Reserve Cup, Division 1. Group B – Round 3. Seneschalstown 0-13 Skryne 1-09

For three quarters of this round 3 encounter, Skryne were the better team and looked odds on to secure victory as they took a six-point lead into the final quarter. But things didn’t go according to script as tired legs began to creep in for Skryne who arrived in Seneschalstown with a small squad, while Seneschalstown had a second team on the bench. The fresh legs of Seneschalstown saw them reel Skryne in with seven points without a reply in the final ten minutes of the game.

Skryne got the scoring underway in the fourth minute of the game when Ian Davis, who had an excellent first half, won a mark on the 21 metre line and converted with ease. Liam Maguire opened Seneschalstown’s account before Ian Davis and Tommy Carpenter added to Skryne’s tally. Two quick-fire points from James Meade and  Seimí Byrne restored parity. An Ian Davis free saw Skryne edge ahead at the midway point of the half. Skryne were battling hard in defence and were breaking records for blocked shots, the best of which came from the ever-impressive Cillian Moss who dived to block a goal-bound effort on the 17th minute. Seneshalstown’s mobile corner back Danny Waters made a foray forward to chip in with a point for the hosts who drew level again. Charlie Swan was next to pen his name on the scoresheet with an excellent point from the right-hand side. Kian Reddy added another from the edge of the D. Seimí Byrne bagged his second point of the game a minute before the break to leave just a point between the sides at half-time. Seneschalstown 0-05, Skryne 0-06.

As in the first half, Ian Davis was first to get off the mark in the second half. Skryne’s goal came when Niall Morland made a great run down the left wing before kicking across to Ian Davis on the edge of the Seneschalstown penalty area. Davis quickly shifted the ball to Charlie Swan who had made an excellent run into the penalty area before unleashing a rasper of a shot past the Seneschalstown goal-keeper. A pointed free from Robbie Finnegan was Seneschalstown’s only score in the third quarter, while a Robbie Clarke double extended Skryne’s lead to six points as the game entered the final quarter. This is where the wheels began to come off for Skryne. Seneschalstown’s James Meade added a brace of points for Seneschalstown and all of a sudden Skryne began to panic and couldn’t secure possession as Seneschalstown with their tails up began to attack in waves, with Meade adding a further two points to his tally while his teammates added three more to edge Seneschalstown ahead by a point. Skryne to their credit fought on looking for the equaliser which would have been enough to see them win the group. Alas the point evaded them and Seneschalstown held on to secure victory much to the delight of the home support.

Skryne: Luke O’Brien; Seán McCarthy, Kristoffer Kinsella, Cillian Moss; Conor Donohoe, Jack Swan, Tommy Kelly; Tommy Carpenter(0-1), Robbie Clarke(0-2); James Mangan, Niall Morland, Charlie Swan(1-1); Mark Swan, Ian Davis (0-4, 1m, 1f), Kian Reddy (0-1).

Subs used: Seán Cassidy, Jason Fox, Ciarán Fox

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