Colemanstown U17s 3 – 2 Barna na Forbacha
It was fast and furious stuff throughout our U17s first league game away to Barna na Forbacha on Bank holiday Monday with both teams and both sets of supporters fully invested in this one. A flurry of lively attacks early in the game from the hosts put Colemanstown on the back foot from the offset. Barna were cursing their luck when they unleashed a shot on goal that thundered off Fionn Flattery’s crossbar not long in and Fionn had to be alert moments later to react to a quick Barna strike with a lovely one-handed save to push over the crossbar. It took all of 15mins for Colemanstown to settle into the game having dealt well with the opening pressure. The midfield quartet of Shane Duffy, Conor van Oosterhout, Tiarnan Proulx & Tomas Rogerson were at the centre of Colemanstown’s good work as they commenced good passing play. The opener arrived on 20mins when Aironas kantauskas found Kyle Madden on the right, and after cutting down the right wing, he squared across the box where Shane Duffy sneaked in between 2 defenders to finish off a well worked move. Just before that was a similar move with a cross from Rodgie on the left wing but there was no one to apply the finish in the box. Having found the space, Conor van had a couple of efforts from distance which were drilled over the bar while Tiarnan Proulx was rampaging here, there & everywhere as he helped to lord midfield. Proulx ran through the centre with goal on his mind but Barna’s defender intercepted with a brilliant tackle. The next spell saw the hosts resume the pressure but Colemanstown defended well with Tiarnan Lohan & Diarmuid Ryan, just back from injury, both defending stoutly assisted greatly by Josh Buckley & Ross Lally at right & left back who never put a foot wrong. Colemanstown made it 2-0 soon after when a sublime pass from Tiarnan Proulx found Rodgie and he struck a left footed effort on the half volley for a rocket finish just inside the 18’ box. 2-0 Half Time.
The second half resumed and it was clear the hosts were intent. They whacked the crossbar again and forced a few corners but Colemanstown showed great character in their defending which was edge of the box stuff and also required the assistance of the midfielders to keep Barna at bay with most of the play in the Colemanstown half of the field. Barna’s pressure paid off quarter hour after the restart with a super strike from distance which Fionn Flattery couldn’t get near. Colemanstown had to show incredible endurance in their defending as Barna resumed the pressure from the tip-off. Then midway through the half, Shane Duffy won a corner after great work from Kyle Madden, Proulx & Duffy himself. Aironas swung in the resultant corner which Diarmuid Ryan connected to superbly but his powerful header required both hands of a fully alert Barna custodian to keep it from finding the net. That would surely have been curtains for this non – relenting Barna side with 10mins to play. Their continued pressure helped them to grind out an equaliser, with 4 mins to go when they converted a free kick from the edge of the box to wild Barna na Forbacha celebrations. A share of the spoils looked ominous. However, there was to be a further twist to this game….. With 2mins to play, super combination work by the excellent Conor van, Aironas & Tiarnan Proulx saw Tiarnan turn on his turbo booster and leave the defender for dead and with the keeper advancing and the gap narrowing in front of him, he unselfishly squared across to the unmarked Kyle Madden and he finished powerfully from just inside the 18’ box to seal the deal. Barna immediately pressed from the resultant KO but Dylan Murphy chased everything down up front making life difficult for Barna. A timely interception late in the game by Ross Lally was vital in dispossessing the Barna striker as space opened up for him. This was enough to provide final closure on the game.
This was a tough tense game but our lads showed great character and certainly knew they were in a real fight. Final score: Barna na Forbacha 2 – 3 Colemanstown
Squad: Fionn Flattery, Josh Buckley, Diarmuid Ryan, Tiarnan Lohan, Ross Lally, Shane Duffy, Conor van Oosterhout, Tiarnan Proulx, Aironas Kantauskas, Tomas Rogerson, Kyle Madden, Dylan Murphy, Jamie Nutley, Joshua McDonnell
U12B Girls 0 – 3 Kinvara. Div2
Our U12B Girls team had the tough task of travelling to Kinvara on Sunday morning. With 6 players missing, the 9 players available knew they had to do it all on their own and they relished the task. The back line of Jade Devaney, Ashlinn Murray and Eimear Flynn were as energetic and determined as ever and with Emily Tuohy behind them in goal the defensive unit was as solid as ever. It took a lucky deflection for Kinvara to get their first goal but Julie Holohan, Holly Mellody, Ruby Lally and Aoife Flynn in midfield battled like the warriors they are to get the equaliser but Kinvara just seemed to be that little bit stronger and more experienced. Kinvara doubled their lead before half time and our striker Lauren O’Grady who covered every inch of the pitch and never stopped battling, was unlucky not to pull a goal back. Colemanstown were on a high when Emily Tuohy made a fantastic penalty save after a handball in the Colemanstown box. Kinvara used their subs in the second half and the fresh legs helped to seal the game when they got their third. Yet again our girls never stopped working til the final whistle but just couldn’t manage to pull one back. Huge credit to the girls, they gave everything as usual. Match report by Gary Devaney