Skryne Minors chalk up a second Championship victory

Skryne 2-08 St. Peter’s Dunboyne 0-13

Minor Football Championship, Division 1 – Round 2

Skryne and Dunboyne took to the pitch in Fr. McManus Park on Monday evening on the back of victories in their opening round matches. Skryne narrowly beat a defiant Dunshaughlin team with a last minute goal in their first round game, while Dunboyne easily disposed of Donaghmore/Ashbourne in their curtain raiser a week ago.

The weather conditions were far from ideal in Skryne with rain beating down for most of the game. The surface was very slick, with slipping and sliding the order of the day while the ball was like a bar of soap. Despite this the two sides served up an enthralling and exciting match particularly in the second half.

There was nothing between the sides in the first half in what was a close contest with both sides swapping scores. Indeed the half finished up with both teams registering 0-5 each.

The second half started off in a similar fashion with Dunboyne opening the scoring with a point in the first minute which was immediately cancelled out by a Jason Fox free . Dunboyne then cranked up the tempo, scoring 4 points in the next 7 minutes without a reply from Skryne. The gap could have bigger had it not been for the heroic tenacious defending from the Skryne team who threw down the shutters. Despite the gap, the Skryne supporters who have followed this team, will know that this team do not know how to lie down and their faith was rewarded 13 minutes into the half when Paddy Carpenter managed to prise himself away from Dunboyne’s excellent full-back. From the right-hand side of the Dunboyne penalty area, he squared the ball across to the incoming Padraig Finnerty who finished the ball low past the Dunboyne goalkeeper to grab Skryne’s first goal of the half much to the delight of the Skryne supporters who despite the weather had turned out in large numbers. The score was now Skryne 1-06 Dunboyne 0-10. Dunboyne looked to dampen down any ideas of a comeback when they notched up another point a minute later to move 2 clear. However, Aidan Gill tapped over a gem of a point at the midway point of the half to reduce the deficit to the minimum. It was then that Skryne struck their second goal of the half when the impressive Padraig Finnerty hit a peach of a pass to Daragh Campion who had made a marauding run past the last line of the Dunboyne defence. Daragh slammed the ball past the Dunboyne keeper to fire Skryne into a 2 point lead. Dunboyne did not give up and scored the next 2 points to draw level again with 5 minutes remaining. Both teams missed scoreable chances near the end, but it was Skryne who prevailed when they won a free 30 yards out with 2 minutes left on the clock. Daragh Campion stepped up and slotted the ball over the black spot to give Skryne a one point lead. The Skryne defence soaked up some intense pressure from Dunboyne who were searching for the equaliser, but the Skryne team held firm with another epic team performance and secured their second victory of the campaign on a scoreline of 2-08 to 0-13.

Skryne’s defensive unit of Dean Reddy, Cian Twomey, Oisín Gryson, Barry Clarke, Jack O’ Donnell, Robbie Clarke and Eoghan Greene performed like rabid dogs all evening giving no easy chances to the Dunboyne attack, with the ever impressive midfielders Michael Doherty and Darren Fox throwing their shoulders to the wheel in both defence and attack throughout the game. The forwards as usual wasted few chances and weren’t shy about carrying out their defensive duties when required. Jack O’ Connor described Sunday’s all-Ireland winning Kerry Minor team as a team who had a ‘ferocious desire to play for Kerry’. The Skryne Minors display a similarly ferocious desire when they donn the blue and white of Skryne!!

Well done lads!!! Hard luck to an excellent Dunboyne Minor team.

Skryne Team: Dean Reddy, Cian Twomey, Oisín Gryson, Barry Clarke, Jack O’ Donnell, Robbie Clarke, Eoghan Greene, Michael Doherty, Darren Fox, Daragh Campion, Eoin Smyth, Jason Fox, Aidan Gill, Paddy Carpenter, Frank Carty Subs Used: Colm Mc Loughlin and Padraig Finnerty.