FAI Junior Cup: Round 1: Colemanstown 0–4 Knocknacarra. The final score doesn’t fully reflect the competitive nature of this FAI Junior Cup Round 1 tie, as Colemanstown matched a strong & physical Knocknacarra side for long periods before eventually being undone by circumstances & numbers. The opening 40mins were evenly contested, with both sides going toe to toe in a hard-fought encounter. Colemanstown were well in the game & competed strongly across the pitch as they matched the visitors’ physicality & work rate. After 20mins, however, Colemanstown were forced into an early change when Tiarnán Proulx picked up an injury. Sean Hardiman was introduced into the back line as Colemanstown reorganised themselves defensively. The pivotal moment of the match arrived 5mins before the interval. With the Knocknacarra’s striker through one-on-one with Junior in goal, the referee penalised Sean Hardiman for a jersey tug in the challenge. The decision resulted in an immediate red card & a penalty for the visitors. Knocknacarra converted from the spot to take the lead, which left Colemanstown facing the 2nd half a goal down & reduced to 10 men.
Despite the setback, Colemanstown produced a tremendous response after the restart. For the opening 25mins of the 2nd half, Colemanstown battled fiercely & pushed hard for an equaliser. Their effort & intensity meant it was often difficult to tell which side was playing with 10 men. However, against the run of play, Knocknacarra struck on a quick breakaway to double their advantage & make it 2–0. Colemanstown continued to battle to look for a way back into the game, but with 15mins to go, the task became even more difficult when Kyle Madden received a red card after reacting to a referee’s decision. Reduced to 9 men, Colemanstown faced an uphill battle in the closing stages. Knocknacarra took advantage of the extra space & numbers & added two further goals late on to seal a 4–0 victory & progress to Round 2. Despite the scoreline, Colemanstown can take positives from a spirited performance in which the team never stopped battling right up to the end. Best wishes to Knocknacarra as they advance to the next round of the FAI National Cup. Match Report: Kerrill Lally
Squad: Alan ‘Junior’ Finn, Tiarnán Proulx, David Walsh, Richie Lally, Shane Duffy, Aironas Kantauskas, Luke Williams, Ray Moran, Kerrill Hardiman, Thomas Carr, Shane Quirke, James Collevy, Matthew Keane, Kyle Madden, Jack Kennedy, Jack Dillon, Sean Hardiman, Damien Wynne, Conor van Oosterhout.
U14 Girls Div 1 Cup: Colemanstown 0–2 Oughterard. Colemanstown’s U14 girls bowed out of the Div. 1 Cup after a tough encounter against a vastly improved Oughterard side. With a strong squad of 20 girls available on the day, Colemanstown faced opponents they had previously met in the league, but this was a very different & highly disciplined Oughterard team. From the kick off, Oughterard proved extremely well organised & difficult to break down. Blustery, windy conditions made it very challenging for Colemanstown to play the passing game that they have become so accustomed to. The opening 20mins were very evenly contested, with both teams working hard & little separating the sides. However, Oughterard eventually broke the deadlock to leave Colemanstown with a mountain to climb. Despite the setback, Colemanstown responded well & were very unlucky not to find the net before the interval. Two excellent efforts from Sorcha Nic an Iomaire & Julie Holohan both came close to levelling the match. At the back, Lily Burke proved very reliable between the posts. In front of her, the defensive unit battled tirelessly, with Laoise Naughton & Chloe Laffey forming a strong central partnership, flanked by Lauryn Murphy & Eimear Flynn, who all fought hard throughout to keep Colemanstown in the contest.
10mins after the restart, Oughterard extended their lead to put further pressure on the Colemanstown girls. Colemanstown introduced fresh legs as Katie Geary & Ava Forde entered the fray & brought added energy to the team. Laura Hayes made several penetrating runs in the 2nd half, while Sorcha Nic an Iomaire showed tremendous courage by continuing to play while carrying an injury. Colemanstown pushed hard to get back into the game & came agonisingly close when Ava Forde connected beautifully with a corner, only to be denied by the visitors’ outstanding keeper on the day. There was also great support from the sideline, with Amy Morrissey turning up to cheer on her teammates despite being stuck in a boot. While she may have been ruled out of action, she still managed to bring plenty of encouragement from the line, certain proof that it takes more than a boot to keep a Colemanstown player away from match day! While the result did not go our way, the Colemanstown girls showed tremendous bravery & determination as they battled right to the final whistle. It was a tough day, but the girls can be proud of their effort & spirit throughout. Match Report: Diarmuid Hayes
Squad: Lily Burke, Lauryn Murphy, Chloe Laffey, Laoise Naughton, Eimear Flynn, Sorcha Nic an Iomaire, Siana O’Grady, Ciara Somers, Julie Holohan, Laura Hayes, Niamh Lally, Aoibhinn Doyne, Emma Burke, Mia Corcoran, Lauren O’Grady, Kayla Maloney, Amy Morrissey, Kate Geary, Ava Forde.