Match Report – Game 9 – Saturday 20th November

vs. TMS 2-6

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Stephen (capt.); Jacob, Caleb, Adam; Seamus. Subs: Elliot, Matty.

The boys held their own against table-topping TMS in the first half but their opponents showed their class in the second.

Although the first half started with Ciarán making a couple of comfortable saves and Stephen clearing with a solid header, the boys were soon busy at the other end of the pitch. Adam was again creating chances from the left, putting Seamus in on the TMS defence.

With Josh also keeping things tight at the back, the boys were setting a challenge for the league leaders. Adam figured again after 10 minutes, forcing a corner with good work down the left which needed a solid defensive header from their opponents. A minute later, though, they took the lead after some tricky play by Jacob on the right created an opening for Adam who had drifted into the middle and his deflected shot sailed in.

The boys had quietly got on with the job and were well worth the lead but went to sleep from the kick off as the midfield parted like the Red Sea and Ciarán was rather harshly judged to have brought down the onrushing forward as he came out. The penalty kick was belted into the top right hand corner to bring the scores level.

Rather than let their heads drop, the boys went back up the other end and forced TMS onto the back foot. A goal kick from TMS was returned with interest by Stephen and Seamus’ harrying forced another corner. Jacob was also keeping the defence busy and, after more good work on the left from Adam, he saw a touch roll narrowly wide on the 17 minute mark.

The boys restored their lead after 19 minutes with a goal of which they can be rightly proud. The ball arrived with Jacob after some crisp passing and his first time ball left Seamus all alone to expertly flip the ball over the stranded keeper.

The response from TMS was immediate and reflected on the quality of the boys play in the first half as they were forced to bring on some of the more renowned players. The substitutions bought immediate reward as the boys fell foul of this season’s Achilles Heel. Another poorly defended corner saw the ball arrived to an unmarked TMS player beyond the back post and his equalising header flew into the opposite corner of the net.

Caleb and Jacob still had time to work an opening on the right and another long clearance from Stephen again almost created a chance for Seamus as the boys ended the half on the attack.

Matty had come on for Adam just before half time and Elliot replaced Jacob as the second half began. He was quickly into the action, on the end of move from Josh and Seamus, to win a corner.

TMS were now beginning to come forward with more authority but Stephen proved their measure. The high flying leaders nearly went behind for a third time as Elliot’s ball into the centre was met by Seamus whose goal bound shot was hacked off the line.

Matty had dropped back to defence and showed his increasing confidence with a timely interception and Caleb made good use of his touch out. Stephen was on the end of a TMS corner after 6 minutes but poor marking from another corner yet again saw TMS take the lead for the first time two minutes later.

TMS were now finding a lot of space down the right and it took a full length diving save from Ciarán halfway through the half to keep them at bay. Adam was back, at Josh’s expense, as Caleb’s ball set Seamus free. The top scorer got on the end of the corner only to see the ball go wide of the right hand post.

That proved to be Caleb’s last touch as Jacob came back on to try and force an equaliser but the space on the right was exploited yet again as the TMS blonde starlet cut in to hit an unstoppable shot past Ciarán.

Just pull the string and watch me score!

Elliot had put together some good moves with Seamus in the second half and, after an Elliot shot went wide, the pair worked a neat 1-2 only for Seamus, who had hustled the TMS defence all match, to shoot narrowly wide.

With the boys tiring and still looking to get back into the game, TMS scored a fifth goal which was almost a carbon copy of the fourth. The never say die attitude of the TMS No. 8 – probably the best player the boys have faced this season – was rewarded with a hat trick as another two sweetly struck shots, with either foot, left Ciarán groping for air and gave the final score a slightly flattering appearance.

The first half performance deserved better reward and it is to the boys’ credit that their opponents were forced to finish the game with their strongest team to ensure victory. TMS were nearly thwarted by SAS – Stephen’s stalwart defending being narrowly beaten to the Man of the Match award by Seamus for his fine leading of the line throughout the game and his cool touch for the second goal.

