Thomas Davis overcome Skerries Harps in thriller - PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship

THOMAS DAVIS 2-18 SKERRIES HARPS 1-19

Thomas Davis secured their second successive victory in Group 3 of the PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship when overcoming Skerries Harps by two points at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Despite playing second fiddle for decent chunks of the half, the SFC2 winners from last year entered the break leading by 1-10 to 0-8 with Paddy Kelly scoring the all-important goal in the 28th minute.

A Chris Sallier penalty saw Thomas Davis roar back into contention and they claimed a deserved victory as substitute Fionn Lynch netted in the closing minutes.   

It was Skerries that started on the front foot through a 4th minute point from Ciaran Murphy and they doubled that lead in an instant thanks to Luke Whelan. 

Ryan Deegan levelled matters with a trademark two-pointer soon after as the tightness of the early exchanges continued courtesy of points at either end from Fionn Murray and Whelan. 

Thomas Davis enjoyed a short period of dominance towards the end of the first-quarter that yielded unanswered points by Murray, Mark Nolan and Chris Sallier as they gained a decisive edge at centrefield. 

Stephen Smith narrowed the Harps deficit in the 15th minute and both Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan and Adam Fearon joined the attack to telling effect to leave the seasiders trailing by just a point. 

Nolan’s height was continuing to cause trouble for the Skerries defence and Sallier should have netted in the 22nd minute but he crashed over the crossbar from close range with the goal at his mercy. 

That miss proved particularly costly as Skerries restored parity with a brace of frees before Kelly was on hand to bundle home after he had initially intercepted a Robert Crilly restart. 

Matters deteriorated for the Tallaght outfit as dual player Davy Keogh was dismissed in the 30th minute with another Smith free leaving five points between the sides by half-time.  

Murray kicked a sublime point to add momentum to Thomas Davis’ challenge and they deservedly brought their deficit back to three points by the 35th minute courtesy of Conor Guilfoyle. 

Memories of their Round 1 comeback against Na Fianna came flooding back as Deegan nonchalantly caressed another two-pointer over the crossbar to leave the bare minimum separating the teams. 

O’Connor Flanagan briefly settled Harps with their first score of the half in the 37th minute but given their control of possession, it was of little surprise to see Thomas Davis back on level terms through points by Murray (free) and Sallier.  

The contest continued to intrigue as Greg McEneaney restored Skerries’ lead with a two-pointer in the 42nd minute but the momentum swung back in their opponents’ favour at the end of the third quarter. 

Harps full-back Paul Widle received a second booking as he conceded a penalty and Sallier calmly sent Cormac Rocks the wrong way to push his side two points ahead. 

Murray and Smith traded two-pointed frees to add to the tension but the contest was effectively settled in the 59th minute as Fionn Lynch put the finishing touches to a lightning counter-attack. 

Scorers – Thomas Davis: F Murray 0-7 (2f, 1 F2); C Sallier 1-3 (1-0pen); R Deegan 0-4 (2 P2); F Lynch 1-0; C Guilfoyle 0-2; M Nolan, S Farrelly 0-1 apiece. Skerries Harps: S Smith 0-9 (4f, 2 F2); L Whelan 0-3; P Kelly 1-0; G McEneaney (P2), E O’Connor Flanagan, C Murphy 0-2 each; A Fearon 0-1. 

Thomas Davis: R Crilly; S Kennedy, J Lambert, A Shorten; S Benton, C Murphy, S Farrelly; A Waddick, R Deegan; D Keogh, F Murray, É O’Toole; C Sallier, M Nolan, C Guilfoyle. Subs: R Fahey for O’Toole (41), F Lynch for Guilfoyle (56), E Kirby for Murray (59), O Kelly for Sallier (62). 

Skerries Harps: C Rocks; A El Shamy, P Wilde, E Smith; A Fearon, T Deering, E O’Connor Flanagan; E Dunne, E Wilde; F McGinnis, G McEneaney, P Kelly; L Whelan, C Murphy, S Smith. Subs: C Emmett for E Wilde (43), A Coleman for Kelly (48), M Kelly for Whelan (53).    

Referee: PJ Murray (St Finian’s Swords).