It was a busy Saturday on the Colemanstown Pitches as both U14 boys teams returned to League action.
Colemanstown U14A v Corrib Rangers
The first game got underway at 12.30 with the U14A squad taking on Corrib Rangers. With a small squad the Colemanstown boys were looking to play strategically and get maximum return. They were after goals and they came in abundance. The Colemanstown lads were pressing from the start and had a few shots wide of the post in the opening 15 minutes. Corrib were also looking for goals and got up the pitch towards the Colemanstown box several times. However the defence team of Joshua Buckley, Jamie Burke, Padraic Kelly and Ronan Screene were rock solid throughout the entire match. The work rate of the back line was immense. The couple of times Corrib managed to get shots off Joshua McDonnell was well up to the challenge in goals making a couple of lovely saves. Darren Moran got his first of the day from a super long shot outside the box into the top corner. In midfield Adam Doyle, Daniel Lydon, Matthew Keane and Cathal Keane worked consistently supporting the defence while pressing hard on the away teams back line. Darren’s second goal came not long after his first with a similar long range shot to make it 2-0 at the break.
The second half started with Colemanstown pilling on the pressure. Adam Doyle took up the goalkeepers position and Joshua McDonnell moved into midfield. Colemanstown ramped up the shots on goal in the second half and were soon rewarded with superb goals from Daniel Lydon, Matthew Keane and Cathal Keane. Colemanstown put the game away with a well taken penalty from Darren Moran to score his hat trick and a free kick from well outside the box taken by Padraic Kelly which glided the ball into the top corner of the goal leaving the keeper no chance, much to the delight of his team mates. Superb efforts by everyone on the team who gave it everything on the pitch, sealing a comprehensive win at the start of the season and keeping a clean sheet in the process.
Team: Joshua McDonnell, Ronan Screene, Padraic Kelly, Jamie Burke, Joshua Buckley, Matthew Keane, Cathal Keane, Daniel Lydon, Adam Doyle, Darren Moran. Managers: Orla McCaffrey & Declan Greaney
Match report by Orla McCaffrey
Colemanstown U14B v Salthill Devon C
The second match got underway in Colemanstown at 2.30. Again squad numbers were tight in this evenly matched game that could have gone either way. Both teams were determined to score from the start and there was plenty of scoring along the way. Both keepers were busy from the off with shots reigning in. Dylan King was more than up to the task in the nets making many super saves throughout the match. The back line of Tiernan Malone, Ella Carroll, Tadhg Bardell and Lucy Roberts were solid putting in a fine display of tackles and passes throughout both halves. The visitors got the opening couple of goals as the game flowed quickly from one end of the pitch to the other. Colemanstown responded well when they found themselves 3-0 down and started a comeback, with goals from Francis Weldon and Tadhg Harte to bring it back to 3-3.
From there on the game flowed at a ferocious rate. It was end to end stuff, if you took your eyes off it for a minute you would miss a goal. Midfield pack of Tadhg Harte, Niamh Kennedy, Sean Keating and Libby Kennedy covered every inch of the pitch, getting stuck in up front as well as getting back to defend. Francis Weldon and Aaron Lindsay Bane piled the pressure up front against a strong Salthill defence. The game moved to 5-3 to the visitors, Colemanstown pulled it back to 5-5, with goals from Tadhg Harte and Aaron Lindsay Bane. 6-5 then to the visitors and another goal from Francis Weldon bringing it to 6-6. Shots were reigning in on both goals, again with Dylan King on form in the nets to produce a string of saves. In the last few minutes Salthill pulled away with a couple of late goals to gain the 3 points. Colemastown continued to pile on the pressure and press hard but the visitors came away with the win. It was a very tight contest with fine performances all over the pitch from the Colemanstown side.
Team: Dylan King, Tiernan Malone, Ella Carroll, Tadhg Bardell, Lucy Kennedy, Tadhg Hart, Niamh Kennedy, Sean Keating, Aaron Lindsay Bane, Libby Kennedy, Francis Weldon
Managers: Orla McCaffrey, Declan Greaney, Damien Mannion
Match report by Orla McCaffrey