Skryne saw their U19 championship hopes come to an end at the hands of Dee Rangers on Sunday 18th November in Syddan. This was the semi final stage of the competition and was always expected to be a tough task for theTara side given the quality of Dee Rangers.
The game got underway when match referee David Feddigan threw the ball up in what was a cold frosty morning to let the battle begin.
Dee Rangers were straight into the action when they won the throw up and had the ball in the back of the Skryne net with just fifteen seconds on the clock. They were back on the scoreboard seconds later with a well taken point from play which well and truly laid down the challenge to the Tara side.
The next move saw Skryne half forward Saoirse McGrath win the ball on her half back line and found Elizabeth Morland with a well placed pass. Elizabeth won a free kick on her way through on goal. Ruth Moore stepped up to put the ball over the bar to chalk up her sides first score in the 2nd minute.
Dee Rangers responded minutes later when they had another well worked point from play keeping the pressure on the Tara side. Skryne were determined to keep in touch when we saw corner forward Elizabeth Morland run from centre field to take an excellent point from play in the 7th minute.
The temperature may well have been hovering around freezing point on the sidelines but the intensity of the action must have raised the temperature on the field by several degrees.
The Rangers were at this stage getting the better of the exchanges when we saw them strike points on the 8th and 9th minutes to stretch their lead. The Skryne response resulted in a missed opportunity on the 10th minute and the 11th minute saw the Tara keeper Roisin Gryson forced into a goal line save to keep her side in the chase.
The 12th minute saw Skryne half forward Saoirse McGrath win the ball from the kick out and go on one of her customary runs up through the middle of the park. She set up Eimear O’Brien who took an excellent point from play to narrow the gap on the 12th minute.
The Rangers next had a missed opportunity on the 13th minute as a result of great pressure from Deidre Kennedy in the Skryne back line. The Tara side were back on the scoreboard when Ruth Moore chalked up another pointed free kick which was awarded following on from a foul on Eimear O’Brien in the 16th minute.
Dee Rangers had another wide on the 17th minute; however, they made no mistake a minute later when they added a point this time from a free kick to keep their scoreboard ticking over.
The Ranger were again piling on the pressure but saw their next two opportunities sail wide of the uprights in the 20th minute following on some great work from Onagh Morley, Orla Cragie and Megan O’Brien in the Skryne rearguard. Dee Rangers had better luck a minute later when thy struck an excellent point from play which came from a great move up through the middle of the field.
The Tara side launched the next attack which resulted in a free kick when Eimear O’Brien was fouled on her way through on goal, however, this time Skryne missed the target. The 22nd minute saw Niamh O’Brien the Skryne centerfielder set up Lizzie Morland in front of goal. This time she saw her shot stopped on the line by the Rangers keeper preventing theTara side eating into her sides lead.
Skryne had another missed opportunity on the 24th minute and Dee Rangers had a missed chance of their own a minute later to leave things as they were.
We were now in the closing stages of the half and the next period of play saw what was to prove the winning of the game for Dee Rangers when they ran trough the Tara side.
The Rangers onslaught got underway on the 26th minute when they had a point from play followed a minute later with a first class point also from play. They added to this with a point from play on the 29th minute followed almost immediately with a well taken goal to leave the Tara side reeling. The 30th minute saw the Rangers finish their scoring for the half when they again found the Skryne net to leave the Tara side with a virtual Mount Everest to climb in the second half.
The scoring for the half was finished out when Skryne half forward Melanie Kirwan took a point from play leaving the scores at the break:
Dee Rangers 3 – 9. Skryne 0 – 5.
The second half got underway with Skryne making two changes bringing on Niamh Monahan for Ashling Kelleher and Cody Swan for Eimear Clarke. As already mentioned the Tara side had a mountain to climb and they took the first step when Lizzie Morland took a point from play in the 31st minute. This was followed almost immediately with another Skryne point this time coming from the boot of Eimear O’Brien who was set up be name sake Niamh O’Brien.
The Tara side were determined to eat into Dee Rangers significant lead and the 32nd minute saw full forward Ruth More tap a dropping free kick from Catriona Keoghan over the bar.
Dee Rangers hit their first score of the half when they had a point from play on the 35th minute. This was followed by a goal in the 37th minute to undo Skryne’s good start to the half with this goal coming about from a great passage of play.
The Taraside were back in the scoring in the 41st minute when we saw Lizzie Morland link up with Eimear O’Brien who sent the ball over the bar putting a slight dent in the Rangers lead.
The next move saw Niamh Monahan for Skryne link up with Eimear O’Brien who found the in form Lizzie Morland in front of goal. She made no mistake when she coolly put the ball round the Dee Rangers keeper to claim the Tara side’s first goal of the game.
Skryne were now pressing hard when we saw another fine passage of play involving Cody Swan, Melanie Kirwan and Lizzie Morland who set up Eimear O’Brien for another well taken point, to stay in the hunt on the 44th minute. Skryne added to this a minute later when Lizzie Moorland put another ball over the bar closing the gap further.
The game was now going at a hectic pace with both sets of supporters now completely unaware of the wintry conditions and urging their side on to victory.
The Skryne supporters were given something to cheer about in the 51st minute when they saw Saoirse McGrath run up the middle of the field before she picked out Niamh O’Brien with a pass. Niamh in turn found the ever so talented Lizzie Morland who blasted to the Rangers net leaving just five points between the sides at this stage.
Dee Rangers who were now in danger of losing their lead responded on the 52nd minute with an excellently worked point from play. This was followed minutes later with another point this time from a free kick to put theTara side on the back foot.
The Rangers were now piling on the pressure in an attempt to put the game beyond reach of the Skryne side. Their next attempt at a goal was dramatically saved on the line by the Tara keeper Roisin Gryson to keep her side hopes alive.
Both sides next struck a series of wides before Dee Rangers finished out the scoring when they struck for a goal deep into injury time to book their place in the U19 final.
Skryne Team – Roisin Gryson; Ashling Kelleher, Onagh Morley, Sophie Rooney; Megan O’Brien, Orla Cragie, Deidre Kennedy; Niamh O’Brien, Catriona Keoghan; Saoirse McGrath, Melanie Kirwan{0 – 1}, Eimear O’Brien{0 – 4}; Elizabeth Morland{2 – 3}, Ruth Moore{0 – 3}, Eimear Clarke. Subs – Niamh Monahan for Ashling Kelleher, Cody Swan for Eimear Clarke, Eimear Clarke for Eimear O’Brien {Injury}.
