Men’s Reserve Cup Division 5

Reserve Cup Division 5A

Gael Colmcille 6-22 (40)  Dunshaughlin 0-9

Not to take away from Gael Colmcille’s convincing win, but the outcome of this game indicates it is probably more as a result of improper grading, than a team’s performances on the field. Dunshaughlin’s Men’s fourth team played Gael Colmcilles’s 3^rd team who probably should have been graded in a higher division (maybe in the same division as Dunshaughlin’s third team).

However, Dunshaughlin did manage to stick with Gael Colmcille for the 1^st quarter and the teams were tied at 0-3 a piece up until the 15^th minute. Dunshaughlin could have been ahead only for a fine save by the Kells keeper from a Trevor Dowd shot, he also denied Dowd with an even better save in the 2^nd half. Dunshaughlin took the lead in the 3^rd minute with a point from play from Danny Benson  Kells equalised and went one ahead before Niall Dundon equalised from a free. Kells went ahead again in the 9^th minute but Dunshaughlin equalised with another point from Benson in the 11^th minute. During the first twenty minutes Dunshaughlin goalkeeper Gary O’ Connor made some fantastic saves as the locals started to dominate in all sectors of the field. In a six- minute period Gael Colmicille scored five points without reply to go 0-8 to 0-3 in front. Jack Considine pulled one back in the 18^th minute for what was to be Dunshaughlin’s last score of the half. In the final 10 minutes of the half the Cilles scored 3-4 to end the game as a contest and leave the half time score 3-12 (21) to 0-4. Although the Kells boys were playing some excellent football at times Dunshaughlin were guilty of making it easier for them, by not tracking runners from deep and taking the wrong options themselves in front of goals when players were in better positions to score.

Dunshaughlin did score first in the 2^nd half with a Mark Caldwell point but Kells scored 2-3 before Dunshaughlin got their next score from Benson in the 43^rd minute, followed closely by a pointed free from Caldwell a minute later. James Rattigan scored a point from play in the 45^th minute during the only period in the game where Dunshaughlin outscored the opposition. Benson got Dunshaughlin’s final point in the 52^nd minute.

It was a tough evening for the boys in Black and Amber who will dust down and go again.

Dunshaughlin: Gary O’ Connor, Adam Territt, Owen Herlihy, Niall Finlay, Cian Edwards, Calum Deehan, Oliver McEnroe, Brian Clinton, Danny Benson 0-3, Mark Caldwell 0-2, James Rattigan 0-1, Trevor Dowd, Moustaffa Saodan, Niall Dundon 0-2, Jack Considine 0-1, Eoin Farrelly, Paul Healy, Peadar O’ Keefe.