News from the treatment room

Joe is likely to be out until the New Year wtih what the Under 10s Head of Sport Science R.Ithertz described as "certainly looking like a significant arm injury."
Unlike a local counterpart, manager Ian felt compelled to comment. "I'm very disappointed. We thought we had an agreement with the playground monitor that Joe would only spend 5 minutes on the astroturf, with our big match against TMS this weekend. It seems he was out there for a bit longer than we hoped."
Everybody wishes you a speedy recovery from what sounds like a nasty break, Joe, and we all hope to see you back firing in free kicks and corners as soon you are fit and well. Bet you can still beat your Dad on COD with one good arm, though!

Match Report – Game 8 – Saturday 13th November

vs. Marina Sands Tigers 6-0

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Matty; Stephen (capt.), Caleb, Adam; Jacob. Subs: Elliot, Joe, Seamus..

After a first half when it seemed as if lady luck was continuing to desert them, the boys turned on the style in the second half and ran out comfortable winners.

The match started scrappily as they struggled to combat their opponents’ rugged, clumsy approach. Josh banged in a long range shot in the 2^nd minute that was pushed around the post and Adam, who had just seen an excellent cross beat defence and attack, saw the same thing happen to his shot two minutes later. From the resulting corner, the ball came to Stephen whose shot was pushed onto the crossbar. As the Tigers tried to break out, Jacob took a knock to his knee and had to be replaced by Seamus.

Stephen was continuing to enjoy his midfield role but nobody took advantage of his tempting ball in as Adam’s shot was wide. In the 9^th minute, finally, the boys took the lead after good work from Adam, Caleb and Stephen left Seamus with an easy tap-in after the keeper could only parry the shot.

At the midway point of the first half Joe replaced Matty, with Stephen dropping back. The boys were then guilty of taking their foot off the gas, with Josh and Stephen having too much to do in defence. It wasn’t until the 19^th minute that Adam found enough space to create a chance from Seamus that they had the Tigers back on the rack.

In the 22^nd minute, the boys should have been awarded a penalty after Seamus appeared to be rugby tackled by the keeper as he followed in a shot from Josh. The loose ball then fell to Joe but he had time only to steer it onto the post. A minute later, Stephen was sandwiched between two forwards and, with no whistle from the referee again, Ciarán had to pull off a good double save to keep the Tigers out.

Elliot then had to replace Stephen and the boys closed out the half on the attack as a good corner from Joe gave Caleb a chance, who also saw a long range shot force a save from the busy Tigers’ keeper.

After a few stern words, the boys started the second half in a much more positive fashion with a free kick from Joe after only thirty seconds being headed clear. Caleb was continuing to work hard in midfield and he set up Seamus who couldn’t take advantage. The lead was finally doubled after only 3 minutes as another testing cross from Joe was mishandled by the keeper and Seamus was again in the right place at the right time.

Adam, as last week, was keeping the right back busy, as he set up Seamus. The pair linked well to force a corner, from which Seamus saw another chance go just wide.

Ciaran’s only second half contribution was to show off this season’s much improved catching skills and after 7 minutes the defence in front of him was refreshed as Matty replaced Josh.

Jacob replaced Caleb on the 9 minute mark soon after Adam had again set up Seamus but the dynamo forward completed his hat-trick a minute later with a tasty touch from a corner, forced after his harrying of an indecisive keeper.

The Tigers' defence had no answer to Seamus’ speed and movement, as he showed in the 15^th minute, rolling off the big defender to set up Joe for the fourth goal. He was there again a few minutes later, working the defence as a long range shot from Jacob was pushed out.

His work done for the morning, and the victory safe, Seamus gave way to Caleb for the final six minutes and he was immediately into the action, seeing his shot pushed away. Josh had replaced Adam just after the fourth goal and he created the fifth as his corner was headed in at the back post by Jacob.

Every outfield player had scored this season – bar one. Caleb saw a neat turn and shot on the edge of the box deflected wide and then set Joe up on the right and continued into the box to get onto the end of the ball as it came free, only to see the shot hit the post.  Finally he broke his duck with a minute to go as a corner from Joe caused mayhem in the penalty area, the backward defensive header coming back off the bar for Caleb to prod home.

Do you know anything about those wellies, Caleb?

The boys had benefited from a much better second half performance, full of movement, and finished the game on the attack as shots from Matty and Jacob kept the Tigers pinned back. The six goal difference between the two sides was the least that they deserved.

