This U13 top of the table clash lived up to expectation with another feast of goals in a cracker in Kinvara this morning. Colemanstown started bright, full of confidence after early chances from Cathal Hynes & Paddy Flynn. The attacking intent was evident early on with Colemanstown confident in possession, stitched together neat moves and starved the hosts of the ball for the first half of the game. Paddy Flynn had another chance midway through the half when he got on the end of a through ball from Dylan Murphy but the ball was smothered as he was about to shoot. Cian Burke’s long delivery on 19mins found Dylan Murphy who rounded his man and let fly but the keeper’s diving save kept the ball out. In the ensuing play, Dylan Murphy had another effort but the keeper spread himself well to make another fine stop.
At this stage, Conor Walsh, Diarmuid Ryan, Shane Kenny & David Walsh were rarely troubled but when called upon, they stuck well to their defensive duties. Midfielders, Jonah Donnellan, Cathal Kennedy, Cathal Hynes & Cian Burke were solid in the middle of the park; they did their job with minimal fuss and regularly won the ball to break up any threatened Kinvara attacks. The breakthrough was made on 28mins as Conor Walsh’s clearance from defence to Paddy Flynn found Dylan Murphy who won the first corner of the game which was whipped in by Davy Walsh, defended by Kinvara but only as far as Davy who sent in an inch perfect delivery met by the towering Cathal Kennedy whose header found the net for his first goal of the season. It was a just reward for a bright opening half. 1-0 half time.
The 2nd half was only 2mins old when Fionn Flattery was called upon to make a big save. 5mins later Dylan Murphy was fouled and as Jonah Donnellan stood over the ball, the gait of him suggested he’d ‘have a go’ and so he did as his powerful effort found the net although the keeper did get a hand to it. Josh Buckley made a telling impact on his introduction as he immediately got into the thick of things. On 9mins Kinvara pulled a goal back as a free kick from about 20yards was parried by Fionn and with a Kinvara striker lurking in the box, he finished from close range. Fionn had to stretch well to keep out another free kick from Kinvara but the lead was extended again on 17mins as a lovely through ball from Josh Buckley found Paddy Flynn who beat two defenders and rounded the advancing keeper to tap into an empty net. Kinvara pulled back another goal on 21mins after a good run through the centre, sprayed the ball out to their unmarked striker who spotted Fionn Flattery off his line and he chipped the Colemanstown keeper from the edge of the 18’ box to make it 3-2 and set up a nervy last 9mins.
There was still to be late drama with two more goals. The management duo of Jason Finn & Gareth Lally had emptied the bench apart from the injured Ross Lally. Marco & Sean Connolly had introduced themselves to the game, getting into the thick of play. One minute into stoppage time young Josh Buckley announced his presence on the U13 team as he got on the end of a pass from Sean Connolly, held his composure well and squeezed his one-on-one effort past the keeper. Kinvara’s never-say-die attitude came to the fore again when they responded immediately as a delivery from the right fell to 2 strikers, one of which got a boot to the ball to scramble it under the body of Fionn well into stoppage time. The whistle came at the right time which heard the Colemanstown faithful roaring their approval with a 4-3 win. It was hard earned and sees these boys lie joint top with Kinvara & Salthill but with a game in hand. Well done lads.
Squad: Fionn Flattery, Conor Walsh, Diarmuid Ryan, Shane Kenny, David Walsh, Jonah Donnellan, Cathal Kennedy, Cathal Hynes, Cian Burke, Paddy Flynn, Dylan Murphy, Josh Buckley, Sean Connolly, Marco, Ross Lally (injured).