Colemanstown U16s 3 – 0 Oughterard
Our U16s made the long trip to Newvillage amidst Galway City & Moycullen traffic on Friday evening to take on Oughterard in their latest league encounter. On entry, there were no stewards to check bags for bottles, fireworks or other forbidden bits & pieces. Instead it was a stroll onto the pitch with a most striking view of Lough Corrib on a smashing April evening. The air still felt somber after the happenings over 10 days ago but with Datch missing his 2nd match in over a 3 year period, instead it was Tommy Williams & Joe Rabbitte in the upper grass lined seats looking out at the Corrib who provided the banter. Everything came up…. Helicopters to Knockroe Hill, … inhabitants on Corrib’s little islands… the midges…. the narrow pitch …. and then the game began.
Colemanstown pressed from the off as Harry Mitchell could have scored a hatrick by 10mins but instead forced a double save, fired wide & found the side net. Harry had another chance when Jonah Donnellan’s free kick was nodded on by Jason Rabbitte but again fired wide. Oughterard’s first chance fell on 19mins from a set piece but was well held by Fionn Flattery in goals. Jayo Rabbitte from play & Harry from a free had further chances but were unable to find the net. The best chance of the half fell on 33mins as Luke Williams floated in a free kick, headed down by Cian Ruane into the path of Jason Rabbitte and you’d have put your house in him to score but he flashed his effort across the face of the goal. Right on the stroke of half time, Jonah Donnellan had another chance after the ball was cheated on to his path by Tommy Mellody but his tame effort was hit straight at the keeper. 0-0 at the break and not for the want of trying or the spectators will for them to score!
Colemanstown restarted the 2nd half in the same dominant form. A good run through the centre saw Jayo Rabbitte spray the ball out left to Harry whose cross across the box found Tommy Mellody who stole a few yards on the defender and he almost nipped in at the far post to finish. The breakthrough eventually arrived 3mins after the restart. Jayo Rabbitte caused havoc in an effort to keep the ball close to his feet, wax fouled in the process & Tommy Mellody drilled the resultant free kick low & hard past a gap in the wall to the keepers right. It was a lead Colemanstown were never likely to relinquish once they had it and one felt there were more goals in the toolbox. Fionn Flattery had to be alert to a 25yard Oughterard free which he held well. Luke Williams made it 2-0 9mins after the restart when he ran through a gap as wide as the Corrib, found himself in space to shoot and his low hard effort found the net despite the keepers one handed save, the power of the shot carried it over. Williams had the ball in the net again moments after following a peach of a pass from Rabbitte but the ref adjudged him to be offside.
Jason Rabbitte was rewarded for his hard work midway through the 2nd half following great harrying and trickery from Tommy Mellody on the end line, managed to get the cross in to Rabbitte who curling effort from the edge of the box deflected off the butt of the post and in. In the latter stages, Luke Williams saw his cracker of a free kick deflect off the post and wide, Cathal Kennedy’s volley was saved by the keepers feet, Harry had a further chance saved, Luke Williams had another effort saved after a good run through the centre, and Jason Rabbitte had a late header but didn’t quite connect with the nod all in the closing stages but at that stage the game was justifiable settled at 3-0 and 3 more points in the bag with 5 games left to play as well as a Cup Final in Eamon Deacy Park. Well done lads.
Colemanstown U13s 3 – 0 Renmore
Our U13s eased past Renmore at home yesterday morning with a comprehensive 3-0 home win. They got back on their winning ways as Martin Mellody who had a powerful day in the green shirt gave the home side the lead in the 15th minute when he side footed to the left of the keeper. First half chances fell to Jamie Lally, Conor Keating & Martin Mellody but were either squandered, saved or blasted over as Colemanstown dominated the game and bossed every position on the pitch although the visitors were difficult enough to break down. Half Time: 1-0.
Things got much better after the break as Tommy Nutley doubled Colemanstown’s advantage in the 2nd half with a perfection top corner job in his first ever goal for the club. Normally fulfilling the keepers role, Tommy showed his versatility with a great showing in centre forward; his first time to play as an outfield player. Martin Mellody & Darren Quirke linked up well for Tommy to test the keeper’s limits with a sublime finish. Tadhg Hart made it 3-0 shortly afterwards when he shot from the edge of the 18’ box on the right wing into the bottom right hand corner. Colemanstown’s 2nd half chances were aplenty as Tadhg Hart’s effort deflected off the crossbar and over; Jamie Lally & Harry Tierney saw their efforts sail over & Conor Keating saw his effort saved. In the end Colemanstown triumphed with a 3 goal margin, which could easily have been bigger, in a dominant display lorded by Conor Keating at the back. Final score: 3-0.
Squad: Noah McDonnell, Michael Lally, Conor Keating, Tadhg Bardell, Darren Quirke, Jamie Lally, Harry Tierney, Janes Somers, Martin Mellody, Tadhg Hart, Tom Holohan, Sean Keating, Tommy Nutley, Joe Carroll, Stephen Murphy, Aidan Ruane.