No Disgrace in Defeat

Saturday 25^th February

vs. TMS 0-4

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

The final game of the Spring Cup round-robin section was always going to be tough against the runaway Winter League winners and the grip TMS took of midfield proved decisive.

Caleb was bright in both boxes in the early stages, probing to find space in the TMS defence and tackling back in his own to relieve the pressure. Josh and Ciarán S linked well to force a corner but the speedy striker had a frustrating game as he saw little of the ball. Tom was not daunted on the right but the pressure was beginning to mount as the ball kept coming back.

 

A corner was awarded to TMS in the10th minute when it seemed that the forward had had the last touch. The boys dealt with the first ball but a shot back in left Ciarán B unsighted and the ball ran through him for TMS to take the lead.

Jacob replaced Josh – hindered by a back injury – after 12 minutes but TMS extended their lead two minutes later. A ball in from the left was allowed to come all the way across to the right winger. His first touch beat Adam and his left foot shot gave Ciarán B no chance.

The game was being played in the boys’ half as they struggled to win the ball in midfield and relieve the onslaught. Ciarán B pulled off a double save, with some help from his defenders in the 23^rd minute and a minute later he pushed a lobbed shot to safety and the corner was well defended.

The boys finished the half going forward as Elliot’s touch gave them a rare break into the TMS box but Adam was closed down quickly before he got the shot away.

Josh came back into the action for Danny after the break and they started brightly as Ciarán S and Elliot looked to create space against a well-organised TMS back four.

Caleb won a rare header in midfield after 35 minutes and the value of winning the midfield battles was all too apparent as it let the boys push the TMS defence back; their clearance fell to Caleb and his long range shot was just wide. Jacob’s shot from the goal kick forced a save from the keeper and he had another chance seconds later after Elliot’s pass beat the defence but his touch was just too strong.

TMS were soon finding space on their right and Ciarán B saved with his feet and was up again to take the long range return shot after 38 minutes. Elliot dropped back into defence as Joe went forward as the boys went in search of a goal. It nearly came from a Caleb fee kick which just ran away from Jacob but instead TMS extended their lead in the 43^rd minute, as indecision allowed the left winger plenty of space to run forward and lift the ball over the advancing Ciarán B.

In the 47^th minute, and despite a great clearance off the line from Elliot, TMS scored again as the centre back rose to put away the corner with a header well beyond Ciarán B.

                                                                                                

Joe worked hard to force a corner after 49 minutes, with Josh’s shot going straight to the keeper. That was the end of Josh’s second stint of action as he was replaced by Cormac for the final six minutes but the match finished with Elliot once again performing last ditch heroics to keep the ball out of the net.

There is no disgrace in losing to a side as good as TMS but a stronger midfield display and meaner streak might have made for a closer game. Caleb’s efforts in midfield, trying to get things moving when he had the ball, saw him voted Man of the Match. 

The result in the other match means that the boys will meet Active Soccer in the semi-finals, with matches due to be played some time in April.

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.