U16 Girls Div1 Cup: Round 1 Tuam Celtic 2–0 Colemanstown. Ten hardy Colemanstown U16 girls made the trip to Tuam on Saturday evening to face Tuam Celtic in the opening round of the Divisional Cup. With both sides propping up the league table & Colemanstown only able to field 10!players, Tuam Celtic sportingly agreed to match numbers, which helped to the scene for a very even contest. Despite playing against a strong first half breeze, Colemanstown enjoyed the lion’s share of possession & created a hatful of chances. Strikers Eimear Schwitalla & Niamh Naughton, along with wingers Rachel Kennedy & Shauna McDonagh, all went close, but they were repeatedly denied by a Tuam keeper in excellent form. At the other end, Aoife Walsh was outstanding in defence, stamping out many Tuam attacks with assured & composed defending. Against the run of play, Tuam managed to strike twice before the interval to head into the break with a 2–0 advantage.
The second half followed a similar pattern, as Colemanstown dominated possession, this time aided by the breeze. In the absence of manager Niall Rohan, Sandra Schwitalla encouraged an expansive game as she looked to add width wherever possible, but the match often became bogged down in rucks, making it difficult for either side to play fluent football. Further chances fell to Rachel Kennedy, Eimear Schwitalla & Niamh Naughton but the finishing touch proved elusive when it mattered most. Tuam Celtic defended resolutely to see out the game & secure their place in Round 2 of the Divisional Cup.
Weather conditions played their part, with the strong wind & rain making playing conditions tough throughout. It was an evening when it would have been far more comfortable to stay in by the fire, but these hardy young ladies proudly donned the green jersey for the love of the game. While the cup run ends here, the girls can now turn their full focus to climbing the league table in the weeks ahead. Match Report: Sandra Schwitalla
Squad: Ruby Lynch, Grace Jordan, Aoife Walsh, Grace Connolly, Shauna McDonagh, Leah O’Connor, Rachel Kennedy, Niamh Naughton, Eimear Schwitalla, Ella Ryan.
U18 Div 1 & 2 League Cup: Colemanstown 0-2 MacDara. Colemanstown U18s’ League Cup campaign came to an early end on Sunday as they went down 2–0 to a determined MacDara side in a knockout clash. After a dominant 4–1 victory over MacDara in the league back in October, the visitors were clearly out for revenge, and their game plan worked to perfection. Colemanstown were also missing four of their usual starters due to injuries, which made the challenge even tougher.
Colemanstown started brightly, with early efforts from Darren Moran and Shane Dempsey, but both attempts went just off target. Vice-captain Ryan Gavin stood out for the hosts, working tirelessly throughout the game. When his brother Paddy Gavin was introduced in the second half, the pair linked up well in midfield, helping to steady Colemanstown’s play. However, the game was decided by MacDara’s halftime introduction of super-sub PJ. His penetrating runs caused constant problems for the Colemanstown defence, and he eventually scored both goals, demonstrating composure and clinical finishing.
Colemanstown pushed forward in search of a way back into the game. Josh Buckley came close in the 65th minute, meeting a free-kick from Conor Walsh with a powerful header, but the MacDara keeper made a vital save to keep his team ahead. Later, Dylan King replaced Tyler Collins and nearly provided an assist, sending a dangerous ball into the box that Tomas Rogerson could only just stretch to, unable to beat the keeper.
Despite their best efforts, Colemanstown could not break through. MacDara’s defence held firm, and the game ended 2–0. A very disappointing result for the lads after making it to the final in this competition last year. Best of luck to MacDara. Match report: Kara Mullins
Squad: Tommy Nutley, Tyler Collins, Conor Walsh, Nathan Mannion, Cathal Keane, Darren Moran, Josh Buckley, Adam Doyle,Tomás Rogerson, Ryan Gavin, Shane Dempsey, Dylan King, Paddy Gavin, Niall Grady, Joshua McDonnell, Matthew Keane, Shane Quirke, Jamie Lally, Sean Cooke, Rónán Screene. Management: Orla McCaffrey, Damien Mannion & Kara Mullins.