U18 Boys: Connacht Shield Quarter Final: Colemanstown 4-2 Cois Fharraige. It was a dry, windswept afternoon as Cois Farraige journeyed across the city to face us in this Connacht Shield Quarter Final showdown. Both teams started in similar manner, but it was Colemanstown who had the first chance when Kyle Madden made a lovely run down the right wing to send the ball into the box, but the visiting keeper was quick to cut out the attack. 10 mins in there was some lovely link up play between Shane Quirke and Joshua Buckley in midfield with Quirkes shot going to the right of the post. The visitors then settled in well with some good attacking play. Shane Duffy in centre back made some vital tackles to break down Cois Farraige’s attacks. Duffy, along with the defensive group of David Walsh, Donnacha Walsh and Diarmuid Ryan were kept on their toes in the opening quarter & proved up to the challenge. 20 minutes in Donnacha Walsh was fouled and Aironas Kantauskas’ free kick was floated into the box but over everyones head and agonisingly out over the end line. Shortly afterwards Colemanstown were playing out from the back when an error on the edge of the box led to the attacking Cois Farraige forward pouncing on the ball to fire into an empty net to make it 1-0 to the visitors. Colemanstown had a couple of chances soon after with Diarmuid Ryan’s shot going wide; Tiarnan Lohan had a good opportunity in the box but the keeper made a good save & Kyle Madden was quick to pounce on the rebound with a strong shot but the keeper made an excellent save to keep the visitors ahead. Following some good passing play between Conor van Oosterhout and Aironas, Shane Quirke’s shot at goal was saved by the keeper. Parity was restored 30 minutes in when David Walsh sent a high ball from near the left sideline into the box, Josh Buckley took a great first touch to control and then smash it into the net to level matters at 1-1. Colemanstown settled more into the game, with some lovely passing play. Shane Quirke weaved past two defenders with some tidy footwork before combining neatly with Aironas, whose effort flew just off target. 5 minutes before the break, Kyle Madden whipped in a curling corner that was initially cleared by the defence, but only as far as David Walsh on the edge of the box. He struck it cleanly through a packed penalty area and into the net to make it 2-1 & that’s how it stayed going into the interval. Colemanstown continued their controlled, passing play into the second half. Midfield players Aironas Kantauskas, Kyle Madden, Shane Quirke and Josh Buckley created some great passing movement which led to opportunities for Kyle, Josh and Tiarnan Lohan but their shots were saved by the in-form Cois Fharrige keeper. Conor van Oosterhout delivered a superb ball into the box, which Aironas met with a glancing header that drifted just wide. Moments later, Conor had a chance of his own, firing narrowly off target. In end to end stuff, Fionn Flattery made an excellent save when the visitors skilled left winger made a great run around our defence and fired from close range but Flattery dealt with it capably. Following a superb team move that began at the back and flowed through midfield, passing through the feet of nearly every Colemanstown player; David Walsh delivered a lofted ball into the box. Tiernan Lohan timed his run perfectly and guided a pinpoint header past the keeper to make it 3-1. Moments later Josh Buckley threaded a clever ball through to Shane Quirke on the left, who unselfishly squared it to Tiarnan Lohan. He made no mistake as he calmly finished for his second of the match to extend the lead to 4-1. Sean Connolly was introduced on the wing and showed some lovely play, with excellent tackles and great work rate, leading to more opportunities for the home team, with Kyle Madden and Shane Quirke both unlucky not to score. However the visitors weren’t ready to give up just yet, they continued to look for a goal and were rewarded 10 minutes before the finish when again a momentary lapse of focus enabled the visitors to pull one back to bring the score to 4-2. This certainly added an edge to the final 10 minutes. Séan Cooke was introduced in goal, while Fionn moved into attack in the final moments of action. Séan Cooke was called into action almost immediately with a great save from a Cois Farriage free kick from just outside the box. The pace and determination from both sides was evident and Colemanstown’s defensive players were in top form with Shane Duffy commanding in centre back. The game continued at a frantic pace for the final few minutes with both teams pushing for goals and Sean Cooke pulled off yet another excellent save just before the finish, but in the end it finished 4-2 as Colemanstown advance to a Connacht Shield semi-final against Colga. Match report: Orla McCaffrey.
Squad: Fionn Flattery, Shane Duffy, Diarmuid Ryan, Donnacha Walsh, David Walsh, Conor Van Oosterhout, Kyle Madden, Aironas Kantauskas, Josh Buckley, Shane Quirke, Tiernan Lohan, Sean Connolly, Sean Cooke, Cathal Kennedy.
