Gaeil Colmcille win A FL Div 1 final

Gaeil Colmcille won the A FL Div 1 final tonight at Pairc Tailteann with a full-deserved 3-13 to 2-10 win against Navan O'Mahonys.

This was a slow-burning display by the winners, but they were worthy of the six-point winning margin in a game where referee  Reddy displayed a generous attitude throughout.

Two early wides for O'Mahonys were followed by a Gary O'Brien point from play that clipped the top of the crossbar
as it dropped into the goalmouth in the fourth minute.

A minute later it was two for the Navan men as Oisin O'Brien sent over a free from about 40 metres and then Stephen Bray got in on the act with a fine effort from play from 45 metres.

O'Mahonys remained in the ascendancy as Gaeil Colmcille laboured for any sort of fluency and Oisin O'Brien sent over
from play before adding a goal at the end of the first-quarter for a 1-4 to 0-0 advantage.

The move for that O'Mahpnys goal started with goalkeeper Marcus Brennan who was utilised by his defenders as an extra man with a number of back passes before the route to goal was carved open with David Dillon providing the final pass.

Gaeil Colmcille looked like they might lose tuch at that stage, but their worries were eased when Brian Hanlon found the net.

It made amends for a couple of wayward frees, but it also signalled the arrival of a more fluent Gaeil Colmcille side as they
blew off the cobwebs.

Seamus Mattimoe's point boosted the revival and then Hanlon started and finished a move for his sceond goal in the 26th minute, but during all that activity O'Mahonys sent over important points from Gary O'Brien, Oisin O'Brien (free) and Bray

Gaeil Colmcille finished the half with a flourish that produced points from Fionn Reilly and Evan Sheridan that left them
 by the minumum (2-3 to 1-7) at the interval.

O'Mahonys made the best possible start to the second-half with a David Dillon goal inside 20 seconds, but they could only muster three more points - Dylan Regan, Bray and Oisin O'Brien - and that wasn't good enough against the Gaeil Colmcille storm that blew them away.

There was six Hanlon points and one each from Oisin Reilly, their best player when he wasn't hauled to the ground, and Fionn Reilly, who was black-carded near the end. Then there was 1-2 from Seamus Mattimoe who was excellent.

SCORERS
Gaeil Colmcille - Brian Hanlon 2-6; Seamus Mattimoe 1-3; Fionn Reilly 0-2; Evan Sheridan 0-1; Oisin Reilly 0-1.
Navan O'Mahonys - Oisin O'Brien 1-4; Stephen Bray 0-3; David Dillon 1-0; Gary O'Brien 0-2; Dylan Regan 0-1.

SEE PRESENTATION OF TROPHY