Meath A League Division 1 Round 13
Skryne 0-15 Seneschalstown 2-13
Meath A League Division 1 Round 13
Skryne 0-15 Seneschalstown 2-13
Going into this game in Skryne on Wednesday evening Seneschalstown were in the knowledge that a win or a draw would guarantee them Division 1 football for 2016 while even a defeat would be enough were Blackhall Gaels to fail to defeat St. Patrick’s in Batterstown. The League campaign this year has been a mixed bag with some brilliant performances thrown in amongst some which were filed in the to be forgotten part of the memory bank but the victory over Na Fianna in Round 12 had left the side in pole position to avoid the drop to Division 2.
Following the commencement of the game five minutes late Skryne were quickest to settle into their groove even though the away side were first to register when young wing forward Adam Carey picked out Joe Sheridan with a well-placed pass and the sharpshooting full forward made no mistake as he sent the ball over the bar. Skryne didn’t take long to reply and a minute later had picked off their opening score of the game when their centre forward pointed before Paddy Fox and Paddy O’Rourke sent over two points in quick succession. Brian Sheridan hit back when he surged through the heart of the home side’s rear-guard before hoisting a point over when under immense pressure. The youngest of the Sheridan brothers didn’t take too long to equalise when in the eleventh minute he clipped over from the right of the posts after fielding a stray clearance. This coming immediately after his free kick had dropped short on the edge of the square and Joe had seen his pawed goal effort saved by the Skryne goalkeeper.
There wasn’t much time to dwell on this missed goal opportunity for Seneschalstown however as almost instantaneously they were to pilfer the opening goal of the game. Joe Sheridan who had the company of a couple of defenders to enjoy for large parts did well to get to a ball out on the left and when he sent a dangerous ball towards the Skryne goal it ended up creeping inside the far post. There were many in attendance who thought it might have gone straight in but Bryan Clarke who was lurking dangerously appeared to get a vital touch to divert it past the stranded goalkeeper and boost his side into a three point lead. Mark Battersby replied with a point before Clarke was unlucky to see another goal chance just arrow to the left and wide after he had done brilliantly to smuggle the ball through a thicket of defenders to create the half chance.
By this stage of the game Seneschalstown had reacted to Skryne hauling extra bodies back by pushing John Smith upfield from his corner back berth and the youngster proved very adept in his advanced position as he plucked a few kickouts from the sky. Indeed Seneschalstown’s next score was to come directly off a Smith intervention as he picked out Joe Sheridan who cut in from the left hand flank before curling over. Skryne then hit a brace of scores as first Paddy O’Rourke and next Mark Battersby after he had been set up by Paddy Fox pointed.
Cormac Noonan was the next Seneschalstown defender to venture away from his starting position and after he had been picked out by a crossfield Adam Carey pass he lofted a high ball in towards the Skryne goalmouth and Joe Sheridan managed to get a fist to the ball to divert it over the crossbar. Paddy O’Rourke was next to score before Bryan Clarke curled over a beauty from the right but it was the home side who were to have the final say of the half when they sent over a free in stoppage time from Mark Battersby to leave the score at the interval – Skryne 0-08 Seneschalstown 1-06.
Seneschalstown were quickest out of the traps at the outset of the second half and edged two points clear when Bryan Clarke sent over a fifty metre free following a push in the back of Adam Carey as he went down to pick up the ball. Next to score was Joe Sheridan when he split the posts to point before despite the attention of three markers Sheridan did superbly well to volley home following a ball in from Brian Sheridan which couldn’t have been more accurate had it been delivered using radar from NASA. This goal gave Seneschalstown a six point lead and with word filtering through to supporters via twitter that St. Patrick’s had the lead in Batterstown the outlook regarding Division 1 status looked to be getting more and more likely as all the ducks looked to be getting lined up for the Devenish Nutrition sponsored outfit.
Skryne, even though the game was effectively a dead rubber for them, were battling very had and they soon hit back with two points in a row, the first of which came from Mark Battersby. Seneschalstown were however in little humour to see their lead wiped out and soon rattled off four points on the trot to forge into an eight point lead. Firstly Joe Sheridan fisted over after getting on the end of a Brian Sheridan ball in before the two brothers got involved in a role reversal as this time Joe laid the ball off to Brian who after sizing up his options decided the best one was to hit a monster point from distance. Bryan Clarke was next to point as he curled over a free following a foul on Sean Noonan and Clarke then hit the fourth of the scoring run when after Tean Cummins had fielded a ball in the middle of the field he sent over off his lesser used left foot.
Mark Battersby who was enjoying a fine game in the Skryne attack broke the Seneschalstown scoring run when knocking over a free before Clarke rifled over another point at the end of a passage of play in which he linked up very well with Sean Noonan. Skryne it was though who were to finish the on the front foot as like a horse running on from the pack as the finishing line approaches at the Galway Races they appeared to get a second wind and looked to overhaul their opponents. Mark Battersby clipped over two frees before their right half forward hit his second of the game. As the gap between the sides began to narrow they went looking for goals but with the Seneschalstown defence held firm all they could muster in the near four minutes of stoppage time was another free which was this time converted by Paddy O’Rourke.
The Galway Races can be something of a seven day marathon and so can the Division 1 A League with thirteen matches played between the first weekend of February and the last weekend in July. Like many horses which will run in Ballybrit this week Seneschalstown had their moments in this game and indeed over the course of the League when they comfortably galloped along on the bridle while at other times struggling but overall did enough to both win this match and also to maintain their Division 1 status for another season.
Over the course of this game they had particular good performances from James Byrne who was impressive the whole way through, with John Smith and Mark Fox impressing in defence while up front Brian Sheridan, Bryan Clarke and Joe Sheridan constantly brought the fight to the Skryne defence.
On a different note Skryne wing forward Paddy Fox picked up an injury in the latter stages of the second half and all in Seneschalstown wish that it proves to be only minor and that he’s back on the field come the remainder of the Championship.
Seneschalstown: David Lyons, Conor Cowley, Cormac Noonan, John Smith, Mark Fox, David Matthews, Niall Groome, Tean Cummins, Damien Sheridan, Niall Lyons, Brian Sheridan (0-03), Adam Carey, Bryan Clarke (1-05, 0-02 Frees), Joe Sheridan (1-05), James Byrne.
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Mark Carey for N. Groome, Sean Noonan for N. Lyons, Ruddy for J. Byrne, Stephen Finnegan for T. Cummins (bc)
