St. Colmcilles 0-11 Wolfe Tones 0-10

In this, the 2nd round of the Championship the Cilles were looking to take down many peoples favourites for this years Championship, Wolfe Tones. Played in Pairc Tailteann, on a sunny but very windy afternoon, this really was an entertaining game with the outcome in the balance right up until the final whistle.

The score was 10 points each in the dying embers of the game when that man Ben Brennan struck another point from a free, reminiscent of similar heroics in the Cilles run to Croke Park two years ago.

Both teams were looking for their second win of the campaign and it was Wolfe Tones who got the opening point of the game. The Cilles then got on top with a great score from James Conlon, albeit they were dealt a huge blow in the opening minutes when they lost one of their key talismen Ciaran Kelly due to injury, who was replaced by Sean Collier. The Cilles then rattled off two further points from Conlon and Brennan. At this stage with the wind playing its part the Cilles had a number of wides, however they managed to rattle off another long distance point from David O'Byrne which left the score 0-4 to 0-2. Two further points from Conlon and Brennan left the score at 0-6 to 0-5 to the Cilles at Half Time.

The Cilles will look at their sides wides in the first half, however Wolfe Tones will also look at their own tally count of wides in the 2nd period; much of these wides could be put down to the extremely gusty wind that blew up the pitch that gave no favours to the attackers on either side. Seany Collier for the Cilles was the scorer of the opening point in the 2nd half, however the Tones then hit a purple patch, getting the next two scores leaving the score at 0-7 each. The sides then exchanged points, the first from Conlon. With ten minutes to go the Tones went ahead for the first time in the match, however the Cilles responded with another Conlon point and another from Davy O'Byrne. The Tones leveled the match again with three minutes to go.

With the game in the melting pot deep at the end it was the Cilles that persevered with the final point from that Free from Brennan. The Cilles will look at great performances all over the field in defense and in attack as well as excellent performances from the lads in the middle of the park. The Cilles go into the Championship break in great form and in a great place with two wins from two. The team showed great character today and put in a battling performance to beat an excellent and experienced Wolfe Tones side.

St. Colmcilles: A Beakey, J Kavanagh, J McDonnell, C Mullan, A Lynch, I Mullan, J Reynolds, D O'Byrne 0-2, R O'Grady, B Brennan 0-3, G Reilly, C O'Byrne, C Hilliard, C Kelly, J Conlon 0-5. Subs: S Collier 0-1 for C Kelly, C Ward for S Collier

Wolfe Tones Report

Wolfe Tones 0-10 St. Colmcilles 0-11

Lá ghrianmhar gaofar a bhi ann I bPairc Tailteann. Ní raibh ach cuilín no dhó idir na foirne i rith an cluiche agus bhiodar ar comhscór tar éis seasca nóiméad. Bhuaigh Naomh Colmcille an cluiche le cic saor in am breise.

Playing against a strong breeze Bhulf Tón took an early lead thanks to a Niall O Reilly point in the 4th minute following good interplay from Thomas O Reilly and Pádraic Diamond. James Conlon replied for the seasiders in the 6th minute with a fisted point. Ben Brennan nudged Colmcilles in front with a point from a free in the tenth minute. Thereafter St Colmcilles held the lead until the three quarter mark although there was never more than two points in it at any stage. Bhulf Tón seemed to be in a strong position at half time when the scoreline stood at Bhulf Tón 0  05 St Colmcilles 0 06 and they would have the aid of a strong wind in the second half. James Conlon accounted for two Colmcille points while Ben Brennan accounted for 3 points all frees. For Bhulf Tón Niall O Reilly accounted for two points, Cian Ward added two frees while Eanna Harrington drove forward to score a fine point.

Brughach O Fionnagáin departed early in the second on a black card following a puzzling decision by the referee when awarding a free against him when he appeared to have been fouled. Colmcilles nudges ahead only to be reeled in thanks to a brace of points from the in-form Niall O Reilly. The teams were now level on 7 points each. Conlon nudged the 'Cilles ahead again, Cian Ward added a free to draw the teams level. Tones would hit 4 wides in four minutes before taking the lead after 50 minutes courtesy of a long range effort from Dan O Neill. Conlon a thorn in the Tones defence levelled the match a minute later and the game was set up for a tense finish. The sides traded points again as the game drew to a close, Sarán O Fionnagáin with a fine solo effort from play equalising for the 'Tones. The teams were now tied on ten points each as the game entered injury time. Ben Brennan scored the winner converting a free awarded to Graham Reilly. Bhulf Tón refused to yield and pushed hard for an equaliser but shot two wides in this period and just came up short.

Both teams struggled to make the strong wind count and Bhulf Tón will rue eleven second half wides. Although they lost narrowly they will look forward with some optimism to July when the Championship resumes and they can welcome Shane Glynn, Niall Mc Loughlin and Cian O Neill back from injury.

Bhulf Tón: David Nolan, Conor Sheppard, Dan O Neill (0  01), Eoghan Harrington, Éanna Harrington (0 01), Stephen Sheppard, Brughach O Fionnagáin, Stephen Corrigan, Padraic Diamond, Niall O Reilly(0  04), Thomas O Reilly, Éanna O Kelly Lynch, Sarán Ó Fionnagáin (0 01), Fiachra Ward, Cian Ward (0 03,3F)

Subs: Caolán Ward for Brughach O Fionnagáin (32), Niall Mc Loughlin for Éanna O Kelly Lynch (62)

 

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