Seneschalstown 5-10 Skryne 3-16
U21 Football Championship, Quarter-final
In a high scoring exciting match these two sides could not be separated after one hour and twenty minutes football. In a highly entertaining game there were some excellent scores from both teams but there were also some horrendous mistakes culminating in goals of the soft variety. Skryne were more guilty in this department. But all this made for edge of the seat stuff and with 8 goals and 26 points shared there was never a chance to take your eyes off it for fear of missing some of the crazy stuff, tactical moves, great scores, high fielding and some good quality football on fine afternoon. Although the underfoot conditions had some players slipping and sliding there was no wind or rain to spoil the game.
In an action packed first 30 minutes Skryne probably just shaded the game but undid all their good work by gifting Seneschalstown their first goal and conceding another one very soon after which left just a point between the sides at half time. Skryne 1-6 Seneschalstown 2-2.
The second half took on the same pattern with the sides scoring 1-2 each early on and went point for point right up to the last four minutes. Then Seneschalstown seemed to have won the game with their fourth goal, leaving them three points ahead with time almost up. But Skryne had other ideas and pressed for an equaliser which came with the last kick of normal time via the boot of Paddy Doherty who crashed the ball to the net to the delight of the small band of Skryne supporters who were greatly outnumbered by the enthusiastic Seneschalstown contingent.
So on to extra time and the usual amount of tiredness and cramping which naturally slowed up the game but not the excitement. Seneschalstown again forged ahead and at the end of the first ten minute period had a potential winning three point lead. Again the Blues recovered and holding the Yellow Furze men scoreless for the last ten minutes added the three points necessary to end this exciting game level after the hour and twenty minutes of football. The crucial scores coming from the excellent Conor O’Brien (two) and Niall Morley who had returned to the fray after being injured in the first half.
Others to shine for Skryne in a real team performance were Stephen O’Brien and Darragh Campion in defence and Cian Lynch and Paddy Doherty in attack. All of Skryne’s scores except one pointed John Morley free came from play which bodes well for next Sunday’s replay. Conor O’Brien took the scoring honours with six points, as already stated, from play. But maybe it is unfair to pick out players as every one of the 18 men used gave one hundred percent and did the club proud. Roll on next Sunday and the replay at 2 o’c in Walterstown and if the effort and excitement are nearly as good then nobody will have reason to complain.
Skryne – Dean Reddy. Enda Byrne, Neil Lenehan, Pauric Murphy. Stephen O’Brien, Oisín Gryson, Darragh Campion (0-1). Donie Ryan, Harry Rooney. Niall Morley (0-1), Neal Burke (1-1), Cian Lynch (0-2). Conor O’Brien (0-6), John Morley (1-3), Paddy Doherty (1-0).
Subs used – Sean Cassidy (0-2), Jason Fox, Eoghan Greene.
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