Colemanstown U16’s 5 – 1 Cregmore
Although 1-0 down at half time, Colemanstown U16’s were quick out of the starting blocks in the 2nd half in this season’s league opener as they got their league campaign underway with a 5-1 win away to Cregmore.
The tough breeze made conditions difficult to negotiate for both sides, as the ball was held up in the breeze plenty of times. Colemanstown started strong against the breeze forcing a couple of corners and half chances created by Joshua McDonnell & Donnacha Walsh. However, it was the hosts who scored against the run of play on 7mins when a free kick took a deflection off the 3 man wall and into the net. Straight from the kick off Colemanstown sparked a response as Shane Duffy and Kyle Madden linked up well and Madden’s cross found Joshua McDonnell who fired straight at the keeper while as the game progressed Duffy headed wide and Dylan Murphy shot straight at the keeper.
David Walsh, Josh Buckley and Joshua McDonnell had to do everything right in defence to avert danger as Cregmore pushed forward in search of further goals as half time approached. Diarmuid Ryan took a pop at goal from distance which flew over as Cregmore went in at the break 1-0 to the good.
The hosts enjoyed a brief period of dominance after the restart as an effort thundered off the underside of the crossbar which was well cleared by the vigilant Josh Buckley as Cregmore looked threatening momentarily. Straight down the other end, Colemanstown earned two consecutive corners as Shane Duffy make the keeper stretch to keep his goal intact. Young Matthew Keane was introduced up front and parity was restored following some Colemanstown dominance and a great passing move which originated from debutant Sean Cooke in goals involving Josh Buckley, Shane Duffy, Kyle Madden who found Donnacha Walsh in space and his delivery found Kyle Madden positioned on the edge of the box and he finished aplomb from close range. Minutes later a superb run from Duffy who was on fire down the right wing saw him cut in across the box and his viciously dipping effort thundered off the crossbar. Duffy was desperately unlucky not to score with a further chance as he connected well to a free from the back from David Walsh and forced another sublime save from the Cregmore keeper. Jonah Donnellan put Colemanstown ahead after vital play from Diarmuid Ryan & Kyle Madden set Donnellan on a run and he found the bottom right corner from the edge of the 18’ box. Donnacha Walsh saw yet another effort of his saved. Goal 3 arrived on 25mins when David Walsh’s fee kick was parried by the keeper but Donnellan poised in the box hammered the rebound home which was no more than they deserved for effort alone.
Colemanstown looked really comfortable as Donnellan claimed his hatrick when Duffy won a free on the edge of the box and Donnellan spotted a gap wide enough to squeeze the ball inside the left post. At this stage Colemanstown emptied the bench with the introduction of Sean Connolly, Jamie Nutley & Ronan Screene. With 4mins to play, Duffy won the ball back out of nowhere as Cregmore worked the ball out of defence and he in turn found Kyle Madden who finished Goal 5 in similar fashion to his first with the same result. Right at the death, Sean Cooke was called into action to make two fine stops as the game petered out with Colemanstown claiming a 5-1 resounding league win in their league opener.
It was a game in which Colemanstown dominated and a healthy share of the praise must go to debutant keeper Sean Cooke who was steady in goals while Josh Buckley, Diarmuid Ryan, Ross Lally & David Walsh were solid at the back for Gary Broderick & Kerrill Lally’s charges.
Panel: Sean Cooke, Josh Buckley, Diarmuid Ryan, Ross Lally, David Walsh, Kyle Madden, Donnacha Walsh, Jonah Donnellan, Josh McDonnell, Shane Duffy, Dylan Murphy, Matthew Keane, Sean Connolly, Jamie Nutley, Ronan Screene.