Corrib Celtic were pushed to the wire by Colemanstown United in a victory that seals the Div1 league title for them. On Sunday last our U16 team faced the daunting task of playing league leaders Corrib Celtic at home, a side that remained unbeaten all season. The match started with Colemanstown trying to hold Corrib’s attackers at bay with Tommy Nutley in goal, James Somers, Oisin Gavin, Mike Lally and Daniel Booth in defence, Joshua Lualdi, Paddy Gavin, Tom Holahan, Jamie Cunniffe and Sean Keating across the midfield and Ryan Shaughnessy as the lone striker. The game plan was working very well and Corrib found it very hard for the first 20 minutes to find a break; our boys were very well capable in dealing with any threats and also were growing in confidence and put together some interesting plays and created some chances. It was Corrib however that drew first blood and scored around the 25 minutes mark, a well worked move through the middle and their striker applied a great finish past Tommy Nutley in goals. An injury to Joshua Lualdi required Martin Mellody to come off the bench right after, and our boys continued to create and assert their play.
However Corrib Celtic, scored 2 more goals before the half with 2 very slick moves. Half time score of 0-3 to the visitors was perhaps a bit harsh on our boys, but Corrib were not champions elect by chance, a truly great team who will no doubt do very well in a higher league.
The second half saw some additional changes in the form of Stephen Murphy for the exhausted Ryan Shaughnessy and Jamie Lally for Daniel Booth. A quick reshuffle of players saw Sean Keating moved to left back and Jamie Lally slotted into a midfield role. Our boys continued to create great plays through Tom Holohan, Paddy Gavin and Jamie Lally and started to create some additional chances via Jamie Cunniffe and Martin Mellody on the flanks who were really working their socks off. A through ball for Stephen Murphy caused the Corrib defence to foul Stephen in the penalty area, in the first 5 minutes of the second half. Tom Holohan dispatched the penalty expectedly. 1-3 and the game was now on! Corrib did not seem as sure of themselves at this point, maybe our boys were getting to them, but an incredible run and trick on the Corrib’s left back by Martin “Nutmeg” Mellody, set him off on the wing, a superb ball across was just missed by Stephen Murphy, but was sweetly met by Jamie Cunniffe to make it 2-3. With 15 minutes to go, we were very much in the game and really deserved to get more out of this. The lads sensed they could upset Corrib’s perfect record and kept pushing to try and score the equaliser with Stephen Murphy coming close, and Paddy Gavin from distance.
Ultimately it was not to be, but this was a superb game once more by the lads and they should take great confidence and spirit going into their last 2 league games of the season to Athenry and to Merlin Woods, knowing a win in either game will secure their place in Division 1 next year again.
Well done on a great game played with a lot of confidence and great passion. A couple more efforts like this, that’s all that is needed. Match Report: Luca Lualdi