Dunshaughlin end Skryne’s Interest in Senior Championship

By josephobrien Wed 9th Sep

Dunshaughlin 3-14 Skryne 3-12

Hoganstand Senior Football Championship – Preliminary Quarter Final

If goals win games then three goals for Skryne should surely have clinched this preliminary quarter final in the Senior Football Championship in Simonstown on Friday evening. However, if you also concede three goals it makes winning a difficult task. This is what happened to Skryne as they relinquished a three goal lead to lose by two points in the end. Skryne started brightly when Paddy O’Rourke and Donie Ryan slotted over two early points in the first and second minutes. However Dunshaughlin took charge of the game and posted five points in the following eight minutes. Mark Battersby then got the first of Skryne’s goals on thirteen minutes which was countered by a point for Dunshaughlin two minutes later. However Brian Davis immediately scored another goal to put Skryne two points ahead. Skryne hit four more points in the half from Donie Ryan, Aidan Tuite, Paddy O’ Rourke and Mark Battersby. Dunshaughlin also posted two more points to leave the half-time score at Skryne 2- 6, Dunshaughlin 0 – 8.

Four minutes into the second Paddy O’Rourke netted Skryne’s third goal with Brian Davis (2) and Mark Battersby adding points to leave ten points between the sides. This game should have been done and dusted at this stage but nobody seems to have told Dunshaughlin about the script. The Dunshaughlin half forward line drifted back behind centre field and were followed by their markers leaving much room for attacks from deep in their own half. This they exploited quite well and scored three goals of their own, the third putting them one point ahead. Some bad decision making amongst the defenders conceded two late easy frees putting them three points to the good into time added on. A late point from Mark Battersby was of little use as the referee blew the final whistle immediately after.

Skryne –Ian Gillette; Niall Lenehan, Ciaran Lenehan, Mark Harrington; Ronan McCabe, Tomas McKeown, Darragh Campion (0-2); Aidan Tuite (0-1), Harry Rooney; Donie Ryan (0-3), Bryan Davis (1-1), Stephen O’Brien (0-1); Conor O’Brien, Paddy O’Rourke (1-2, 1f), Mark Battersby (1-2). Subs – John Morley for C O’Brien (40), Paddy Fox for Tuite (48), Adam O’Sullivan for D Ryan (54), Felim O’Rourke for Gillette (60), Neil Burke for S O’Brien (60), Declan Morley for McKeown (60).

Dunshaughlin –Michael Ahern; Alastair Doyle, Dan Ormsby, Fearghal Delaney (0-1); Ray Maloney, Caoimhin King, Tadhg O Dushlaine; Niall Murphy (2-1), Ben Duggan; Danny Quinn (0-1), Trevor Dowd, Mark Devaney; Shane Gallogly, Fergus Toolan (1-4, 0-2fs) , Cathal O’Dwyer (0-7, 6fs). Subs – Stephen Duffy for Gallogly (36), David Dunne for Ormsby (36), John Crimmins for Devaney (40).

Referee – David Gough (Slane)