Despite the scoreline, the lads delivered a brave and spirited performance against top-tier opponents Ballinasloe, but held their own with determination and grit throughout the match. Playing in the setting of League of Ireland ground Eamon Deacy Park, our Colemanstown U16 boys got a taste of Wednesday evening cup football, pre match walk out on the pitch, loud music, full compliment of officials, walk in under the tunnel, cheering fans, it certainly was a Wednesday we’ll remember. The lads put up a valiant fight against Ballinasloe in the BU16 Championship/Div 1 Cup final. Despite the 6-0 loss, our team showed incredible spirit and determination throughout the match.
The game started with both teams carefully assessing each other. Around the 15-minute mark, Padraig Fallon nearly connected with a beautifully placed free kick from Tadhg Hart, and Martin Melody came close with a long-range effort. Our defense, marshalled by Oisin Gavin, Padraig Fallon, James Somers & Fionn Proulx stood strong, forcing Ballinasloe to take shots from distance. Tommy Nutley in goal displayed great form and made some super saves. Ballinasloe managed to break through from a corner kick with a well placed header. Our boys, undeterred, continued to press forward with Tom Holohan, Paddy Gavin, and Tadhg Hart working tirelessly in midfield to support Jamie Lally. A quick change was made before the half to shore up the defence with Niall Robinson slotting in for the brilliant Sean Keating, effectively moving to a 5 man defence to try and hold the result and regroup in the second half.
Despite our best efforts, Ballinasloe capitalised on a counterattack to score a second goal just before halftime, and quickly added a third with a powerful long-range shot. At halftime, the score was 0-3, but our team remained positive.
In the second half, a tactical reshuffle saw Jamie Cunniffe join the attack and a move to a 4-4-2 formation, and we started the second half with renewed energy. However, Ballinasloe’s attacking prowess shone through as they added a fourth goal soon after the restart. Fresh legs in the form of Joshua Lualdi, Gearoid Walsh, Daniel Booth, Ryan Shaughnessy, Mike Lally, and Stephen Murphy brought new energy, but Ballinasloe proved formidable, forcing Tommy Nutley to multiple saves and eventually adding two more goals before the final whistle.
Despite the result, our lads never gave up and continued to challenge Ballinasloe’s defense. The final score may not reflect the effort and heart shown by our team, but it was a game full of learning and growth and a possible once in a lifetime experience to play in those settings. As Ballinasloe celebrate their victory, we take pride in our team’s resilience and sportsmanship. Colemanstown will regroup, learn from this experience, and come back stronger in future competitions. We cannot dismiss that Ballinasloe play in a higher division on a weekly basis. Each and everyone of the players on our team must take immense pride for reaching the final and doing so by beating a Championship side in the preliminary round, as well as victories over Tuam Celtic and St. Patricks. Other opportunities will come to make it to a final and win the trophy! All players got the opportunity to experience playing in such settings a brilliant achievement also. A shout out to Morgan Keogh and Noah McDonnell, who missed the match through injury, but made sure not to miss the occasion and joined us on the bench.
Well done to all the lads! Match Report: Luca Lualdi