Not even the return of Meath players Paddy O’Rourke and Ciaran Lenehan could prevent the concession of two valuable league points to arch rivals Navan O’ Mahony’s in the A League Div. one match played at Skryne on Sunday afternoon. Skryne started well with regard to possession and should have been 1 – 2 ahead in the first three minutes but a combination of erratic shooting and good goalkeeping kept them from capitalising. Then Navan were awarded a penalty and Paddy Smyth gave Felim O’Rourke in the Skryne goals no chance of saving it. Navan were never lead after this however the Skryne men did battle back with three points from Ian Davis (2) and Paddy O’Rourke to level matters by the fourteenth minute. O’ Rourke did add to his tally on 27 minutes however Shane Gillespie posted three more for thetown side to leave the score at the break Navan O’Mahony’s 1 – 3 Skryne 0 – 4.
The second half resumed with matters getting even worse for Skryne. Felim O’ Rourke’ looked to have saved well when he parried a shot from Gary O’ Brien. Everyone thought that mark Harrington had then cleared the ball of the line however the green flag was raised and after consulting with the umpires the referee Patrick Neilis allowed the goal. Ian davis pulled a point back for Skryne on thirty eight minutes. However they were not to score again until the fiftyeight minute when two points from Meath players Paddy O’ Rourke and Ciaran Lenehan completed the scoring. O’Mahony’s however added a further five points to their total leaving the full time score at O Mahony’s 2 – 8; Skryne 0 – 7.
One of the main statistics of this game was the twelve wides kicked by Skryne as against the five by the Navan side. A difference of seven which was also the overall difference as well.
Skryne – Felim O’Rourke; Declan Morley, Martin Mulvaney, Dermot Brennan; David McGoldrick, Mark Harrington, Allan Carty; Harry Rooney, Ciaran Lenehan (0-1); Paddy Fox, Mark Battersby, Ian Davis (0-2); Conor O’Brien, Paddy O’Rourke (0-4, 1 f, 1 45), Brian Davis. Subs – Cian Byrne for O’Brien (52), Jamie Jordan for B Davis (53), John Morley for Battersby (55).
O’Mahonys – Marcas Brennan; Stephen O’Toole, Niall McKeigue, Ian Matthews; James O’Reilly, Shane Crosby, Gary O’Brien (1-1); Cormac McGuinness, Damien Moran; Darragh Maguire, Henry Finnegan (0-2 1f), Brian Dillon; Shane Gillespie (0-5, 1f), Paddy Smyth (1-0 pen), Stephen MacGabhann. Subs – David Bray for Maguire (ht), Ciaran Smith for Finnegan (51), Darragh Smyth for Dillon (58).
Referee – Patrick Neilis (Kilmainham).
