Wolfe Tones edge Skryne in entertaining return to football
Wolfe Tones 2-13 Skryne 2-11
All County A League Division 1 – Group D, Round 1
Skryne travelled to Kilberry on Friday evening for the long awaited return to football following a 4 month break due to Covid 19. Things were a little different to normal with the gatekeepers having to ensure that no more than 200 including spectators, players and backroom staff were in attendance. The teams could not use the dressing rooms, so they arrived togged out. The team talks took place on the pitch. The Wolfe Tones management team and substitutes occupied the dugouts while the Skryne Management team and substitutes were located on the opposite side of the pitch on benches with some using umbrellas to shelter from the heavy showers which persisted throughout the game. The match itself was largely the same as usual but for water breaks every 15 minutes to allow players drink from their own bottles of water. Conditions were slippy but despite this both teams served up an entertaining game of football.
Skryne were missing about 9 of their first team and consequently a number of the young guns got a chance to make their mark. Tommy Carpenter, Andrew Moore, Padraig Finnerty, Shane Smyth and Niall Finnerty all started. Skryne’s full forward line of the the 2 Finnerty brothers and Mark Battersby were very mobile and it wasn’t long before Niall Finnerty beat his man to register the first score of the game inside the opening minute when he converted from the right hand side. Batts added a second from a free before Meath regular Thomas O’Reilly opened Wolfe Tones account with a point from play. Paddy Carpenter was next to find his range with his first point of the game. Another free to the Tones saw them add their second point. Padraig Finnerty converted a free for Skryne to leave the scoreline Skryne 0-04, Wolfe Tones 0-02 as the game stopped for the first of the water breaks. Almost immediately upon the resumption of the game, Wolfe Tones attacked forward with an incisive move that was topped off with Thomas Reilly firing an unstoppable shot from the left hand side past Ian Gillett to see Wolfe Tones take the lead for the first time in the game. A Harry Rooney point levelled matters. Wolfe Tones pegged on another two points with Rooney bagging a second point in reply. Tones finished the half strongly with Thomas Reilly tapping over another two frees to see them lead at half time by 1-06, to 0-06
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Intervals didn’t seem to suit Skryne in this game, as they were caught napping again shortly after the restart when Cian Ward wriggled free on the right hand side of Skryne’s penalty area and hit another goal for Wolfe Tones. Things weren’t looking too good for Skryne at this point, but three minutes later Niall Finnerty was on hand to pull a goal back when he fired past the Tones keeper. Tones added two more points to stretch their lead, before Paddy Carpenter scored his second point of the game. Skryne were pushing hard looking for a second goal to drag themselves back into the game. This goal came on the 11th minute of the half when Skryne had possession inside the Tones penalty area. Tones scrambled to defend their goal and in doing so pulled down Niall Finnerty. Skryne were awarded a penalty. Finnerty stepped up and with a calmness that belied his young age, he slotted the ball to the left of the keeper and into the net to reduce the deficit to a single point. Skryne were on top and Finnerty added another point to level the match again. Mark Battersby and Paddy Carpenter fired over two more for Skryne before Wolfe Tones took control for the remainder of the half scoring five points without a reply from Skryne. Paddy Carpenter scored his fourth point of the game on the stroke of full-time to leave just two points between the sides as the final whistle blew. Final score Wolfe Tones 2-13, Skryne 2-11.
Overall Skryne performed well with the younger players in particular showing plenty of promise.
Skryne: Ian Gillett; Niall Lenehan, Ciarán Lenehan, Eoghan Greene; Robbie Clarke, Andrew Moore, James Hegarty; Michael Doherty, Tommy Carpenter; Shane Smyth, Harry Rooney (0-2), Paddy Carpenter(0-4); Padraig Finnerty(0-1,1f), Mark Battersby(0-2,2fs), Niall Finnerty (2-2. 1 pen, 1f)
Subs used: Ronan McCabe, Neil Burke, Aidan Tuite
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