Senior Championship
Fri 11th Apr Gaeil Colmcilles 0-12 Seneschalstown 2-10
Late Geraghty goal halts Kells
Seneschalstown needed their ‘get out of jail card’ in the form of a late Graham Geraghty goal to see off a strong Gaeil Colmcille challenge in this Meath SFC tie on an ideal evening for football at Walterstown on Friday 11th April.
Seneschalstown 2-10
Gaeil Colmcille 0-12
Senior Championship
Fri 11th Apr Gaeil Colmcilles 0-12 Seneschalstown 2-10
Late Geraghty goal halts Kells
Seneschalstown needed their ‘get out of jail card’ in the form of a late Graham Geraghty goal to see off a strong Gaeil Colmcille challenge in this Meath SFC tie on an ideal evening for football at Walterstown on Friday 11th April.
Seneschalstown 2-10
Gaeil Colmcille 0-12
In the end Colm McEvoy’s charges were left to rue a missed penalty in first half stoppage time, feebly struck by Thomas Shine, as they clawed their way back from 1-6 to 0-1 down after 20 minutes to trail by just two points, 0-10 to 1-9 with five minutes remaining before a piece of Geraghty magic following good work from Ciaran Macken and David Carter sealed the issue.
Had things panned out differently the Yellow Furze side would have been left to rue 14 wides, including nine in the first-half which ended with them leading by 1-7 to 0-4. However on this occasion Colm McEvoy must be wondering why he didn’t start with the formation that finished.
The Kells side was in total disarray in the opening stages before switches stabilised their ship as Justin Carry-Lynch moved to wing forward and fullback Robbie Flanagan and midfielder Mick Finnegan swapped places.
The introduction of former county minor John Lacy shortly after the restart gave the side in white and green an improved presence around the middle while wingback Martin Barrett moved into the attack.
Alan Finnegan and Geraghty ruled the roost in midfield in the early stages and the latter gave the final pass for Tony McDonnell to fist to the net in the fifth minute. Earlier Joe Sheridan opened the scoring with a punched point following a pass from older brother Damien, who was a pivotal figure for the winners in the during that dominant spell.
The winners registered half of their final tally in the first quarter and it was left to wingback Martin Barrett to open the Kells account from distance after eighteen minutes. He repeated the feat moments later before Carry-Lynch sent over from the right wing.
The missed penalty was awarded after Paul Murray was grounded by Gavin McGovern. Joe Tallon’s charges regained the initiative in the third quarter but only had two additional scores from Geraghty and Macken to show for their efforts while adding four wides.
Barrett booted his third score to ignite the Kells fight-back and they added seven points in a seventeen-minute spell during which Carry-Lynch and Cahill ran at the Seneschalstown defence but never threatened to find the net.
Though they only registered five wides they wasted some good openings in their spell of dominance but it was that extra bit of nous that saw last year’s beaten semi-finalists open their campaign with a win.
Seneschalstown – D. Geraghty; W. Smith, K. Macken, G. McGovern; C. Clarke, M. Carey, J. Raleigh; A. Finnegan, G. Geraghty (1-1); S. Clarke (0-2), D. Sheridan (0-1), C. Macken (0-1); T. McDonnell (1-1), J. Sheridan (0-4), D. Carter. Sub – P. O’Brien for Raleigh.
Gaeil Colmcille – T. Reilly; P. Barrett (0-1), R. Flanagan, E. Shine; J. Morris, K. Morgan, M. Barrett (0-3); T. Foley, M. Finnegan; S. Cahill (0-2), H. Barry (0-2), G. Arkins; T. Shine (0-2), J. Carry-Lynch (0-2), P. Murray. Subs – J. Lacey for Foley.
Referee – D. Coldrick (Blackhall Gaels)
