Three goal trick inspires slick Skryne

For the first time since they won the Keegan Cup in 2010 Skryne advanced to the SFC semi-finals following a 3-12 to 2-8 demolition of St Colmcille's at Pairc Tailteann today.

Two goals from penalties in the closing seven minutes added some gloss to the Seasiders final tally, but the reality was that Skryne were vastly superior.

Three goals in a six-minute spell midway through the second period put this quarter-final beyond doubt.

Leading by 0-11 to 0-7 in the 49th minute Skryne benefitted from a stroke of luck when they were awarded a penalty after James Finnerty was fouled by Godfrey Ehichoya. The St Colmcille's man was black carded and Conor O'Brien despatched the spot kick.

Three minutes later John Finnerty took a pass from Ciaran Lenehan and went around Andrew Beakey before tapping in Skryne's second goal and in the 55th minute James Reeves embarked on a brilliant run before hand-passing to Billy Smyth who emulated Finnerty by rounding Beakey for a 3-11 to 0-7 lead.

Those goals only served to confirm what had already looked inevitable as Skryne were the dominant team.

However, they were thankful to their goalkeeper Ian Gillett who made a number of fine saves to thwart St Colmcille's.

It had started well for St Colmcille's when Ben Brennan converted a third minute free to give them the lead, but that advantage lasted less than a minute as James Finnerty equalised and Skryne never trailed again.

Darragh Campion converted a free to give Skryne the lead in the eighth minute before Gillett was called into action for the first time to deny Brennan.

Beakey did well to keep out a Padraig Finnerty effort, but with the goals not coming Skryne kept the points ticking over with Conor O'Brien and two frees from Campion making it 0-5 to 0-1 by the 19th minute.

Eoghan McCloughlan ended St Colmcille's 18 minute barren spell with a fine score before Brennan added his side's third to close the deficit to two points.

However they were St Colmcille's last scores of the half as Niall Finnerty (two, one free) and Padraig Finnerty ensured a 0-8 to 0-3 interval lead for the Tara men.

Padraig Finnerty stretched that advantage within 30 seconds of the restart before St Colmcille's threatened a recovery with the injured James Conlon making an immediate impact off the bench.

Conlon pointed three times within five minutes of his arrival while Padraig Finnerty replied for Skryne to make it 0-10 to 0-6.

Harry Rooney added to Skryne's tally before St Colmcille's had a goal correctly ruled out for a throw-ball by Christian Finlay before Brennan blasted to the net.

Conlon kicked his fourth point at the three-quarters stage to make it 0-7 to 0-11 and St Colmcille's went close to getting the goal they needed on two occasions with Finlay just missing a connection as he slide in at the back post and Shaun Leonard was brilliantly denied by Gillett.

Skryne took advantage of those let-offs with their three goal burst to move 3-11 to 0-7 ahead.

Cathal Hilliard's point was followed by two penalty goals from Sean O'Donoghue which gave St Colmcille's false hope, but that hope was extinguished as Gillett made another fine save to deny Conlon before Oisin Keogh blasted over the closing score as Skryne advance.

Skryne - Ian Gillett; Stephen O'Brien, Michael Doherty, Jack Swan; Shane Smyth, James Reeves, John O'Regan; James Finnerty (0-1), Darragh Campion (0-3 frees); Padraig Finnerty (0-3), Harry Rooney (0-1), John Finnerty (1-0); Conor O'Brien (1-1 1-0 penalty), Billy Smyth (1-0), Niall Finnerty (0-2 one free). Subs - Ciaran Lenehan for Swan 49m, Oisin Keogh (0-1) for P Finnerty 50m, Neil Burke for N Finnerty 53m, Patrick Fox for B Smyth 56m.

St Colmcille's - Andrew Beakey; Adam Lynch, Oisin McAleenan, Cathal Monaghan; Matthew Breen, Liam Stafford, Oisin Brennan; Evan Breen, Ruairi O'Grady; Cathal Hilliard (0-1), Sean O'Donoghue (2-0 penalties), Godfrey Ehichoya; Eoghan McCloughan (0-1), Ben Brennan (0-2 one free), Jack Reynolds. Subs - Christian Finlay for McAleenan 22m, Shaun Leonard for McCloughan, James Conlon (0-4 three frees) for Reynolds both 34m, Eoin Gillick for O Brennan 50m, Luke Conlon for Hilliard 57m.

Referee - Keith Sheerin (Drumconrath).