A second hat-trick of the season from Seamus and a solid second half display from Matty, doing the simple things well in defence and always available as an option going forward, were highlights but the Man of the Match award went to Caleb, continuing a good run of form in midfield and finally scoring a goal after coming close in recent weeks.

Well played, boys. Good form to carry into next week’s match against TMS…

Match Report – Game 7 – Saturday 6th November

vs. Ursuline 0-0

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Matty; Stephen (capt.), Caleb, Adam; Jacob. Subs: Elliot, Joe, Seamus.

How the boys did not win this one-sided encounter will remain a mystery for many a day. Only bad luck and a heroic performance from the Ursuline keeper prevented them from notching up a third win of the season.

From the start, Ursuline were on the back foot, with an early free kick and a cross from Stephen pushing them back. A rare Ursuline corner was headed safely away and soon after Stephen found some more space on the right after good work from Adam and Jacob.

The boys were awarded a penalty for handball in the 6^th minute but Adam’s spot-kick bounced back off the crossbar and Caleb’s shot from the rebound went just wide. Adam nearly made amends a few minutes later, after a defensive mistake, but his shot went over.

Adam was terrorising the Ursuline defence on the left, getting past the full back and feeding balls into the middle. A long range shot from Josh was parried away and the keeper made another good save from a shot Matty did well to keep down. From the resulting corner, Jacob connected well but his header went just wide. He then went even closer with his head from yet another cross from Adam.

Ursuline rarely got out of the own half in the first period, with Caleb picking up well in midfield and Josh and Matty mopping up behind. Caleb was getting forward and his 15^th minute shot was pushed around the post by the keeper. From Adam’s corner, Jacob couldn’t quite reach the corner but he was unlucky a minute later as a loose ball bounced away from him and into the safety of the keeper’s hands.

Adam was more than just the provider and a 17^th minute shot hit the side netting. Stephen was enjoying his chance in midfield, putting in Jacob but the chance went begging. Ciarán had his chance on the 20^th minute to prove his concentration, coming out of his box to clear, and the boys finished the half on the attack as Josh belted a long range shot against the crossbar and Adam sent in Caleb, only for the shot to roll narrowly wide. Somehow the match was goalless at half time.

Joe, Seamus and Elliot replaced Matty, Jacob and Caleb for the second half, with Stephen dropping back into defence and Josh pushing forward. Adam continued to turn the defenders inside out on the left, setting up Seamus but his touch ran across the goal. Adam then saw a long range shot pushed out by the keeper, after good work from Joe, and Seamus then set Adam up but the shot went wide.

Ursuline gave their defence a break and caused a few problems but Josh and Stephen managed to hold them at bay. They were not comfortable on the attack though, unwilling to push too many players forward for a corner. As the boys went back on the attack, Joe saw a shot deflected wide and Seamus’ trickery created some space on the right. In the 13^th minute, Seamus set up Adam only for the keeper to make another good save.

From a 16^th minute free kick for handball, Joe kept his thumping shot low but the keeper was equal to it. A golden chance went begging a minute later as Adam’s ball in fell to Seamus whose shot was saved and Joe couldn’t steer the rebound past the stranded keeper.

Ursuline sensed they could snatch something from the game in the last five minutes but Elliot and Stephen were alert and Ciarán made a comfortable save at his feet. After another shot, this time from Josh, had been cleared and the boys could not make good use of Adam’s corner, changes were made for the final few minutes as Jacob and Caleb came back on, replacing Adam and Stephen.

9am kick off - bed head!

There was still time for Josh to send in Seamus who linked well with Joe but the Ursuline defence stood firm and in the last minute they came close to a totally undeserved winner only for Ciarán to turn the ball away for a corner and for Joe to get a firm header clear to ensure a first clean sheet of the season.

The Ursuline manager commented afterwards that the boys had put in the best footballing performance against his side this season, which they can be rightly proud of, but they need to just master the art of turning chances into goals and avoid breaking any mirrors and walking under ladders this week.

Man of the Match: having turned the defence inside out so often some of the defenders needed to untwist their legs and creating a regular supply of chances, Adam put in his best performance of the season and takes the award this week.