Skryne 1-16 Wolfe Tones 0-07
A League Division 1, Round 11
The Skryne Seniors took time out before their match against Wolfe Tones this evening to wish our Special Olympian Rosie O’ Reilly all the best in her quest to bring back a gold medal from Los Angeles where she will represent Ireland in the Golf event at the Special Olympics in just over a week’s time. Leaving Rosie looking proud as punch, it was down to business for the Boys In Blue who took to the pitch with their minds focused on getting a victory.
Indeed Skryne raced out of the traps at the start of this game and racked up 1-03 inside the first 5 minutes with Paddy O’Rourke signalling his return with a fine goal after a quick-fire burst through the Tones defence. Skryne also welcomed back the impressive Harry Rooney who lorded it in midfield along with Aidan Tuite throughout the evening and made several of his now trademark tsunami style rampaging runs at the Wolfe Tones defence, brushing aside everything in his wake. Skryne have been looking very impressive in recent times and the return of these 2 lads just adds an extra element of danger to a team who will be a real threat in this year’s championship. Wolfe Tones did make a game of it in the first half and after the initial shock of Skryne’s rapid fire start, they reeled off 3 points of their own to narrow the gap at the midway point of the half to just 3 points. 1-03 to 0-03. Both sides were forced into changes when the referee issued Black Cards first to the big Wolfe Tones midfielder following a collision with a Skryne man. Shortly after, Skryne’s Stephen O’ Brien suffered the wrath of referee Patrick Coyle when he pulled back a Wolfe Tones man who had just gotten past him. Stephen was duly Black Carded and had to be replaced by the lively Patrick Fox. Skryne responded to the Wolfe Tones comeback with 3 further points from Neil Burke and Mark Battersby. Wolfe Tones finished the half strongly adding 2 more points to their tally bringing the first half scoring to a close. The half time score on a rain sodden night in Skryne was Skryne 1-06 Wolfe Tones 0-5.
The second half was all one-way traffic and with the benefit of the wind, Skryne moved up a gear and with Neil Burke, Mark Battersby and Paddy O’Rourke in fine form up front, they racked up several very impressive scores from play, some from distance including a biggie from Ronan Mc Cabe. Skryne’s defence were in an extra stingy mood in the second half and Mark Jordan in particular, and the Lenehans hoovered up every ball that came near them and hunted down any Wolfe Tones attackers that entered their realm. Wolfe Tones were held to only 2 points in the second half, although there was a brief moment when the Skryne defence were almost caught napping. A Wolfe Tones free rebounded off the crossbar and ricocheted around the small rectangle before somehow finding its way out past the outside of the post and wide leaving many scratching their heads as to how it hadn’t found the back of the net.
Skryne were ahead by 1-11 to 0-07 after 15 minutes of the second half and Wolfe Tones failed to add to their total before the end of the game. Skryne finished strongly adding a further 5 points to their total.
Full-time in a wet and windy Skryne: Skryne 1-16 Wolfe Tones 0-07
Skryne Team: Ian Gillette, Niall Lenehan, Ciaran Lenehan, Mark Jordan, Stephen O’Brien, Vincent Reilly, Ronan McCabe(0-01), Aidan Tuite, Harry Rooney, John Morley, Neal Burke(0-04), Tomas McKeown, Declan Morley, Patrick O’ Rourke(1-04), Mark Battersby(0-05). Subs: Patrick Fox(0-01) for Stephen O’ Brien, Allan Carty for John Morley, James Looby for Niall Lenehan
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