Boys U15 Division 2. Colemanstown 2–2 West Coast United. Saturday last saw Colemanstown United host West Coast Utd for our first home match of the season. Colemanstown arrived with a strong squad and the players ready to perform. Colemanstown started quick, bringing pace from the outset & with great strings of passing and switching from left to right. Only 3 minutes into the game the ball fell with Sean Forde through the middle and Goal. Colemanstown took an early 1-0 lead. Colemanstown continued to play strong, covering positions and seeking space. A free kick was awarded to Colemanstown outside the box, the shot was fired in from Sean Forde, saved by the keeper who was unable to control the ball but George Costello had continued his run in and was perfectly positioned to finish with the ball again in the net for a second time. Colemanstown with less than 10 minutes on the clock held a 2-0 lead. The weather broke with the rain taking its toll culminating in tight battles and the ball going end to end. West Coast came back into the game. A loss of concentration and players out of position created a run that led to West Coast clawing a goal back with twenty minutes on the clock. 2-1 to Colemanstown. A change in the middle saw Caelan Noone come off for Niall Mason and Mark Shaughnessy made way for Oran Cosgrove. The ball went from end to end with some strong play out from the back & under pressure from West Coast’s quick breaks, Iarlaith Griffin make some super saves.
Half time came, the score 2-1 and both teams fighting hard. Half time changes saw Ritchie O’Connor make way for Eoghan O’Neill following a knock he picked up earlier and Adam Mitchell came on for the hard working Thomas Kennedy upfront. West Coast came out strong in the second half with a restructured back line of Conor Saunders, Tim Ruane, Eoghan O’Neill and Sean Forde all chasing and holding the pacy West Coast strikers. Strong physical battles created passages of play down the wings picking up Oran Cosgrove and Sé Laffey with debutant Mark Gerrard covering midfield. Caelan Noone now refreshed, returned to the field for Niall Mason and Mark Gerrard made way for another debutant Cathal Higgins who with George Costello combined well in midfield & sought to release Adam Mitchell a few times. Over a 10 minute period, Colemanstown found themselves one on one with the keeper, with Oisin Flannery, Oran Cosgrove and Adam Mitchell all having chances but just couldn’t covert. With 10 minutes to go, West Coast’s pressure paid off as the games equaliser was scored. 2 apiece. Thomas Kennedy was reintroduced to quicken up the attacking pace. Mark Shaughnessy was reintroduced for Eoghan O’Neill & saw the opportunity for some players to drop into different roles and a different team formation, changing the style and passage of play. Colemanstown got back into the game, with great play but the West Coast defence stood strong as the game petered out a 2-2 share of the spoils. Match Report: Brian Saunders
Squad: Iarlaith Griffin, Conor Saunders, Tim Ruane, Ritchie O’Connor, George Costello, Sé Laffey, Sean Forde, Mark Gerrard, Caelan Noone, Mark Shaughnessy, Thomas Kennedy, Oran Cosgrove, Oisin Flannery, Adam Mitchell, Niall Mason, Cathal Higgins, Eoghan O’Neill.