Battling Syddan come up just short
WALTERSTOWN 0-14 SYDDAN 0-11
FOR the second time in three years Syddan exited the IFC at the quarter-final stage when coming up just short against a more street-wise Walterstown at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday.
While the Blacks showed the greater flair and cohesion throughout, Syddan had every chance of causing an upset but have only themselves to blame.
Too often they dropped point efforts short and into the hands of Walterstown keeper John Davis, while they weren’t nearly as comfortable on the ball as their opponents. They also had possession turned over on numerous occasions and got punished for it.
The north Meath side created the game’s three goal opportunities, but they failed to take any of them. The trend was set early on as Syddan squandered two point efforts and allowed Walterstown a platform, with three points in the opening 10 minutes. Conceding frees within scoring range proved costly as Alban Crosbie had the Blacks off the mark from placed balls before David Donnellan shot a third point.
Ian Curran opened Syddan’s account on 11 minutes and Daire Rowe responded to a Colin McGrane point by converting a free on 13 minutes. The next two points were for Walterstown - both scored by defenders, Colin McGrane and Mark McCormack.
Syddan kept in contact with further points from Daire Rowe and Ben Bashford, but at the break it was Eamon Barry’s men who led 0-7 to 0-4.
The sides swapped points twice in the third quarter, with Rowe and Kevin Traynor on target for Syddan before Walterstown opened up a five-point advantage. The gap stretched to six at one stage, but Syddan hit four points in a six-minute spell to whittle the lead back to two. Daire Rowe (two frees), Sean Clare and Gary McManus accounted for those Syddan points, before Alban Crosbie made certain of victory for Walterstown with a pointed free.