Skryne Ladies lined out against a much fancied Na Fianna side in their junior B Championship campaign on Wednesday evening 13th July and in the process recorded their third win in a row. This game was played in the Skryne home pitch in ideal weather conditions for football with little or no wind advantage to either side. The home side took little time in declaring their intentions when midfielder Coleen Jordan chalked up a point from play within the 1st minute. Coleen was back on the scoreboard again on the 3rd minute with a well taken point from play followed by a Kayleigh Farrell point minutes later. The exchanges throughout the pitch were intense and Skryne were left in no doubt they were up against a quality side As if to prove this point Na Fianna hit their first score of the evening in the form of a point from play in the 7th minute to narrow the gap slightly. This was responded to almost immediately when Skryne half forward Saoirse McGrath took a point from play to restore the home side’s margin.
Na Fianna were now coming more into the game and found the back of the Skryne net to level the score on the 10th minute. They found themselves In front for the first time a minute later when they split the posts from play. Skryne had a few opportunities to level matters but struck three wides before centre forward Ruth Moore brought the sides back on level terms when she took a well worked point from play on the 14th minute. The home sides lead was restored when corner forward Eimear Clarke took a ball from Saoirse McGrath and rounded her player to take an excellent point from play. Na Fianna kept piling on the pressure and had a point from play in the 20th minute but this was cancelled out a minute later when Eimear Finnerty one of the Skryne mid field duo put the ball between the uprights. Na Fianna hit back with a point to show the home side they definitely had a game on their hands. However, Skryne were determined to finish the half strongly and restore their grip on the game when centre forward Ruth Moore rattled the back of the opposition net. This was followed with points from Eimear Clarke and Eimear Finnerty in the dying minutes of the half to leave the score at the break:
Skryne 1 – 9. Na Fianna 1 – 4.
Skryne took to the field for the second half with Anita O’Sullivan moving from corner back to half forward and Melanie Kirwan going back into the corner back slot. Mick Whelan team manager emphasised to his team during the half time talk the dangers of this Na Fianna side and urged his side to take the game to them from the very start of the second half. His own daughter Michelle was obviously listening when she had the ball in the back of the Na Fianna net within the 1st minute of the resumption. The power packed Skryne half forward Saoirse McGrath added a further point to her tally a minute later before Na Fianna struck four points from play by the 8th minute of the half. Saoirse was back on the scoreboard again on the 10th minute when she took a point from play to leave the scores at this stage: Skeyne 2 – 11. Na Fianna 1 – 8. The mid field pairing of Coleen Jordan and Eimear Finnerty were winning the battle in this sector and Coleen stretched the home side lead when she converted a point from a free kick. Ruth Moore followed this with another pointed free kick and added a further point from play on the 16th minute of the half.
The Syryne back line were putting in their usual solid performance with Niamh Lynch and Gillian O’Sullivan showing their experience in this sector with Rosin Gryson putting in her usual rock solid performance between the Skryne posts. However, Na Fianna slipped through for a point on the 19th minute but this was quickly cancelled out by a point from play by Ruth Moore who was having a super game. The game was now in the final minutes and Na Fianna struck the final two points of the evening which did little more than reduce Skryne’s winning margin slightly to leave the score at the final whistle:
Skryne 2 – 15. Na Fianna 1 – 11.
Team – Rosin Gryson; Anita O’Sullivan, Niamh Lynch, Una Morley; Deidre Kennedy, Gillian O’Sullivan, Rachael Whelan; Eimear Finnerty{0-2}, Coleen Jordan{ 0-3};Melanie Kirwan, Ruth Moore{1-4}, Saoirse McGrath{0-3}; Kayleigh Farrell{0-1}, Michelle Whelan{1-0}, Eimear Clarke{0-2}
