Desire and Skill beats Arms and Legs

Saturday 18^th February

vs. Marina Sands Lions 3-2

Team: Ciarán B; Tom, Joe, Lewis, Matty; Danny, Josh, Caleb (capt.), Adam; Elliot, Ciarán S. Sub: Cormac.

Maybe they are better playing only every six weeks – this was a thoroughly deserved victory which leaves them well placed in the first section of the Spring Cup.

The Lions may have begun quickly but the boys got just the start they wanted with a goal in the 3^rd minute. A deep kick out from Ciarán B was cleared to touch and a quickly taken throw gave Adam time to cross and for Elliot to slip it under the keeper.

An altercation between Tom and one of the Lions in the 6^th minute was telling – it brought the best out of Tom and his opponent got barely a sniff for the rest of the match. The free kick was eventually cleared for a corner that was solidly defended and they were soon back on the attack as Adam’s shot was deflected to Ciarán S, whose attempt was pushed wide.

The boys were coming off second best in too many of the midfield challenges but the Lions did not capitalise and the defence was keeping it tight. When they did win the ball in midfield, Caleb and Josh were making telling passes behind the right back for Ciarán S to force a string of saves from the Lions keeper. A wicked 21^st minute corner from Caleb was too hot for him, though, and he could only help it into the net to double the boys lead at half time.

This was a rugged encounter - Josh had been floored just before half time and the referee had words with another two players just after the interval but indecision on the left of the defence allowed the Lions to pull one back in the 31^st minute, despite Ciarán B’s valiant effort to push it wide.

Did they think that would dent the boys’ confidence? Restoring the two goal cushion in the 34^th minute proved that wrong as they struggled to clear Josh’s great corner from the right and the ball fell to Elliot to stroke it into the net.

The Lions now had what was left of the wind and were playing in their usual direct fashion, relying on the pace of their forwards. Ciarán B was to prove a resolute obstacle, staying on his feet and making a string of blocks and saves to hold the Lions at bay.

It wasn’t one-way traffic, though, and a sparkling run by Ciarán S down the right wing stretched the Lions defence but three-on-one onto another ball over the top was too much even for Lewis’s pace and the Lions narrowed the lead in the 41^st minute as the rebound off Ciarán B was fired home.

The Lions thought they could smell blood but the defence stood firm, dealing ably with a series of corners as Tom, Matty, Joe and Lewis withstood the pressure. Behind them was Ciarán B, to pull off a fine save in the 49^th minute after Tom was pushed in the back and a great one-handed block at the near post a minute later.

With the tension rising, the boys finally realised that the best form of defence is to attack and were unlucky not to extend the lead in the final minutes. Matty and Josh, with some neat footwork, combined down the left to set Adam away to force a corner from which the ball fell to Cormac, on for Elliot for the last five minutes, and from his touch back Caleb grazed the outside of the upright.

The Lions had one final corner but the chance came at the other end as a quick break by Ciarán S set up Danny only for his shot to be parried and, off balance, the rebound go wide of the empty net. Late shots from Caleb and Ciarán S brought good saves from the keeper to prevent a fourth goal before the final whistle.

This was a great team performance, with the boys all playing for each other, and a victory for the team who played the better football and wanted the win more than their opponents. A great riposte to the heavy league defeat from the “noisy neighbours” was to beat them in the Cup – this all sounds a bit familiar…

Each and every one of the boys had a good game, so much so that the Man of the Match vote was split between most of the team. Elliot’s brace was worthy of special mention but Tom took the prize for recovering his composure to play a solid game against any of the speedy forwards he faced at right back.