Gaeil Colmcille run riot in Martry
Simonstown were no match for Conn Cleary's side on Saturday evening.
Gaeil Colmcille 4-4-9 (29)
Simonstown 1-0-5 (8)
It was all one-way traffic for Gaeil Colmcille as they dispatched a struggling Simonstown side with ease in the SFC at Martry on Saturday. Saturday’s defeat was Simonstown’s second straight comprehensive loss. Tony Dunne’s side will need to beat Donaghmore/Ashbourne next time out if they are going to avoid a relegation semi-final play-off.
For Gaeil Colmcille though the victory maintained their 100% record in Group D and a win over a Dunshaughlin side who are trying to cope with well-documented injuries in the final round will secure top spot for the consistent Kells side.
Simonstown had only 13 men on the pitch when Charlie Twomey found the back of the net in the 24th minute. Six minutes later, Tony Dunne’s side had returned to their full complement when Gaeil Colmcille raised their second green flag with a well-worked move which handed them a 12-point advantage at the interval.
In truth, this contest was put to bed 30 seconds after the restart when Evan Sheridan scored Gaeil Colmcille’s third goal but Simonstown did get a consolation major when Ben Hoey slotted a penalty in the 38th minute.
Conn Cleary’s side cruised to the finish line and in the final quarter outscored their opponents by 1-9 to 0-1. Twomey was a late addition to the Gaeil Colmcille starting 15 and he played a starring role in a full-forward line consisting of himself Sheridan and Andrew Gormley. The trio contributed a combined 2-13 to Gaeil Colmcille’s impressive tally.
Neither side even got a shot away in the first five minutes but eventually Niall Kane kickstarted proceedings with a nice point from the opposite side to the dugouts. Gaeil Colmcille responded well and leapfrogged ahead with a well-struck Andrew Gormley two-pointer. Points from Twomey and Sheridan followed before Twomey saw two goal chances in quick succession go abegging.
A nice ball in from Liam Ferguson was gathered well by Twomey and he split the posts before he added another a minute later to put Gaeil Colmcille 0-6 to 0-1 ahead. Kane pulled one back with his second score but Simonstown were dealt a big blow at the end of the first-quarter when their full-back Mark Gardiner dragged Ajay Tormey to the ground and received a black card.
Barry Farrelly slotted a nice two-point free which extended the gap to seven points. Will Byrne was brought off by the physio for blood treatment but a communication breakdown meant that Simonstown never sent on a temporary replacement.
Byrne tried to re-enter the field during play but Kieran Olwell spotted the wing-forward, brandished him a yellow card and sent him back to the dugout to wait for a break in proceedings. That somewhat comical series of events meant that Simonstown only had 13 men on the pitch when Andrew Gormely set up Twomey for Gaeil Colmcille’s first goal.
On the cusp of half-time John Gormley played a good ball into Fionn Smith and Smith laid it back to the onrushing John Gormley who shrugged off a Simonstown defender before he dispatched the ball past Ben Hoey. That goal gave Gaeil Colmcille a lead at the break of 2-8 to 0-2 and 30 seconds after the restart, Sheridan effectively put the game to bed with a third goal for Cleary’s men.
To their credit, Simonstown battled well in the third quarter and in their brightest spell between the 34th and 46th minute outscored Gaeil Colmcille 1-3 to 0-1. The goal came courtesy of a Ben Hoey penalty after Smith was deemed to have pushed Twomey in the back in the large rectangle. Padraig McKeever registered a brace of points while Byrne also got on the scoresheet.
However, from there Gaeil Colmcille cruised to the finish line and in the final quarter Andrew Gormley registered five points which included two two-point frees. Liam Ferguson scored his side’s fourth goal while substitutes Liam Barry and Harry Butler added to Gaeil Colmcille’s large tally.
Gaeil Colmcille: Barry Farrelly (0-2 two-point free); Fionn Smith, Rian Early, Adam Muldoon; John Gormley (1-0), Jordan Muldoon, Dan Farrelly; Liam Ferguson (1-0), Aaron Browne; Barry Tormey, Ajay Tormey, Conor Og Ferguson; Evan Sheridan (1-1), Andrew Gormley (0-6 one free, two two-point frees, one two-pointer), Charlie Twomey (1-5). Subs: Liam Barry (0-1) for Browne, Harry Butler (0-1) for Sheridan both 36m, Oisin Reilly for B Tormey 43m, Shane Callaghan for Smith 52m, Ryan Farnham for L Ferguson 55m.
Simonstown: Ben Hoey (1-0 penalty); Paddy Heaney, Mark Gardiner, Shane Gallagher; Brian McGrath, Brian Conlon, Niall Kane (0-2); Michael Gavin, Eddie Nash; Will Byrne (0-1), Padraig McKeever (0-2 one free), Oran Meade; Shane McEnery, Aaron Farrelly, Jack Melia. Subs: Max Condon for Gardiner 26m, Jack Collier for McEnery, Conor Sheridan for Melia both 43m, Aaron Chinchilla for Sheridan 52m.
Referee: Kieran Olwell (Moynalty).