U14 B Championship
O’Connell’s/Stabannon 6-6, Glen Emmets 4-5
With three teams to a group we definitely were in the hardest group paired against Dreadnotts and Glen Emmett's with all of us finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the league. After a disappointing run in the championship last year with defeats to O'Raghallaighsand Glen Emmett's we certainly were looking to improve this year. The Glen Emmett's had already a game played in which they were heavily defeated by Dreadnotts, so this made this game all that more important with the winners guaranteed to come out of the group. With home advantage to Glen Emmett's it was always going to be a tough ask of our lads but we needed no motivation as our recent league semi-final defeat to them meant we were still hurting but we knew that if we played for the full 60 minutes that this game could be ours for the taking. It was a very cautious start by both teams but a couple of points by Sean Reynolds, Harry Butterly and Jamie Molloy helped to settle us and as the game progressed we grew in confidence. Our defence had to work really hard and were under severe pressure at times but we kept our shape and when a ball hit to the edge of their square looked to being going wide, somehow Johnny Mc Gee managed to rescue it and hammer it to the net. These was a huge lift for us and give us the drive to push even harder up on them and with Lee Molloy working really hard at midfield we punished them on their next few kick outs. A somewhat lucky goal for us came when Harry Butterly took a free outside the 21 yard line at it ended up in the top corner of the net. The Emmett's were certainly rattled and they did not look to be firing on all cylinders. Half time score O'Connell's/ Stabannon 3-3 to Glen Emmett's 0-1.
At half time it was hammered home that no game was ever won in the first half of any game and that the Emmett's would get there purple patch which we knew only too well from previous games. No goals was the cry and keep defensively tight. Glen Emmett's made some personal changes for the 2ndhalf and it seem to revitalise them with the first score being a well worked goal. They continued their dominance with three unanswered points before we finally we hit the net ourselves with a well taken goal by Jack Dunne, but they replied quickly with 2 goals of their own and although there was some luck involved with one of the goals it left for a nervous last 10 mins. We hit a setback when our centre half was sent off with two yellow cards and we did lose our shape and concentration and when they hit our net again there was a thought that this was going to end terribly for us but up stepped Jamie Molloy with a well taken goal and this help to seal a very deserved victory.
Up next is the Dreadnotts on Saturday 3rdSeptember in the Grove and all the support would be greatly appreciated. Well done Lads. Full time score was O'Connell's/ Stabannon 6-6 to Glen Emmett's 4-5.
Team:Robert Mc Carthy; Eoin Clerkin, John Reilly, Killian Wall; Danille Clinton, Anton Mc Areavey, Ryan Halpenny; Lee Molloy, Brendain Sadlier; Sean Reynolds 1-1, Jamie Molloy 1-3, Jack Dunne 1-0; Harry Butterly 1-2, Tadgh Carroll, Johnny Mc Gee 2-0. Subs used Calium Woods for T. Carroll, Darragh Mc Donnell for J. Dunne and Tadgh Kearney for J. Mc Gee.