Absorbing fare from Skryne and Dunboyne

Skryne and Dunboyne served an absorbing SFC opener at Pairc Tailteann this evening where the teams finished level at 0-10 apiece.

Skryne manager Liam Harnan will probably be happier with the outcome than his Dunboyne counterpart Conor O'Donoghue.

Dunboyne had to play the second-half with 14 men, but still could have and should have won on chances created, but it was that battling qualities from Skryne that could see them cause a surprise in this group by the time all the games are played.

Ronan Jones had Dunboyne on the scoreboard inside 27 seconds with a well-taken point and that drew a response from Padraig Finnerty at the other end from a converted free.

Stuart Lowndes restored Dunboyne's lead with a fine point from play, but Skryne's Mark Battersby opened his side's account from play in the seventh minute.

Soon after Skryne forged ahead when Padraig Finnerty added his second point from a free, but it wasn't all positive for the Tara side as they lost Stephen O'Brien and Eoghan Greene to injuries.

Nevertheless, Skryne took a 0-3 to 0-2 lead into the water break despite playing second fiddle for most of that opening period in the possession stakes.

It was a pattern that continued when play resumed, Dunboyne passed the ball around with great confidence, almost with a swagger, but they couldn't hit the target, although they did hit the post, and they tallied six sides in those opening 30 minutes.

Contrast that to the more direct approach that Skryne adopted as the points flowed from Padraig Finnerty who sent over two more frees and one from play while Conor O'Brien also splt the posts.

Dunboyne managed a solitary point for the remainder of the half with Conor Doran doing the needful from play in the 29th minute.

However, on the stroke of half-time Dunboyne had Liam Byrne red-carded following exchanges that involved a number of players.

After playing against the wind Skryne took a 0-7 to 0-3 lead into the break, but then they failed to capitalise on that advantage when the action resumed.

They were on the backfoot for most of the second-half and although they never trailed they survived on crumbs with Padraig Finnerty's point from play sustaining the lead (0-8 to 0-7) to the second water break.

Although they closed the gap to the minimum with points from Conor Bradley, Shane McEntee, Cathal Lacey (free) and Donal Lenihan (free) there was no real substance about anything Dunboyne did and what they did best was squander chances.

Dunboyne got back on terms when the final quarter resumed through half-time substitute David McEntee but some innovative play from Darragh Campion produced a brace of Skryne points as the Tara men forged ahead again.

Dunboyne's response looked good, they continued to pass the ball around, move it forward, move it sideways, move it back, create openings.

They eventually clawed back the deficit through a Lenihan point and an added time leveller from Shane McEntee.

Then there was the one that got away - a glorious goal chance for Craig Lowndes, it was bit like pinball in the Skryne square, but there was nothing tangible at the end of it all.

Skryne didn't deserve to lose and Dunboyne didn't deserve to win.

SCORERS

Skryne - Padraig Finnerty 0-6 four frees; Darragh Campion 0-2; Conor O'Brien 0-1; Mark Battersby 0-1.

Dunboyne - Shane McEntee 0-2; Donal Lemihan 0-2 one free; David McEntee 0-1; Conor Doran 0-1; Conor Bradley 0-1; Cathal Lacey 0-1 free; Stuart Lowndes 0-1; Ronan Jones 0-1.

TEAMS

Skryne - Ian Gillett; Niall Lenehan, David Carroll, Eoghan Greene; Ciaran Lenehan, Patrick Fox, Shane Smyth; Harry Rooney, Stephen O'Brien; Tommy Carpenter, Padraig Finnerty, Darragh Campion; Conor O'Brien, Niall Finnerty, Mark Battersby. Subs - Michael Doherty for S O'Brien four mins, Robbie Clarke for Greene 14m, Oisin Keogh for Carpenter 45m.

Dunboyne - Cian Flynn; Seamus Lavin, Gavin McCoy, Jack Scannell; Sean Ryan, Craig Lowndes, Shane McEntee; Jack Donnelly, Ronan Jones; Stuart Lowndes, Conor Doran, Liam Byrne; Cathal Lacey, Conor Bradley, Donal Lenihan. Subs - David McEntee for S Lowndes half-time, Jason Daly for Bradley 49 mins, Bradley for D McEntee 56m.

Referee - Cormac Reilly (St Mary's).