Wolfe Tones are tamed as Cilles eye the knockouts
Colmcille’s 0-11 Wolfe Tones 0-10
ANY FEARS that St Colmcille’s might have had of being involved in an SFC relegation battle were firmly put to bed as they shocked fancied Wolfe Tones at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.
Victory leaves the Seasiders sitting proudly at the top of Group C and they can now entertain genuine hopes of making it to the knockout stages when the championship resumes in a couple of months.
This game was far from being a thriller, but full credit to Des Lane’s men who showed tremendous resilience, especially when the game seemed to have slipped from their grasp in the second half.
They outscored their opponents three points to one in the final 10 minutes, with the winning score coming from a Ben Brennan free following a foul on Graham Reilly on the stroke of 60 minutes.
Tones had opportunities to rescue at least a share of the spoils in added time, but attempts from Stephen Sheppard and Daniel O’Neill were both well wide of the mark. Those misses were indicative of the Tones’ overall display as they squandered chance after chance and 11 of their 15 wides arrived in the second half.
It was difficult to understand how a side who notched 3-16 and had 15 points to spare in the opening-round win over Moynalvey could suddenly lose their scoring touch.
St Colmcille’s also hit their fair share of wides, including four in as many minutes heading towards half-time. However, they had a match-winner in diminutive corner forward James Conlon who tormented the Tones rearguard throughout.
Conlon hit five of his sides points, included four from frees, as he ran a number of different markers ragged. After losing Ciaran Kelly to injury eight minutes into the action Cille’s adopted a simple strategy, leaving Conlon isolated in the full forward line. He proved almost impossible to handle once he received the low ball and it was surprising that Tones didn’t take action to cut off the supply at any stage in the game.
The east Meath side had the advantage of the stiff breeze in the opening half but failed to make the best use of it at time and held a precarious 0-6 to 0-5 lead at the break.
Both sides hit a brace of wides before Niall O’Reilly and Conlon swapped early scores. Conlon added two further scores, while Ben Brennan converted two frees and midfielder David O’Byrne hit a long-range effort for Cille’s remaining points of the half.
Points from Cian Ward (free), Eanna Harrington and Niall O’Reilly kept the under-performing Tones in touch before Ward, from another free on the stroke of half-time, left the minimum between the teams.
Tones, who started without captain Niall McLoughlin, Shane Glynn and Cian O’Neill, lost Brughach Ó Fionnagáin to a black card within two minutes of the restart. They went further in arrears after substitute Sean Collier pointed but were on level terms by the 37th minute following a brace of Niall O’Reilly points.
Cian Ward missed a chance to put Tones ahead and the sides were still level heading into the final quarter after Conlon, from play and Ward, from a free, exchanged scores.
A massive effort from Daniel O’Neill eventually put Tones ahead for the first time since the opening passages, but their lead was shortlived as Conlon responded almost immediately at the other end.
Conlon then set up David O’Byrne for the lead point and as the tempo increased an effort from Sarán Ó Fionnagáin sneaked over the bar for the equaliser.
Both sides would probably have settled for a share of the spoils at that stage, but not for the first time Brennan’s accuracy proved a match-winner.
ST COLMCILLE’S: Andrew Beakey; Adam Lynch, Jamie McDonnell, Carl Mullen; Jeff Kavanagh, Ian Mullen, Jack Reynolds; David O’Byrne 0-2, Ruairi O’Grady; Ben Brennan 0-3fs, Graham Reilly, Conor O’Byrne; Cathal Hilliard, Ciaran Kelly, James Conlon 0-5 (1f). Subs: Sean Collier 0-1 for Kelly (8), Kieran Ward for Collier (45).
WOLFE TONES: David Nolan; Daniel O’Neill 0-1, Eoghan Harrington, Conor Sheppard; Brughach Ó Fionnagáin, Stephen Sheppard, Eanna Harrington 0-1; Stephen Corrigan, Eanna O’Kelly Lynch; Niall O’Reilly 0-4, Thomas O’Reilly, Pauric Diamond; Fiachra Ward, Sarán Ó Fionnagáin 0-1, Cian Ward 0-3fs. Subs: Caolan Ward for Brughach Ó Fionnagáin (BC 32), Niall McLoughlin for O’Kelly Lynch (62).
REFEREE: Liam Reddy (Duleek-Bellewstown)