A League Division 1a – Round 4. Skryne 2-12 Summerhill 1-12

Skryne and Summerhill played out a very exciting A League match in McManus Park Skryne tonight (Tuesday) with the Blues just shading it by a single goal. With the result on a knife edge the Referee played over six minutes injury time at the end of the match which had the Skryne management team and supporters holding their breath right up to that final welcome whistle.

Summerhill began the game at lightning pace and scored 1-3 in the first five minutes without reply from Skryne. In fact Skryne had to wait until the seventh minute for their first score, a pointed free from Mark Battersby. Skrynes first three scores all came from frees with Darragh Campion adding two more to Battersby’s opener. The Blues recovered from the Hills quick fire opening and equalised in the 23rd minute when Battersby finished an excellent Skryne four man move to the net. Summerhill finished the half as they had started it and forged ahead again with two pointed frees to lead at half time – 1-8 to Skryne’s 1-6. In this half Campion and Battersby shared all Skrynes 1-6 between them.

In the second half Skryne were on top for most of this period beginning with three points to put them ahead for the first time in the match eight minutes in. Stephen O’Brien and Harry Rooney got in on the scoring act with a point each and a John Finnerty goal in the 19th minute proving to be the crucial score of the game.

The Skryne defence proved to be the focal point of this win particularly in the second half when they restricted the potent Summerhill forward line to just four points with three of those scores coming from placed balls. All six defenders contributed to this victory. Behind them goalkeeper Ian Gillett was dependable as usual and kept Skryne in the game with one superb save in the 26th minute of the first half when the Hill were on top.

Skryne – Ian Gillett. Frank Carty, Andrew Moore, David Carroll. Tommy Carpenter, Ciaran Lenehan, John Finnerty (1-0). Harry Rooney (0-1), Oisin Keogh. Neil Burke, Darragh Campion (0-6), Stephen O’Brien (0-1). Conor O’Brien, Mark Battersby (1-4), Jason Reddy.

Subs used – Padraig Finnerty, Paddy Carpenter and Craig Nolan.

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