Skryne back with a bang!!
Skryne 2-12 Dunshaughlin 2-07
Fairyhouse Steel Meath GAA Senior Football Championship Group A, Round 5
After the Round 4 defeat to Gaeil Colmcille, Skryne’s championship campaign was hanging by a thread. The question in everybody’s head was ‘Could Skryne bounce back after such a comprehensive defeat?’. The answer was a resounding ‘Yes’. Skryne were magnificent today. Dunshaughlin were fancied to put one over on their neighbours, but Skryne had other ideas. The game kicked off with the sides swapping points, Skryne’s came from a free from Paddy O’Rourke. Dunshaughlin had the ball in the back of the Skryne net as early as the fifth minute when Matthew Costello floated a brilliant ball into Caoimhin King who slid the ball past the onrushing Ian Gillett. A minute later Darragh Campion was denied by a brilliant save as he looked for an immediate response to the Dunshaughlin goal. Dunshaughlin almost had another goal but a shot from their corner forward rebounded off the butt of the post and away to the relief of the Skryne defence. Dunshaughlin added another two points in the opening quarter, with just a single reply from Conor O’Brien. The Skryne defence lead by the brilliant Stephen O’Brien settled into the game after this and gradually began to nullify the threat of the Dunshaughlin forwardline. Skryne were down by four points, but they upped their performance in the second quarter and began to eat into the Dunshaughlin lead, with Harry Rooney and Stephen O’Brien reducing the deficit. Darragh Campion was again denied a goal by the Dunshaughlin keeper Adam McDermott. Matthew Costello tapped over a free for Dunshaughlin before Paddy O’Rourke and Ciarán Lenehan pointed to leave just the minimum between the teams at half time. Skryne 0-06, Dunshaughlin 1-04.
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Skryne levelled matters inside the opening minute of the second half when the brilliant Eoin Smyth pointed superbly. Skryne were really up for the battle in the second half and their first goal came when Conor O’Brien got on the end of a broken ball in the Dunshaughlin penalty area and finished to the net to send Skryne into the lead for the first time in the game. Dunshaughlin pointed a free before Skryne added two more through Smyth again and then Paddy O’Rourke. Straight from the kickout Dunshaughlin worked the ball up the field with a slick move which was finished to the net to see Dunshaughlin draw within a point of Skryne. Skryne didn’t panic and a Paddy O’Rourke point steadied the ship. O’Rourke hit another point attempt on the quarter hour mark, but he miscued. Adam McDermott advanced to claim the ball but dropped it at the feet of Paddy Carpenter who slammed the ball to the back of the net for Skryne’s second goal. Ian Davis had the keeper beaten again when his pointed effort rattled the crossbar and rebounded to safety. O’Rourke pointed to extend Skryne’s lead to six. Skryne looked comfortable at this stage and snuffed out numerous Dunshaughlin attacks. Ciarán Lenehan who had a fantastic game scored a fine point to seal the victory. Dunshaughlin did bag two consolation points in injury time but they were well beaten in a second half where they faced a more determined opposition.
In the last match report vs Gaeil Colmcille, I described the performance as most ‘unSkryne’ like. Well this performance was a typical ‘Skryne’ like performance, full of spirit, grit and determination. Mark Battersby, Eoin Smyth, Stephen O’Brien and Ciarán Lenehan played out of their skins, but a superb team performance was at the heart of this victory. The sight of the Skryne subs on their feet kicking every ball with their team-mates on the pitch as the game entered the closing stages was a sight for sore eyes . This is the Skryne we all want to see. Come on you boys in blue!!
Skryne’s victory today left them level on points with Navan O’Mahonys. However Skryne’s win over Navan O’Mahonys earlier in the campaign meant that Skryne progressed to the quarter final where they will meet Ratoath.
Skryne: Ian Gillett; Robbie Clarke, Mark Harrington, Niall Lenehan; David Carroll, Stephen O’Brien(0-1), Eoghan Greene; Harry Rooney(0-1), Ciaran Lenehan(0-2); Eoin Smyth(0-2), Darragh Campion, Ian Davis; Conor O’Brien(1-1), Paddy O’Rourke(0-5, 1f), Mark Battersby.
Subs: Paddy Carpenter(1-0), Dermot Brennan, Patrick Fox, Niall Morley.
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