U16 Boys Div. 1 McDara 5 – 1 Colemanstown. In a thrilling U16 boys’ league match, McDara showcased their skills and clinical finishing in a 5-1 home victory over Colemanstown. The match was filled with exciting moments and standout performances from both sets that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats. McDara started strong, taking an early lead within the first 10 minutes, their forward, opened the scoring, resulting from a corner as the ball just fell kindly for an easy finish & there was nothing that Tommy Nutley could have done in goals with such a powerful shot from close range. The momentum continued with McDara relentlessly pressurising Colemanstown’s defense. By the 25th minute, McDara doubled their lead thanks to a penalty kick, expectedly dispatched to the right of Tommy Nutley to leave the score 2-0 to the hosts. Our lads on their part did not let this set up hinder them and continued to play their game and create chances of their own , with Tadgh Hart and Jamie Cunniffe, going close. Sean Keating and Jamie Cuniffe proved to be a handful for any defence; in the middle Oisin and Paddy Gavin had good control of the game. Despite Colemanstown’s attempts to regroup, McDara’s defence held firm, preventing any significant threats. Just before halftime, Tadhg Hart went very close and with that the first half ended as McDara went into at the break 2-0 up. In the second half Colemanstown came out with renewed energy and managed to pull one back in the 55th minute through Tadgh Hart with a great shot from the distance. it was time for some fresh legs and the Colemanstown bench was emptied. Just when Colemanstown were coming back into the game, McDara regained control of the match, slotting home in the 70th minute for their third followed by a quick fire fourth goal of the game, further extending McDara’s lead. The final blow came in the 85th minute when McDara added a fifth goal, sealing a well-deserved victory for them. Colemanstown’s efforts to mount a comeback were thwarted by McDara’s solid defensive performance and great midfield work rate. McDara’s comprehensive 5-1 win over Colemanstown highlights their strength and cohesion as a team. With this victory, they have can keep pushing for the league title by the end of the season. Colemanstown will look to bounce back in their next match away to Athenry. Match Report: Luca Lualdi
Squad: Tommy Nutley, James Somers, Fionn Proulx, Oisin Gavin, Mike Lally, Morgan Keogh, Jamie Cunniffe, Paddy Gavin, Ryan Shaughnessy, Tadhg Hart, Sean Keating, Daniel Booth, Stephen Murphy, Gearoid Walsh, Joshua Lualdi.
U14 Boys Div 2/3 Cup: Maree/Oranmore 7 – 4 Colemanstown. A spirited & depleted U14 boys side put in a valiant performance against Maree/Oranmore in the League Cup quarterfinal, eventually falling to a 7-4 defeat in a high-scoring encounter. Despite finding themselves 3-0 down early on, the boys showed real character & resilience. A quick thinking free kick from Liam O’Connor caught the Maree/Oranmore defence off guard, allowing Sean Forde to break through and slot home a well taken goal past the visiting keeper. Unfortunately, a lapse at the back saw the team concede again before halftime, as they went into the break 4-1 behind. Rallied by a few encouraging words during the break, the boys came out fighting in the 2nd half. Dermot Parker led the charge with two well taken goals & Owen Hillary added to the tally with a rare but brilliant strike. However, despite the comeback efforts & never giving up until the final whistle, Maree/Oranmore capitalised on a few more chances to secure their place in the Divisional Cup semi-final. Match Report: Alan Walsh.
Squad: Aidan Quinn, Daragh Blake, Darragh Finnerty, Owen Hillary, Liam O’Connor, Finian Walsh, Sean Forde, Gearoid Griffin, Conor Saunders, Iarlaith Griffin, Mikey Nutley, Dermot Parker
U12 Girls Championship: Colemanstown 0-2 Colga. We welcomed league title contenders Colga to Colemanstown on a bright, sunny Sunday evening in this latest Under-12 Championship League match. The girls were full of energy & revved up & ready for a battle. We started off on the front foot with Ava Forde and Ruby Lally testing the Colga keeper but credit to their shot-stopper, who was in fine form and pulled off some excellent saves to deny us an early lead. 10mins in Colga scored through a long-range effort but Colemanstown did not lie down with Lucy Burke-Hardiman, Holly Mellody, and Faye Ryan working hard in midfield. The back trio in defence of Lauren O’Grady, Jade Devaney & Ciara Maybin were rock solid at the back, as they put in a relentless shift to hold off wave after wave of Colga pressure and keep the score at 1-0 heading into the break. In the 2nd half Erin Holmes, Helia Costello & Realtin Saunders were introduced to freshen up things & gave 110% in every challenge. Emily Tuohy stood tall in goal, making several crucial blocks to keep Colemanstown in the game. Colga’s sustained pressure eventually paid off with a second goal from a well delivered corner. Despite the setback, our girls continued to battle until the final whistle. Special mention to Faye Ryan and Lauren O’Grady, who stepped into new positions & played with heart, bravery, & great team spirit. Coaches Barry Forde and Neil Ryan are immensely proud of the squad – not just for this performance, but for their hard work & commitment all season long. Match Report: Anne Forde
Squad: Emily Tuohy, Ciara Maybin, Jade Devaney, Helia Costello, Faye Ryan, Holly Mellody, Lucy Burke Hardiman, Ava Forde, Lauren O’Grady, Erin Holmes, Realtin Saunders, Ruby Lally.
Boys U12 Championship 2 Colemanstown Utd A 0 – 5 Oughterard A. Colemanstown Utd U12 Boys faced a formidable challenge on Saturday as they hosted title contenders Oughterard A in the Championship 2. With Oughterard sitting second in the league & holding three games in hand, the visitors came into the match as strong favourites & they lived up to that billing. Despite a determined effort from our youngsters, the gulf in class was evident. Colemanstown battled bravely & worked hard across the pitch, but Oughterard’s quality & composure saw them take control of the game and finish with a 5-0 win. It was a tough day at the office for our young lads, but plenty of lessons to take from facing such a strong opposition.