ST ULTANS 0-15 SYDDAN 0-10

A COMEBACK of sorts in the second half wasn't enough to prevent Syddan from going down to a second successive defeat in the IFC at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

With St Ultans also failing to get anything from their opening round tie this clash took on extra significance and it was the Bohermeen outfit who were more up for it and were well on their way to victory when leading 0-12 to 0-2 at half-time.

Padraic Coyle's charges had the advantage of the stiff breeze in that opening half and while they didn't make the best use of it at times they fully deserved their 10 point advantage at the interval.

Syddan led for the only time in the game following a Graham Garland point on two minutes. The north Meath side were well off the pace for long spells as they committed elementary mistakes and their only other score of the half came from a Daire Rowe free.

St Ultans shot four wides before Ronan Breslin opened their account from a free on seven minutes. Breslin and Conor Smith added further points from play and Gearoid Rennicks converted a free as the eventual winners eased into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the end of the opening quarter.

Rennicks added two further points before the end of the half while Syddan keeper Ciaran Farrelly denied Smith a goal when deflecting a well struck effort over the bar on 27 minutes.

Syddan needed to restart with all guns blazing but instead it was St Ultans who made the better start to the second half with further points from Gearoid Rennicks and Breslin to go 12 clear.

However Syddan roused themselves after that and in the process shot eight successive points to reduce the deficit to four with five minutes remaining.

Daire Rowe shot five points during that dominant spell but the goal needed to create a grandstand finish never materialised. Syddan did go close to finding the net on 56 minutes but St Ultans keeper Cian Farnan proved equal to an effort from Sean Clare.

Wing back Martin Dolan scored the winners final point leaving Syddan firmly rooted at the bottom of Group C.

ST ULTANS - Cian Farnan; Darren Costello, Sean Herward, Jason Bennett; Martin Dolan 0-1, Ronan Galligan, Declan Ball; Declan Galligan, Gearoid Rennicks 0-4 (2fs); Emmet Costello, Mark Allen 0-1, Conor Smyth 0-2; Cian Rennicks 0-1, Conor Smith 0-2, Ronan Breslin 0-4 (2fs). Subs - Alan Martin for C Rennicks (43), Kevin Galligan for E Costello (45), Luke O'Reilly for Herward (BC 56).

SYDDAN - Ciaran Farrelly; Kevin Garland, Jack Reid, Cormac Rafferty; Mark Fedigan, Andrew Garland, Kevin Traynor; Sean Clare, Peter Sheehy; Michael Fedigan, Paddy Farrelly 0-1, Ronan Mooney; Cormac Rowe 0-1, Daire Rowe 0-6 (5fs), Graham Garland 0-1. Subs: Brian Dillon 0-1 for G Garland (34), Thomas Meade for Rafferty (36), Gary Farrelly for K Garland (52).

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