Simonstown 1–17, St. Colmcilles 1–9

From the throw-in, St. Colmcilles stormed into action and powered forward. Simonstown’s Cody Chinchilla pulled off a great block on the goal line, and shortly after goalkeeper Ronan Duffy made a brilliant save with an outstretched hand at the butt of the post.

Cian Newman, David McKeever, and Ruairi Brady (with a fisted effort) had the Navan men 0–3 to 0–1 in front after eight minutes. The visitors replied with two points to leave it a one-point game as the first quarter neared its end.

Simonstown then pushed ahead: Jack Collier, David Kavanagh, Ruairi Brady, and a brace from Fionn O’Hanluain had them 0–8 to 0–4 in front with three minutes left in the half. Young Cian Newman followed with a massive score worth two points from play.

The full back line of Chinchilla, Colin Wickham, and Liam Purvis were excellent and surged forward on many occasions to set up attacks. St. Colmcilles added two more points, but Simonstown led 0–10 to 0–5 at the break.

Jack Melia, introduced at half time, tapped over a point before Newman added another and then bagged a superb goal after fine team play, putting the Navan Sky Blues 1–12 to 0–5 ahead with six minutes of the second half played.

The Cilles responded strongly, breaking through the home defence with a goal and two points (one free) to leave just five between the sides at the end of the third quarter: 1–12 to 1–7.

However, Simonstown kicked on again. Jack Collier, McKeever, and Newman (with a brace, including a free) stretched the hosts’ lead to nine, 1–16 to 1–7. The visitors hit back with two points, but Eoghan Keane rounded off the scoring for Simonstown: 1–17 to 1–9.

It was an excellent all-round team performance, with superb accuracy and skill from Newman (Sean Tobin’s nephew), who finished with 1–6. Importantly, eight different players got on the scoresheet.


---

Simonstown

Ronan Duffy, Cody Chinchilla, Colin Wickham, Liam Purvis, Jamie Keane, Jimmy Heaney, David Kavanagh 0–1, Michael McMahon, David McKeever 0–2, Fionn O’Hanluain 0–2, Jack Collier 0–2, Cian Newman 1–6 (1–0, 1×2, 3f, 0–1), Eoghan Keane 0–1, Kyle McEvoy, Ruairi Brady 0–2.

Subs: Jack Melia 0–1 (for J. Collier, h/t), Peter Duffy (for D. Kavanagh, 38m), Jack Collier (for F. O’Hanluain, 52m), Luke Kennedy (for C. Chinchilla, 56m).


---

St. Colmcilles

Jack Collier, Adam Carthy, Ben O’Connell, Charlie Beacon, Cian O’Connell, Louis McKay, Finn Coomber, Joe O’Toole, Karl Leonard, Leon O’Brien-Harte, Louis Connell, Mark Delaney, Oisin Corcoran, Oisin Murphy, Sean Gillick.


--- Report by Jim McCabe