Tones build on bright start to carve out narrow victory

Paddy Martin's side edge out misfiring Gaeil Colmcille as Cian Ward starts in goals

Wolfe Tones...0-9

Gaeil Colmcille...0-8

It wasn't pretty but Wolfe Tones did what they sought to do at Pairc Tailtenn this evening and got their SFC campaign off to winning start - just about.

They led for most of the way including when it mattered most and yet the Tones will look back at this slow-burning encounter and feel they will need to perform better if they are to make a real impact on the championship.

They made a bright start and led 0-3 to 0-0 after 12 minutes. Then they faded as Gaeil Colmcille came back to level matters and leave it 0-3 apiece at the break.

The Tones, then edged again again in the second-half and were greatly helped by the fact that Gaeil Colmcille simply couldn't turn promising moves into scores.

Brendan Murphy's side shot 12 winds (compared to seven clocked up by the Tones) and there are few games where a team can afford to be that profligate and hope to end up with a victory.

In fact Gaeil Colmcille, who led briefly soon after the break, could only manage two points from play all evening from Andrew Gormley and Evan Sheridan.

An observer at the final whistle said: "It's doubtful we've seen the county champions tonight." Few would have disagreed with him. Big improvements will need to be made by both sides for that to become a reality.

In that opening quarter Wolfe Tones played arguably their best football of the game. They moved from defence to attack with sometimes lightning speed catching out their opponents before they could take up their defensive positions with Adam O'Neill, Coalan Ward and Fiachra Ward lofting over scores.

Yet the subsequent fade out leading up to the interval will concern Paddy Martin and his management team not to mention the team's supporters.

Assisted by the breeze in the second-half Wolfe Tones benefited from putting a press on the Gaeil Colmcille kick-out. They also constructed some inventive moves that resulted in two points for the outstanding O'Neill.

Caolan Ward also popped over three points over the hour, two frees, with Thomas O'Reilly adding another. It was a meagre enough tally but it was still good enough to win.

Gaeil Colmcille were fit, well-organised and they moved the ball well at times their attack greatly helped by surging runs by players such as Ryan Farnham but their inability to translate possession into scores seriously undermined their ambitions.

It says something the game and their shooting that their goalkeeper Barry Farrelly was their joint topscorer with three points from frees, the same tally Andrew Gormley chalked up, two frees.

Gormley bagged a fine from play also but their best score of the evening arrived near the end when Evan Sheridan finished off a multi-player move with a shot from distance. It was a rare example of a player taking a calculated risk and reaping the rewards.

A sub-plot of the game was the appearance from the start of Cian Ward in goals for the Tones. He was replaced after just five minutes even though he wasn't injured. Before he departed he made a fine save to prevent Seamus Mattimoe scoring a goal for Gaeil Colmcille. In a game of tight margins that ultimately was to prove an important moment.

Wolfe Tones - Cian Ward; Conor Sheppard, Shane Glynn, Sean Considine; Dan O'Neill, Adam O'Neill (0-3), Niall O'Reilly; Alan Callaghan, Sean Penney; Caolan Ward (0-4 three frees, one '45'), Saran O Fionnagain, Thomas O'Reilly (0-1); Kyle Moran, Fiachra Ward (0-1), Stephen Sheppard. Subs - Daniel McHugh for C Ward 5m, Brughach O Fionnagain for Sheppard 45m, Adrian Crawford for Considine 50m, Alan Lynam for Callaghan 51m.

Gaeil Colmcille - Barry Farrelly (0-3 frees); Adam Donnelly, Rian Early, James Reilly; Johnny Quigley, Jordan Muldoon, Adam Muldoon; Oisin Reilly, Liam Ferguson; Ryan Farnham (0-1), Barry Tormay, Ajay Tormay; Seamus Mattimoe, John Gormley, Andrew Gormley (0-3 two frees). Subs - Brian Hanlon for J Gormley 45m, Evan Sheridan (0-1) for B Tormay 51m, Jack Hogg for A Tormay 56m, Paul Tormay for Quigley 60m.

Referee - Patrick Coyle (Curraha).