JMB Sportsfield Services Football A League Division 2B Round 7. Skryne 1-11, Longwood 4-09

Goals win games and despite a pretty even contest all around, it was Longwood’s clinical finishing and eye for a goal that made the difference in this A League Division 2B encounter.

The game took a while to get going with both sides missing early chances. Longwood’s dangerous corner forward Thomas Coloe sent Skryne a warning shot when his shot at goal sailed over the bar to open the scoring. Two minutes later Longwood’s full-forward Anthony Healy laid the ball off to Coloe and he moved across the Skryne penalty area before dispatching the ball to the Skryne net.  Coloe was causing more problems for the Skryne defence on the 12th minute when Bob Maguire advanced on the Skryne goal before passing to Coloe who looked odds on to score his second goal but was hauled down by the Skryne defence. The resultant penalty was converted by midfielder Seán Coloe to give Longwood a seven point lead Ciarán Quinn hit two points on the trot for Skryne to finally get the scoreboard moving. Kian Reddy added a free and despite the concession of the two goals Skryne were beginning to find their rhythm. Seán Sheridan added a second point for the Wood. Kian Reddy and then Paddy Carpenter fired over for Skryne reducing the deficit to just three points. But just when things were beginning to look up for Skryne, Billy Hogan hit an excellent kickout to his midfielder who strode forward before feeding Thomas Coloe who fired a devastating shot past Luke O’Brien in the Skryne goal. Seán Cassidy replied immediately with a point for Skryne, but Longwood added two more before Neil Burke hit a point in injury time to leave Skryne six points in arrears at half-time Skryne 0-07, Longwood 3-04.

Skryne needed a goal and it came in the first minute of the second half when Frank Carty made a good run forward before centring the ball to Tommy Carpenter who slammed the ball into the roof of the net. Longwood didn’t panic and tacked on the next point before they hit their fourth goal when David Coloe finished when he sidefooted a centred ball from the ground to the back of the Skryne net. Longwood extended the lead to eight points when Seán Sheridan chipped in with a point. Mark Swan and Paddy Carpenter reduced the deficit but Longwood quickly added two more points to keep their substantial lead intact with ten minutes remaining. Ciarán Quinn and Craig Nolan hit two points in the closing stages for Skryne with just a single reply from Longwood who held out for a seven-point win. Full Time: Skryne 1-11, Longwood 4-09.

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