Under 19 – Division 3 Ladies Final – 2010
Skryne v Dee Rangers
Skryne U19 Ladies claim Division 3 Title
This Div 3 – U19 Ladies Final was played in Bellewstown on Saturday 5th February 2011 even though this was the Div 3 final for 2010… This final was postponed on two occasions prior to Christmas due to snow covered pitches and as a result the game was fixed for 5th February 2011. However, there was another twist to this tale prior to throw up. The final was fixed for Seneschelstwon but when the team and supporters arrived in Seneschelstwon for the 11am throw in, the pitch was deemed to be unplayable. After numerous phone calls by the fixtures committee the ground at Bellewstown was found to be fit for play and so all headed for this venue.
The game finally got underway when Martin Mannering the Ashbourne referee threw the ball up to get the 2010 final underway. Skryne played with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half and took little time in settling to their task when Skryne corner forward Eimear Clarke pointed from play in the fourth minute from around the 14 yard line. This was followed up with a point from Skryne half forward Melanie Kirwan again from play in the 6th minute. Ruth Moore was next up when she split the posts again from play a minute later.
Skryne by this stage were dominant throughout the field with the back line playing their part breaking down any Dee Rangers raid into their territory. However, no fort is impenetrable and Dee Rangers registered their first score which came in the form of a point from play in the 16th minute. A Dee Ranger’s free kick saw a high dropping ball into the Skryne goal mouth but Skryne goalie Rosin Gryson was equal to the task when she collected the ball safely. Dee Rangers registered another point from play on the 19th minute leaving Skryne ahead by two points at this stage.
The 21st minute saw an excellently worked and executed point with Skryne half backs Melanie Kirwan and Ruth Moore linking up for Ruth’s third point of the game. A dropping ball into the Dee Rangers goal line a minute later saw Eimear Clarke the Skryne corner forward do what she does best. She took advantage of a spilling ball off the opposition goalkeeper to toe tap the ball to the back of the Dee Rangers net. Ruth Moore the Skryne half forward was now proving to be unstoppable when she took her fourth point from play in the 23rd minute. This now left Skryne six points to the good. This margin was maintained a minute later when the custodian of the Skryne goal Rosin Gryson pulled off a diving save worthy of any premiership goalie to stop what looks liked a certain Dee Rangers goal.
Skryne again got their shooting boots on in the 27th minute when Melanie Kirwan chalked up her second point of the half. Dee Rangers responded on the cusp of half time to score a point from play in the 29th minute. Referee Martin Mannering brought the first half to a close shortly after, leaving the scores at the break:
Skryne 1 – 7. Dee Rangers 0 – 3.
Second Half
The second half started with the wind picking up and the rain coming down in torrents. The question was now on supporter’s minds if the Skryne lead of seven points would be enough given Dee Rangers now had the advantage of near gale force winds. Dee rangers were obviously asking the same question of Skryne when they struck for a point from play in the 37th minute. They were again back on the scoreboard with a goal from play five minutes later. The 43rd minute saw another Dee Rangers point added to in the 48th and 49th minutes to leave the sides level. The Skryne back line were now under severe pressure defending into a strong wind and driving rain with wave after wave of Dee Ranger attacks coming at them. Skryne now made changes to their forward line with Katrina Keogan and Emma Fitzpatrick replacing Una Brennan and Anita O’Sullivan who had given their all for the cause.
The siege was soon lifted when Skryne’s Alisha Jordan broke through from centerfield beating all in front of her to bury the ball in the back of the Dee Rangers net. This score put Skryne back in front by a goal on the 53rd minute. This was no more than Alisha deserved as she was putting in a Trojan effort throughout the field along with her midfield partner Kayleigh Farrell. Rosin Gryson again came to the rescue a minute later when she pulled off another fine save to deny Dee Rangers finding the back of the Skryne net.
Dee Rangers now sensed the urgency of their situation and hit back in the 55th minute with a point and a goal followed some minutes later. With the game almost up Dee Rangers found themselves ahead by a point. Skryne were down but certainly not out and the next Skryne move showed losing was not part of their agenda on this particular day. In what arguably was the move of the game saw Kayleigh Farrell breaks out from the Skryne half back line and go on a solo run up through the middle of the Bellewstown Park. Having run for about 40 mtrs and beating a number of players in the process she found Ruth Moore with a well aimed and well timed pass. Ruth saw a gap in the opposition defence and let a rasper of a shot from 25mtrs go towards the Dee Rangers goal.
The cheers and jubilation of the Skryne supporters and mentors told its own story as the Dee Rangers goalkeeper was left to take the ball out of the back of her net in injury time. The next couple of minutes saw the Skryne defence standing up fortress like to a number of Dee Rangers assaults. Referee Martin Mannering finally brought the game to an end when he blew the final whistle which must have sounded like sweet music to the Skryne ladies, mentors and supporters alike. The final score stood at:
Skryne 3 – 7. Dee Rangers 2 – 8.
This was a wonderful performance by any standards and the grit, determination and never says die attitude of this young Skryne side has only to be admired. They won the hard way against a very talented and determined Dee Rangers side who had won all their games to date in this competition with some room to spare. There were a number of great individual performances and the fact a number of these came from the U16 members of the panel surely bodes well for Skryne at this level over the next few years. However, a day like this cannot be won without good team work and this was a spirited and well orchestrated team performance and were fully deserving of their victory. The contribution of some key players such as Annie Ryan who is abroad as part of her college studies and Saoirse McGrath who was sidelined due to an illness cannot be forgotten in getting the team to this final.
The trophy was presented to team captain Orla Cragie by a County Board Official who paid compliment to both sides for a great game of football. She praised Skryne for winning the trophy and on their determination and refusal to be beaten on the day.
The team managers Emer Finnerty and Coleen Jordan must be commended for all their efforts throughout to bring the team to this level of performance. Mick Whelan manager of the ladies senior team who helped out with the U19 team this year expressed his delight at the result and added he was delighted for the girls. Mary Keogh club secretary said after the game that all the hard work this group of ladies put in at various age levels over the years had paid off and she was very proud of all the girls. She added this was a great day for the club and was confident of further success in the near future. Alisha Jordan was selected Skryne player of the match at a reception held in Fox’s lounge after the game.
Team: Rosin Gryson; Una Morley, Rachel Whelan , Rachel Hanley; Sophie Halpin, Orla Cragie, Deidre Kennedy; Katie Moore, Alisha Jordan { 1 – 0}; Kayleigh Farrell, Ruth Moore { 1 – 4}, Melanie Kirwan {0 – 2}; Anita 0’Sullivan , Una Brennan, Emer Clarke { 1 – 1}; Subs – Catriona Keogan for Una Brennan, Emma Fitzpatrick for Anita O’Sullivan.
