Wolfe Tones 4-11  Skryne 0-17 AET

Wolfe Tones and Skryne served up the game of the year in this Meath senior football championship semi final clash played in perfect conditions at Pairc Tailteann. 

Shrewd observers of Meath GAA would have predicted a tight cagey affair for this match but it was anything but.

Skryne were out of the blocks fast and had points on the board from Conor O’Brien and Niall Finnerty inside the opening seven minutes. Thomas O’Reilly opened Wolfe Tones account before Mick O’Dowd’s men hit three in a row, Niall Finnerty (2) and Darragh Campion to move four clear at the end of the first quarter.

Slowly but surely Wolfe Tones worked their way into the game and by the break they were level at 0-6 each after scores from the influential O’Reilly (3), Saran O Fionnagain and Oisin Martin.

Two points from Finnerty and one from O’Reilly got the second half up and running before the game turned on its head. Referee David Coldrick showed a black card to Skryne corner back Stephen O’Brien after 9 minutes and by the 20th minute Wolfe Tones had opened up a six point gap. Fiachra Ward, who gave the Skryne rearguard a torrid afternoon, won a penalty. His brother Caolan expertly dispatched the spot kick and 30 second later an unmarked O Fionnagain raised a second green flag. Kyle Moran added a point and Wolfe Tones led 2-8 to 0-8 with 10 minutes left.

The Tara men looked shattered but they kept plugging away. A Finnerty brace had the lead down to four and all of a sudden Wolfe Tones looked under pressure. Billy Smyth, Finnerty and Campion reduced the lead to one in injury time. Campion again, this time from a long range free levelled matters and the teams went back to the dressing room all square again 2-8 to 0-14.

If body language was anything to go by as the teams made their way to the Pairc Tailteann tunnel Skryne were going to win this one. O’Reilly kicked his 7th of the game before Skryne took over. Campion (2) and substitute Paddy Fox gave them a 0-17 to 2-9 lead at the break. 

This Tones squad showed their true worth in the last ten minutes. Caolan Ward narrowed the lead from a free. Then substitute Kyle Moran found himself in acres of space, rounded Ian Gillett for goal number 3. O’Fionnagain added a point and all of a sudden there was three in it. Drama not done yet. Skyrne thought they had a goal to level matters but after consulting his umpires it was disallowed for a square ball. Moments later Sean Penny, back on the field as a replacement, had the ball in the Skryne net and this epic was settled.

Wolfe Tones take on Dunshaughlin in the county final in two weeks time. Lets hope for more of the same.

Wolfe Tones scorers: Thomas O’Reilly 0-7, Saran O Fionnagain 1-2, Caolan Ward 1-1, Sean Penny and Kyle Moran 1-0 each, Oisin Martin 0-1

Skryne scorers: Niall Finnerty 0-8, Darragh Campion 0-5, Conor O’Brien, Billy Smyth, James Reeves and Paddy Fox 0-1each 

Referee: Cormac Reilly

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