Seventh Heaven!

Saturday 19^th March

vs. Ursuline 7-1

Team: Ciarán B; Elliot, Josh, Stephen (capt.), Matty; Danny, Jacob, Caleb, Adam; Ciarán S, Seamus. Sub: Cormac.

Another four goal haul for Seamus, a brace for Adam and a Josh free kick saw Ursuline easily beaten as the boys showed no mercy. 

They were at their opponents from the kick off, with Seamus straight in to force them back. Adam soon found space on the left and the keeper could only push the ball as far as Caleb, whose shot deflected for a corner.

Matty, Elliot and Danny were going forward down the flanks but, although they were camped in the Ursuline half, they were struggling to bring the ball down and hurt their opponents. It was Caleb, first with a shot from the edge of the box that the keeper could only palm out and then feeding Adam for a shot narrowly wide, who would make the difference.

The boys almost took the lead in the 9^th minute as Jacob and Adam took advantage of a poor goal kick, with Jacob’s shot just over the top. Ursuline pushed out and relieved the pressure in their defence but, after Ciarán S and Danny had linked well on the right, it was a ball over the top from Danny that produced the first goal as Seamus slid it home.

A minute later the same pair worked well to double the lead as Danny’s ball fed Seamus on the right of the box and his shot went in through the keeper’s hands. 

The boys were threatening to run riot as a free kick from Adam, after Danny was wrestled to the ground, was only pushed out to Seamus, whose snap shot hit the bar. Caleb then showed off some thrilling footwork that left the crowd gobsmacked, at first too good for his team mates and then to set Seamus in who missed the easiest of his chances so far.

The third goal was inevitable and it finally came in the 21^st minute as Adam shot high into the top corner after more good work on the right from Danny and Ciarán S. Their opponents were desperate for the half time whistle by now and after a great turn and shot from Seamus had gone just wide and Caleb had set Adam free again for a shot sliced wide, the boys got the fourth goal their dominance of the half deserved on the 26^th minute. A goal-bound free kick from Josh was deflected in off the defender’s head to leave Ursuline with a mountain to climb in the second half.

The boys’ control in the first half was so complete than Ciarán B had not kicked the ball once but Ursuline started the second half brighter. It was the boys, however, who created the first clear cut chance in the 3^rd minute. On the break from a corner, Ciarán S and Seamus linked well and it was Ciarán S’s shot that was just over the bar from out on the left.

Ursuline were hanging on now and in the 7^th minute, after a wicked Caleb corner, they were unable to clear the ball as it bounced around the area and Stephen’s shot was cleared off the line. From the resulting corner, Caleb shot high.

Jacob and Caleb then linked well in the 10^th minute and Adam’s shot was saved but it was sloppy defending two minutes later that allowed Ursuline to pull one back, with Ciarán B having little chance.

The goal finally woke the boys up after half time and, after Danny shot wide, the boys restored their four goal lead. Another free kick from Josh, this time for handball, was directed just under the bar and the keeper could only push it onto Seamus’ head for the striker to complete another hat-trick.

With a comfortable lead, Ian was able to change the team around, allowing the defenders a chance further up field. Elliot was up front now and, working with Adam for the restart, they forced a corner. The boys scored their second goal in as many minutes as Caleb laid the corner back to Adam to fire home his second.

Danny came off with seven minutes left to give Cormac his debut, and Adam and Matty swapped places on the left. Within a minute, a cracking ball from Matty set Seamus up for his fourth and the boys’ seventh.

Although they turned off towards the end, allowing Ciarán S to show some good defensive skills and giving Ursuline a late corner, they were good value for the big win. Still a little guilty of a scrappy start, they got into their stride but the early second half goal should remind them that preventing their opponents from scoring at one end is just as important as banging them in at the other. Seamus again was full of skill and determination for his four goals but, for driving the team forward from midfield and showing, at times, some amazing footwork, the Man of the Match award was given to the eternal smiler, Caleb.