins and McGovern continuing to fire over for the Gaeils, Drumbaragh could have had their first goal only for an excellent save from Flanagan to tip over for his second “own-point” of the game after the shot looked destined for the back of the net.
In a 9 minute spell after the second half water break, Kells and Arkins put the game to bed as the evergreen forward hit 1-03 to see Gaeil Colmcille take a 10 point lead with just over five minutes remaining, Gaeil Colmcille’s goal coming after an excellent ball into Arkins from Dylan Roche. Manager Justin Carry-Lynch emptied the bench and again still no place for Tormey as “bestie” Eanna Ryan got the call once more. Drumbaragh registered the final three points of the match but it wasn’t enough to close the gap as Gaeil Colmcille picked up the two points on offer to move up to fourth in the table,
Gaeil Colmcille: James Flanagan, Oran Carolan, Liam Byrne, Max Finlay, Robbie Fox, Niall Williams, Conor Murray, Ben Shine, Darragh Smyth, Dylan Roche, Zak Griffin (0-02), Ryan McManus (0-01), Cian Donlon, Gary Arkins (2-07), Gary McGovern (0-04).
Subs: Ryan O’Boyle for Roche, Joe Flanagan for Donlon, Eanna Ryan for McManus,
