Skryne Ladies got their 2012 League off to a flying start when they demolished their Bective opponents at home in McManusParkon Sunday 25th March. This was a beautiful morning for a game of football with midsummer type temperatures in evidence and the pitch in first class condition. It was rumoured this Bective side had only recently come together and what we saw on the pitch certainly lent weight to this rumour.
Skryne were out of their box almost immediately when wing forward Melanie Kirwan struck first with a well taken point from play in the 2nd minute. This was followed a minute later when Skryne centerfield player Eimear Finnerty struck another point. The 4th minute saw Eimear strike again for a well taken goal followed by points from Aishling Bowens, Colleen Jordan, Eimear Clarke, Melanie Kirwan to leave the scores at the 7th minute stage , 1 – 7 to 0 – 0, in favour of Skryne. The gulf in class between the sides was all too evident even at this early stage and things did not get any better for Bective as the half progressed. The next few minutes saw the home side trying to score from near impossible angles and this was borne out by the five wides they struck before Centre Forward Colleen Jordan hit a point from play for the Tara Ladies. Colleen was back on the scoreboard when she converted a free kick to add a further point in the 11th minute to add to the Skryne tally.
The 13th minute saw Ruth Moore find the back of the Bective net followed immediately with points from Meath Senior player Colleen Jordan and Aishlng Bowens. Manager Mick Whelan now made some positional changes with backs exchanging places with forwards such was the ease with which the home side were finding things. The rout continued with Catriona Keoghan, Aishling Bowens and Saoirse McGrath all splitting the uprights leaving the scores on the 20th minute: Skryne 2 – 13, Bective 0 – 0. Annie Ryan one of the Skryne backs now playing in a more forward role struck for a goal followed by a goal from Saoirse McGrath who had move from wing back to centre forward.
By the 23rd minute the opposition were reduced to the role of spectators with team manager Mick Whelan urging his side to go for points rather than goals. His own daughter obliged when she found herself in front of goal contented herself with taking a point. The 27th minute saw Skryne centrefielder Aisling Bowens send in a high speculative ball into the Bective goalmouth. The opposition goalkeeper misjudged the flight of the ball and saw the ball cruelly rattle the back of her net to inflict further misery on the visitors. The Skryne onslaught continued up to the end of the opening half with corner forward Eimear Clarke adding a point and Michelle Whelan and Annie Ryan finding the back of the Bective net leaving the scores at the break;
Skryne 7 -16, Bective 0 – 0.
Skryne started the second half making two substitutions with Sinead O’Kane and Niamh Lynch entering the action in place of Eimear Finnerty and Ruth Moore. The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Skryne scoring almost at will. In the early stages of the half the home side brought a further three sub on with Sophie Halpin, Una Morley and Eimear O’Brien joining the action. The home side completely dominated the second half with many of the Skryne side contributing to the final scoreline. The most notable scores coming from the U16 members of the team Megan and Eimear O’Brien who both struck a number of scores and Sinead O ‘Kane a recent recruit adding two points to the Skryne Tally. The 31st minute of the second saw Bective score their first and only score which came in the form of a point and this brought a rousing cheer from the Bective and Skryne supporters. When the referee sounded the final whistle the scores stood:
Skryne 9 – 28 Bective 0 – 1.
Team Manager Mick Whelan was not getting carried away with this result and realised this was a total mismatch which did little good for either side. He is hoping for much stiffer opposition in this League campaign in order to prepare his side for the Championship later in the year. Having said that Skryne did what they had to do on the day and the performance of the younger players on the side was most encouraging.
Team: Roisin Gryson; Anita O’Sullivan, Deidre Kennedy, Megan O’Brien; Saoirse McGrath, Annie Ryan, Emma Fitzpatrick; Aishling Bowens, Eimear Finnerty; Melanie Kirwan, Colleen Jordan, Catriona Keoghan; Ruth More, Michelle Whelan, Eimear Clarke. Subs – Sinead O’Kane for Eimear Finnerty, Niamh Lynch for Ruth Moore, Una Morley for Catriona Keoghan, Eimear O’Brien for Michelle Whelan, Sophie Halpin for Emma Fitzpatrick.
