Skryne Ladies got their 2012 Feis Shield campaign off to a winning start on Friday evening 15th June when they eased by Moylagh inFatherMcManusPark their home ground. The sides lined out with twelve players each as Moylagh came to this venue with just that number of players and fair play rules apply in this competition. This resulted in an unusual formation throughout the pitch with each side playing two in each outfield line other than the half forward and half back line which had its full compliment of three players. The pitch was in excellent condition despite the torrential rain that had fallen in the hours running up to the game and the clouds were threatening to rain down on proceedings as Declan Browne match referee got the game underway.
The game was just one minute old when the ever consistent Skryne half forward Melanie Kirwan split the uprights to register the first score of the evening. This was followed minutes later with another well taken point for the home side coming this time from the boot of corner forward Eimear Clarke. The next attempt went wide of the posts coming from a Skryne boot before Moylagh registered their first score of the evening in the form of a point coming from a free kick. The visitors were back on the scoreboard a minute later when this time they struck a point from play to tie up matters on the 6th minute. Moylagh were now putting pressure on the home sides rear guard, however, their next two attempts sailed wide of the posts, one of these from a placed ball. The 7th minute saw the visitors take the lead for the first time when they had an excellent point from play to leave the home side with something to think about. Skryne did not have to think for very long before team captain Eimear Finnerty again levelled scores when she took a point from play coming about from an excellent passage of play beginning in the half back line.
The home side were determined to press on from here and this they did when Ruth Moore in the full forward line struck points from play on the 12th and 13th minutes to create some space between the sides. The home side tails were now up and sensed they were getting a grip on this game when the turbo charged half forward Colleen Jordan blasted her way through the visitors defence to bury the ball in the back of the their net on the 14th minute. This was followed almost immediately with another goal for the home side this time executed by centre field player Catriona Keoghan to leave an ever increasing gap between the sides at the mid way stage of the half.
Moylagh were still fighting for every ball and they came up trumps on the 16th minute when they struck a goal from play to eat into the Skryne lead. The home side were determined to pin back their opponents but saw their next attempt miss the target before Colleen Jordan made a run through from centre field to tag on another well taken point for Skryne. The Tara side again missed the target on the 18th minute; however, the very much in form Colleen Jordan took another point from play to maintain her side’s momentum on the 20th minute. Moylagh were determined to stay in this game but missed the target on the 21st minute before they struck two points from play on the 22nd and 23rd minutes to claw Skryne back slightly. The final score of the half came from theTara sides corner forward Eimear Clarke when she slipped past the opponents back line to tag on a point which left the scores at the break:
Skryne 2 – 8. Moylough 1 – 5.
The second half started with Skryne bringing on fresh legs with Sinead O’Kane replacing Anita O’Sullivan in the full back line and Megan O’Brien replacing Una Morley in the half back line. As mentioned earlier Moylagh had just twelve players available and the lack of substitutes was to tell its own tale in the second half. The opening half was played under a dark and threatening skyline and the second half was played with Mother Nature threatening to rain on our parade.
The half was just into its opening minutes when the Moylagh keeper was forced into a goal line save, however, Catriona Keoghan picked up the rebound and split the uprights to stretch the Tarasides lead on the 2nd minute of the half. Skryne were in a determined mood and had no intention of taking their foot off the gas when we saw an attempt at goal from Colleen Jordan saved on the line to deny her a second goal thus far on the evening. With just twelve players lining out on each side there was lots of space and the home side were making full use with their fast and intelligent movement of the ball. The 4th minute saw substitute Megan O’Brien register her first point of the evening to stretch the homes sides lead and a minute later saw the Moylagh keeper forced into another goal line stop this time from Ruth Moore. The 6th minute of the half saw Ruth back on the scoreboard when she struck an excellent point from play followed a minute by a spectacular goal from County played Colleen Jordan when she buried the ball in the back of the visitors net from 25 yards out.
The home side were by now rampant with their opponents chasing shadows a lot of the time with Skryne’s fast movement of the ball causing all kinds of problems. Colleen Jordan was back on the scoreboard again when she struck a point from a placed ball and she followed this on the 10th minute of the half with a goal to make it a hat trick. The game to all intents and purposes was over at this early stage and the next eight minutes saw the Tara side hit six points without reply to inflict further misery on their opponents evening. These scores came from Megan O’Brien, Colleen Jordan, Melanie Kirwan and Aishling Bowens. The 18th minute saw Moylagh hit their only score of the second half when they struck a point from play. This lack of scoring from the visitors was due in no small part to dogged defending with Deidre Kennedy, Orla Cragie and Eimear Finnerty prominent in the Skryne back line.
The custodian of the Skryne goal was having a fairly quiet evening but as usual when called into the action she delivered when we saw her pull of a first class save on the 19th minute to deny Moylagh any chance of a come back. The Skryne substitute Megan O’Brien has her third point from play on the 20th minute. The final minutes of the game saw Skryne dominant when Ruth Moore in the full forward line finish off what was a fine performance when she added 2 – 1 on to the Skryne tally to leave them comfortable on a score line:
Skryne 6 – 20. Moylagh 1 – 6.
Skryne Team – Rosin Gryson; Anita O’Sullivan, Deidre Kennedy; Eimear Finnerty{0 – 1}, Orla Cragie, Una Morley; Catriona Keoghan{1-1}, Aishling Bowens{0-1}; Melanie Kirwan{0-3}, Colleen Jordan{3-5}; Ruth Moore{2-4}, Eimear Clarke{0-2}; Subs – Sinead O’Kane for Anita O’Sullivan, Megan O’Brien{0-3}, Michelle Whelan for Melanie Kirwan, Niamh O’Brien for Catriona Keoghan.
