Junior Men’s Championship: Colemanstown 2 – 4 Corrib Celtic. This latest league game was switched to Colemanstown astro the previous day due to an unplayable surface in Annaghdown. Colemanstown started strongly with some great passing play & were rewarded on 15mins following a good build up on the left side, originated by Kevin Barrett who found the feet of Callum McKelvey & he in turn fed Geordan Kenny who finished well for the opener. The joy was short lived though as the visitors drew level on 25mins. Colemanstown grew into the game though winning many 50/50 challenges, forcing many turnovers & moving the ball well about the pitch. Colemanstown pressed & stepped it up a gear & maintained the good streak. Goal 2 arrived in similar fashion to the first with Callum McKelvey again providing the assist for Geordan Kenny to find the top left corner. Colemanstown had upped the tempo but were soon taken down to earth when some confusion at the back, allowed the Annaghdown striker through only for him to be taken down in the box. They dispatched the resultant spot kick just as the referee kept an eye on his watch for 45mins. It was the visitors who started stronger in the 2nd half as they rallied well. Richie Lally had to retire early after the restart due to a head injury which saw Padraig Quirke introduced to the game. Unfortunately we conceded again despite good passages of play. However, the lads desperately chased the game with some good movement on the ball & created some meaningful chances through Callum McKelvey & Kerrill Hardiman as the visitors didn’t have it all their own way. We conceded again with 7mins to go which ultimately killed off our chase & our challenge. From there the game petered out to finish: Colemanstown 2 – 4 Corrib Celtic. Match report: Andy McKelvey
Squad: Alan ‘Junior’ Finn, Jason Finn, Luke Williams, Sean Hardiman, Jack Dillon, Richie Lally, Kerrill Hardiman, Kevin Barrett, Geordan Kenny, Dylan Grady, Callum McKelvey, Keith Mannion, Harry Mitchell, Cathal Kitt, Jack Kennedy, Kyle Madden, Padraig Quirke.
U18 Premier / Championship Cup: Colemanstown 5-2 Salthill Devon. One of the most favourite wins ever … was said by a Colemanstown parent walking away from Colemanstown pitch on a sunny yet cold Sunday afternoon having just beaten Salthill Devon at home in the Premier / Championship Cup. It was such an apt comment. We should have charged the few paltry supporters who came to watch this game – 5 star entertainment & not for the faint-hearted. This was a well deserved but fiercely hard earned win for the boys. The game’s opening period saw both teams cancel each other out in the first half as the sides broke at half time 2-2. It was the visitors who stole the opener within 2mins with a freaky goal conceded as Fionn Flattery was unsure of a back pass & the ball crept over the line. Colemanstown levelled matters by the quarter hour mark though when a free kick was nicely floated in & Diarmuid Ryan rose highest at the back post to head home with zero fuss. The visitors had an exceptional chance to restore their advantage 2mins later as they worked the ball up the stand side of the field & the cross into the box found their unmarked striker who fortunately for us, fired over. At this stage Cathal Kennedy was introduced on the right wing to add some running power. Shane Quirke fired wide & Aironas Kantauskas met a lovely Shane Quirke cross on the volley but the keeper made a super save. Possibly against the the run of play, Salthill restored their advantage on 37mins after a long delivery from the back, saw the fast feet of their striker beat our defender & advancing keeper to slam home into an empty net. Salthill were in the ascendancy for a short while after that as Shane Duffy made a vital interception to concede a corner when a goal looked ominous. Colemanstown made it 2-2 on 41mins when Duffy won the ball at the back, found Jonah Donnellan who worked the ball down the wing before his cross into the box found the boot of Conor van Oosterhout who finished from close range. Quirke, soon after, wasn’t too far off the mark after he received a diagonal cross from Aironas while Josh Buckley wasn’t too far away from getting on the end of a lovely long delivery from the back but the Salthill custodian was quick to the edge of his box to make the save. The 2nd half saw David Walsh start in his non customary position of right back. It was an equal back & forth half for both sides for the first 10mins of the 2nd half until it erupted to life when David Walsh’s left footed effort found Donnellan whose flicked header into space for Josh Buckley to run on to; he held off his defender well, expertly controlling & finishing superbly in one action from 23 yards to put us 3-2 up. With the opposition scratching their heads the lads pressed on. Momentum was halted though soon afterwards following an injury to Josh Buckley & the lads had to dig deep for the last 25mins with only 10 men. Colemanstown sustained serious pressure to maintain their slender lead with Shane Duffy, Diarmuid Ryan, David Walsh & Tiarnan Lohan assisted by Conor van Oosterhout at their brilliant best to keep plenty of worthy passages of play from Salthill at bay. Right at the death, Colemanstown’s huge work rate was rewarded when they made certain to advance to the next round of the Cup competition following a super run down the line & across the endline by Jonah Donnellan who found Tiarnan Lohan & his strike from the 6’ box banged in No.4. It wasn’t over yet though & with 5 mins stoppage time to play, Colemanstown had even more in them. A super looping pass from Aironas sent Tiarnan Lohan clear & his pace carried him & with a typical Lohan trademark strike, he made it 5-2 with 50mins played in the 2nd half. It was a remarkable result and with every player playing like 2men it was hard to see the disparity in numbers in the 2nd half. Well done lads on a great team effort as we wish Josh Buckley well in his hip injury received. Match report: Martina Donnellan
Squad: Fionn Flattery, Donnacha Walsh, Shane Duffy, Diarmuid Ryan, Tiarnan Lohan, Conor van Oosterhout, Aironas Kantauskas, Jonah Donnellan, Fionn Campbell, Josh Buckley, Shane Quirke, Cathal Kennedy, David Walsh.