U14Boys Div2. Ballinasloe 3 – 2 Colemanstown. Our u14 boys kicked off their new season with a 3-2 loss away to Ballinasloe on Saturday. With most of the boys playing an U13 football final earlier in the day, they gave a good account of themselves on a beautiful warm sunny day. With barely 19 mins gone they found themselves 2 down. But credit due to the lads they settled into the match and with two goals in quick succession; the first from Finian Walsh and the second from Dermot Parker, they dragged themselves back into the game & were level at half time.
The 2nd half was end to end with both sides pushing for a winner alas it came to Ballinasloe as our boys were fairly fatigued & their tired bodies ran out of steam! The boys can take great comfort in the fact that they gave themselves a tough job going two behind to level and a draw possibly would have been a more fair result. Match report by Alan Walsh.
Squad Aidan Quinn, Gearoid Griffin, Oisin Nugent, Liam O Connor, Daragh Blake, David Barrett, Jack Barrett, Finian Walsh, Owen Hillary, Dermot Parker, Daniel Ruane, Sean Forde, Kealan Murray, Mikey Nutley, Tim Ruane, Iarlaith Griffin, Thomas Kennedy.
U16 Boys Div1 – COLEMANSTOWN Boys Under-16 team faced a challenging first match of the season at home against East Galway Utd in an upgrade league (first division) fixture, resulting in a 0-5 defeat. Despite the scoreline, the team showed determination and resilience throughout the game and some really good plays.
The match started with high energy from both sides. The rivals quickly took control, scoring their first goal within the first 5 minutes. Colemansrown put together some interesting plays but also struggled to find their rhythm and conceded two more goals before halftime, making it 0-3.
The second half saw the Boys making some personnel changes, bringing on some new faces, but the rivals continued to assert their play. Two more goals were added to the rivals’ tally, sealing the match at 0-5. Despite the score, the Boys never gave up, continued to fight, and created some good chances until the final whistle, tired legs and minds in the end, also played their part. More work to do on the training ground, the boys should take great encouragement from their first outing in a higher division. At times they played really good footbal while the opposing coach also had some great words for the Colemanstown boys after the final whistle. Training for the group resumes midweek. Match report by Luca Lualdi
Colemanstown Junior Team 0 – 4 Corrib Celtic. Championship. Although fielding with some notable absentees, there’s a bit of work for new manager Andy McKelvey to do to get to the upper echelon of the Championship. Colemanstown found it hard to complete the final killer pass & finding the net was the only thing that kept them off the scoresheet at home this morning!. Colemanstown found themselves 1-0 down after 13mins & 2-0 on the half hour mark with Tom Broderick creating the best chance of the 1st half, only to be denied by some super goalkeeping. 2-0 at the break. The resumption saw Jason Finn introduced to centre back & Callum McKelvey up front which helped steady the ship as Colemanstown created more meaningful chances. However, we conceded a penalty 20mins into the half which the Annaghdown side duly converted to create an uphill battle. Geordan Kenny drew a great save from a free kick while Thady Moran also went close from a set piece. Corrib Celtic turned the screw in the last kick of the game to finish emphatic winners 4-0. Sean & Kerrill Hardiman meant business all through & Aronas dictated Colemanstown’s play from the outset. Colemanstown played well in patches, created chances, passed the ball effectively, but couldn’t complete the job. Match report: Martina Donnellan
Squad: Alan Junior Finn, Dean Connaire, Sean Hardiman, Jack Kennedy, Dylan Grady, Kerrill Hardiman, Aironas Kantauskas, Kevin Barrett, Jack Dillon, Geordan Kenny, Tom Broderick, Jason Finn, Callum McKelvey, Thady Moran.
U18 Championship: Colemanstown 3 – 3 Tuam Celtic. This league opener got off to the brightest start for Colemanstown after a sublime pass from Cathal Kennedy down the right wing to Aronas Kantauskas whose cross into the box found the watchful Shane Quirke whose deft touch only 2mins in was akin to Mo Salah’s finish today against Utd. It was a lovely worked move & Quirke’s finish was equal. 10mins later Quirke again got on the ball but this time drove the ball over the crossbar & out to Pitch 2. A quick Tuam kick out was intercepted by Aronas and his top corner finish was just sublime & made even sweeter given that he played over 90mins of football with the A team just beforehand. Colemanstown applied great pressure in the early stages but Tuam soon settled into the game as Fionn Flattery made his first save on 10mins. Shane Quirke had another pop at goal, this time over the crossbar after a nice delivery from Sean Connolly on the left wing. Quirke who got on plenty of ball all day, had another shot at goal after a quick turn in the box but the Tuam custodian was equal to the task. Midway through the half, Tuam pulled 1 back through a poorly defended corner which was finished low & hard past Fionn in goal. Tuam had the ball in the net again soon after but the ref awarded a free out instead. On the half hour mark Fionn Flattery advanced to the edge of his box to drown out a Tuam effort but the loose ball fell to a Tuam striker but fortunately David Walsh was well positioned to head off the goal line to leave Colemanstown 2-1 in the driving seat at the break.
The 2nd half saw Nathan Mannion & Conor van Oosterhout introduced. The half was only 5mins old when Colemanstown got their third. A beautiful delivery from David Walsh’s long range free was fumbled by the keeper & Conor van was on hand to apply the finish to make it 3-1. A lovely floated delivery from Josh Buckley into the box but Conor van was unable to get the nod on it to direct it towards goal. 18mins into the 2nd half Matthew Keane & Aronas combined well only for Aronas to see his thumping effort saved, while straight down the other end an unfortunate defensive error saw Tuam slip in for their 2nd following an OG. Midway through the half Jamie Nutley & Ronan Screene were introduced for the tiring Cathal Kennedy & Aronas’ fatigued body just couldn’t offer any more, having played over 2 ½ hours of football. Jonah Donnellan then hit the woodwork with a cracker from distance; it would have been a beauty had it found the net. Then came the equaliser from Tuam 29mins into the half when a dubious penalty was awarded for a handball & Tuam dispatched the penalty well past Fionn Flattery in goal. The last quarter hour saw both teams battle for the winner as David Walsh headed off the goal line again & Jamie Nutley had a run through on goal but was adjudged to be offside. The game petered out in the closing stages as neither side could find the elusive winner. A share of the spoils on the opening weekend of league action with a 3-3 finish, not bad for new manager Mick Flattery. We wish Nathan Mannion well in an ankle injury sustained during the game. Match report: Martina Donnellan.
Squad: Fionn Flattery, Josh Buckley, Diarmuid Ryan, David Walsh, Sean Connolly, Cathal Kennedy, Jonah Donnellan, Donnacha Walsh, Shane Quirke, Aronas Kantauskas, Matthew Keane, Conor van Oosterhout, Nathan Mannion, Jamie Nutley, Ronan Screene.