U20 FC Div 1: Good start for Gaeil Colmcille

Gaeil Colmcille's Shane Callaghan

Gaeil Colmcille 0-12 Seneschalstown 0-10

Gaeil Colmcille got their U20 Division 1 Championship underway on Saturday and it was a quick turnaround for our Minor Footballers who had played in the Minor Final on Wednesday evening while our Adult players were back on the field for the first time since games against Dunshaughlin & Royal Gaels in the respective Championships. Seneschalstown was the opponents in Grangegodden with their Minors out midweek also.

Kells got the opening two scores of the game with Liam Devine pointing and Andrew Gormley tapping over a free. Conor Óg Ferguson had a goal chance that was excellently saved by the Seneschalstown keeper Jamie Norris, this wouldn't be the last time Norris would deny the Kells forwards. It was a slow burner of an opening quarter and it too to the 18th minute for the next score and Seneschalstown's first of the game to cut the lead in half.

Oisin Walsh got Gaeil Colmcille's next score and it was the first orange flag of the day to increase Kells lead to three points with 22 minutes played. Two scores in quick succession put Kells six points up when Gormley added a second point and Liam Devine struck a two-pointer. The Yellow Furze outfit closed the half the stronger and hit two scores including  two point free from Norris to leave Gaeil Colmcille 0-07 to 0-04 ahead at the break.

Seneschalstown picked up where they left off in the first half and hit 2 two-pointers in the 32nd and 38th minute to take the lead for the first time and in the 47th minute they were ahead by three 0-10 to 0-07. Seneschalstown had Norris to mainly thank for that after a number of fine saves. Gormley grabbed his third point and Kells were awarded a penalty but Norris was once again the hero as he kept out Charlie Twomey's spot kick.

Harry Butler was quick thinking and a solo and go from a free bought him the space he needed in the 55th minute to leave the minimum between the sides. Fast forward 60 seconds and the sides were level for the first time since the start of the game when Twomey pointed to see the teams level at ten points a piece.

Kells had another glorious goal chance but Norris saved once again but this time it fell to Walsh who somehow managed to scoop the ball over the bar while lying on the ground to see Gaeil Colmcille take the lead. A Ryan Campbell point in the fourth minute of injury time was the insurance score needed for Kells to gather the two points ahead of an away trip to Ratoath for Round Two on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Gaeil Colmcille: Caoimhin Jordan, Dillon Glynn, Shane Callaghan, Max Chamberlayne, Luke Byrne, John Gormley, Ross McDonnell, Conor Óg Ferguson, Jack Byrne, Charlie Twomey (0-01), Andrew Gormley (0-03), Liam Devine (0-03), Ryan Campbell (0-01), Oisin Walsh (0-03), Harry Butler (0-01).

Subs: Keelan Sheridan, Oisin Sheridan.