Happy 25th Gaeil Colmcille Under 21's
March 25, 2021
Gaeil Colmcille - Under 21 Football Championship winners 1996. Front l-r: Carl Morgan, Joe Lee, Martin Barrett, Henry Barry, Kenny Morgan, Ian Callaghan, Ross Kelly. Back l-r: Cathal Tully, Richard Bradley, Liam Newman, Robert Usher, Stephen Quigley, Franco Farrelly, Timmy Foley, Paul Murphy
Gaeil Colmcille will be hoping to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of their first Meath Under 21 Football Championship towards the end of the year. The 1996 competition was not complete until February the following year.
Royal County Meath Yearbook brought us the following report.
Gael Colmcille kicked of 1997 in great style capturing the 1996 Under 21 Football Championship title at the expense of holders Skryne. Goals from captain Joe Lee and Richie Bradley proved decisive as they claimed victory on a scoreline of 2-8 to 0-8.
Overwhelming favourites Skryne were dealth a blow when star Trevor Giles was ruled out with a groin injury, but, after witnessing the display of the Kells team its hard to imagine that even the great man himself could have engineered a Skryne victory.
Surprisingly Kells toughest challenge of the championship came at the penultimate stage when it took them two games to dispose of the competition surprise packets Longwood.
A dramatic injury time goal from Longwood earned them a replay when the sides finished level 2-6 to 1-9.
It was a tenacious second half performance which enabled the town XV to overhaul a gallant Longwood side in the replay at Trim.
Carl Morgan’s goal two minutes from the end proved too much for the giant killers and gave Gaeil Colmcille a much needed lifeline which they grabbed with the enthusiasm that wasn’t evident for most of the game.
The Kells boys were forced to work extremely hard for their final ticket. They hit the front in the closing stages of an absorbing encounter having been five points down at the interval.
The Gaeil Colmcille squad
Kells were made look average in the first half. They struggled to get out of their own half and when they did Longwood defended doggedly and without conceding too many frees.
But by the end of the third quarter Kells had reduced the deficit to three points (0-7 to 0-4) after Joe Lee, Paul Murphy and Martin Barrett sent over from play. Longwood responded with a point.
However Gael Colmcille’s pressure eventually wore down the opposition as Lee and Richard Bradley closed the gap from frees. Then came the inevitable goal from Morgan which gave his side the lead for the first time and their place in the final.
In the decider the difference between the sides was the ability of the town outfit to avail of their scoring opportunities better. The two goals from Bradley and captain Lee came after seven and twelve minutes respectively. After the double strike the reigning holders struggled to pull back the lead.
The scores set up Gael Colmcille for a 2-3 to 0-4 interval advantage and despite three points on the trot early in the second half Skryne were unable to get their noses in front again.
The side in blue did lead in the early stages when their top player Brian Smyth sent over two frees.
But the Skryne defence were caught napping when Bradley sent a low shot past their goalie and Lee blasted to the roof of the net.
When Ian Callaghan followed up with a sweetly struck point it was 2-2 to 0-2. The eventual winners then conceded two points but they finished the first half with Paul Murphy sending over.
Gaeil Colmcille captain Joe Lee with Barney Allen
Murphy, son of former Meath forward Joe, proved very effective shooting three points.
A close contest looked in prospect when Skryne notched three points on resumption, but two points were as close as they got.
Even though it took Ollie Keegan’s side thirteen minutes to get off the mark in the second period, they then assumed control.
The five point advantage was restored when Bradley, Barrett and Murphy got on target in a five minute spell.
Skryne’s hopes were briefly revived with point from a quickly taken free but that was the holders last score as Murphy and Lee (with a free out of his hands) completed the winners total.
It could have been even bigger as substitute Liam Barry had a goal attempt well saved at the expense of a ’45 which was not taken as referee Seamus McCormack sounded the final whistle.
The Gaeil Colmcille team and scorers: R. Usher, F. Farrelly, C.Tully, Kenny Morgan, Karl Morgan, T. Foley, H. Barry, L. Newman, R. Kelly, M. Barrett 0-1, R.Bradley 1-2, I. Callaghan 0-1, J. Lee 1-1, P. Murphy 0-3, S. Quigley. Sub: L. Barry
Gaeil Colmcille squad: Brendan Muldoon, Liam Barry, Derek Duignan, Cathal Tully, Richie Bradley, Liam Newman, Stephen Quigley, Robert Usher, Franco Farrelly, Timmy Foley, Paul Murphy, Paul Smith, Karl Manning, Karl Morgan, Joe Lee, Martin Barrett, Henry Barry, Kenny Morgan, Ian Callaghan, Ross Kelly, Peter Quigley, Seamus Duignan,
Tweet
