Gaeil Colmcille were pushed all the way in this U19 Championship opener with Summerhill in Grangegodden on Sunday morning. Midway through the first half, The Gaeils trailed by four points but a strong second half saw them pick up the two points on offer.
Oisin Walsh got the scoring underway in the 8th minute with a mark. Summerhill cancelled that score out with a free of their own and a mark in the 11th minute saw The Hill take the lead. A Liam Barry free saw the teams level for the third time.
With 13 minutes played, Summerhill got the opening goal of the game and went 1-02 to 0-02 ahead. The sides shared the next four points to keep Summerhill a goal ahead with Andrew Gormley accounting for both Kells scores. Summerhill opened the biggest lead of the game in the 26th minute with a point from play as the lead 1-05 to 0-04 as the half drew to a close.
The Gaeils finished the half strong and Gormley twins Andrew and John hit consecutive points to leave two between the sides and a second free by Liam Barry left the minimum between the teams at half-time with Summerhill leading 1-05 to 0-07
Kells got off to the perfect start in the second half when Andrew Gormley’s shot zoomed across the square but substitute Liam Devine reacted quickest and puched to the back of the net to see Kells take the lead for the first time since the opening score. Things got better two minutes later when Oisin Walsh finished off a great move to get Kells second goal when he fired to the back of the net for Gaeil Colmcille to open a five point lead.
Summerhill got their first score of the half in the 34th minute but two frees from Barry kept The Gaeils in control. Scores were few a far between in the second half. Summerhill tried for goals late on but Caoimhin Jordan stood string in the Kells goals. In the final few minutes Andrew Gormley added two more points and Walsh finished off the scoring for Kells with a point for The Gaeils to win by 8. Gaeil Colmcille now face Rathkenny in Round 2 while Summerhill face Killary Emmetts.
Gaeil Colmcille: Caoimhin Jordan, Taidgh Dardis, Rian Early, Calum Mitchell, Kilian Kelly, John Gormley (0-01), Charlie Twomey, Oisin O’Reilly, Shane Callaghan, Liam Barry (0-04), Andrew Gormley (0-05), Eoghan Flynn, Conor Óg Ferguson, Oisin Walsh (1-02), Harry Butler.
Subs: Liam Devine (1-00), Tiernan Anderson, Harry Flanagan, Hugh Farrelly, Jack Byrne, Jack Butler, Oisin Sheridan.
