Gaeil Colmcille 1-7 Wolfe Tones 1-7

Sub Tom Gavigan's stoppage time point earned Wolfe Tones a draw with neighbours Wolfe Tones in this SFC opener at Pairc Tailteann early on Sunday afternoon.

Gaeil Colmcille - who scored an emphatic win over Wolfe Tones in the 2020 Feis Cup final 13 days earlier - shaded the exchanges here and moved two clear when Fionn Reilly pointed from Brian Hanlon's sideline delivery in the 54th minute.

In a niggly game dominated by a crosswind, last year's SFC runners-up were on the back foot for much of the latter stages, when Wolfe Tones looked more likely winners..

The elements also stymied Wolfe Tones attempts to claim both points as exemplifed by Cian Ward's attempt to win the game for his side from a 45-metre free in the last act of the game. It went wide at the town end.

Eight scores apiece, with a similar wide count, accurately sums up a game that was at time niggly. Gaeil Colmcille posted half of their tally in the opening eight minutes.

The sides shared six points in the second-half, with most coming in the latter stages, with the sides level four times over the hour.

This game was in marked contrast to their recent Feis Cup meeting which produced 27 scores which the Kells-men looked set to win by a double-digit margin until two late Gavigan goals softened the final scoreline for Wolfe Tones.

This time Gavigan scored two points, including the aforementioned leveler. Cian Ward's quick-thinking that led his side's 25th minute goal was one of the highlights of a dogged hour. 

With a cross wind dominating, Gaeil Colmcille's started the better moving 1-2 to 0-0 ahead inside eight minutes. Caolan Ward landed three left-footed frees before last year's runners up scored again.

Brian Hanlon posted Gaeil Colmcille's next score, a forward mark into the town goal.

One of the highlights of a scrappy first-half came in the 25th minute. A 'Tones' free was brought forward. Quick thinking by Cian Ward saw him fire to the net fom 13 metres. It leveled matters for the first and only time in the half.

In the four minutes stoppage time allowed Seamus Mattimoe's fisted point left the Kells-men 1-4 to 1-3 at the break.

Gaeil Colmcille scorers - Martin Barrett 1-1; Brian Hanlon 0-3 (2fs, 1 forward mark); Seamus Mattimoe 0-2 (f); Fionn Reilly 0-1.

Wolfe Tones scorers - Cian Ward 1-1 (1-0 f); Caolan Ward 0-3 fs; Tom Gavigan 0-2; Saran O Fionnagain 0-1.

Gaeil Colmcille - Justin Carry Lynch; Jonny Quigley, Paul Tormay, James Reilly; Conal Courtney, Jordan Muldoon, Seanie Curran; Phillip Ward, Liam Ferguson (C); Evan Sheridan, Martin Barrett , Fionn Reilly; Seamus Mattimoe, Ryan Farnham, Brian Hanlon. Subs - Adam Muldoon for Barrett (36), Adam Donnelly for Farnham (48), Ahmed Lawal for A Muldoon (52).

Wolfe Tones - Cian Farnan; Brughach O Fionnagain, Adam O'Neill, Conor Sheppard; Niall O'Reilly, Shane Glynn, Caolan Ward; Alan Callaghan, Padraic Diamond; Thomas O'Reilly, Cian Ward, Stephen Sheppard; Dan O'Neill, Cian O'Neill, Saran O Fionnagain. Subs - Tom Gavigan for Diamond (ht), Oisin Martin for Caolan Ward (42), Robbie White for N O'Reilly (44), 

Referee - Patrick Coyle (Curraha).

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