U-13 Division 2 Semi-Final
Skryne 3-11 Seneschalstown 2-09
Another bitterly cold evening and another game in Skryne for one of Seneschalstown’s juvenile sides saw their U-13’s take on the home side in the Division 2 League semi-final on Friday. Once more great credit goes to both sides for serving up a most entertaining game when the temperature gauge hovered around the freezing point.
U-13 Division 2 Semi-Final
Skryne 3-11 Seneschalstown 2-09
Another bitterly cold evening and another game in Skryne for one of Seneschalstown’s juvenile sides saw their U-13’s take on the home side in the Division 2 League semi-final on Friday. Once more great credit goes to both sides for serving up a most entertaining game when the temperature gauge hovered around the freezing point.
Seneschalstown advanced to this stage courtesy of finishing fourth in the group while Skryne had earned home advantage courtesy of an unbeaten season to date. The form line would this have seen the Skryne youngsters hotly tipped to advance to the final and while that’s ultimately how it panned out they were made fight hard before the honour could be earned.
The Seneschalstown youngsters got off to the best possible start when attack minded wing back Aaron Traynor saw his shot for a point just drop under the crossbar and into the back of the net with just forty seconds on the clock. Skryne replied when opening their account with a point from play soon after but the three point advantage for Seneschalstown was restored after four minutes when Owen Mullen benefited from a brilliant block and then pass from Liam Maguire to point.
On six minutes Skryne clipped over their second point from play before almost instantly rattling the back of the net as they hit the front for the first time. Ben Kearney drew the teams back on level terms on seventeen minutes following a nine minute spell without a score for both sides. Liam Maguire who the night before had been a sub with the clubs U-15 side in their League Final was enjoying a fine opening half and when he got on the end of a move involving Ben Coffey and Donal Commons he made no mistake as he fired past the Skryne goalie to raise a green flag. Owen Mullen then knocked over his second as Seneschalstown enjoyed a bit of time in the Skryne half.
However it was the home side who were to finish the half on the front foot as in the three minutes before half time they rocked Seneschalstown by picking off a goal and two points. Firstly they pointed before from a free out on the right their big target man plucked the ball out of the night sky and unleashed a rasping drive to the back of the net past Cathal Darby who could do nothing to keep the shot out. Then on the stroke of half time they tagged on a free to open up a 2-04 to 2-03 lead.
That one point lead soon became three upon the resumption when they added two points from frees in the second minute of the half. Donal Commons cancelled out one of these in the twenty seventh minute and thought he had another seconds later but despite the umpire signalling the point, referee Liam Reddy deemed that it had indeed drifted right and wide. Boosted by this let off Skryne went back on the attack and they picked off another brace of points.
The battling qualities from the Seneschalstown youngsters was keeping them in contention and they went back on the attack and added three points through Donal Commons whose efforts bookended one from Seanie Dalton. As they had been doing in this second half Skryne ventured upfield to notch two points as they kept their noses in front but the accurate Commons was keeping Seneschalstown within striking distance as like a good mathematician he had his angles perfectly judged for each one of his point efforts and on forty five minutes he added another.
As the game entered its final five minutes Skryne popped over a point to put three between the teams and then sealed the deal when they added their third goal seconds later. To their great credit though Seneschalstown never stopped plugging away and Daire Walsh fired over to narrow the gap to five points but this was as close as his side could get at the death.
This brings the U-13 season to a close for this team but they still have their outing to the International Rules game in Croke Park to look forward to. Best for the side on an evening when the whole team were impressive tonight were Cillian Lawlor, Ben Coffey, Liam Maguire and Donal Commons.
Seneschalstown: Cathal Darby, Cillian Lawlor, Daire Walsh (0-01), Ben Coffey, Woodley Nicholson, Aaron Traynor (1-00), Will Finnegan, Donal Commons (0-04, 0-02 Frees), Owen Mullen (0-02), Liam Maguire (1-00), Seanie Dalton (0-01), Ben Kearney (0-01), Jack McAuley.
Seneschalstown Subs: Cian Rooney, Dylan Geraghty, Eoin Macken, Oisín Bowens, Oisín McEvoy, Tom McDonnell, Tom Smith, Zach Sheridan.
