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The Final Girls U14 Trial took place yesterday at St Pat’s. The Coaches were delighted with the turnout and are looking forward to working with the Girls selected over the next number of months. The Selected Girls and their parents are invited to a Player & Parent Meeting next Sunday morning at 11am at St Pat’s Navan.
The NECSL U-12s played their first match at ETP level yesterday morning against a strong Cavan/Monaghan side in Cootehill. 23 players travelled to Cootehill to play for the NECSL, representing 9 different clubs. The game was played in three 25 minute periods to ensure that each member of the squad got a good chance to play. The long drive and the early start culminated in a slow start from the NECSL but, as the game went on, they started to dominate possession and were unlucky not to score, with Jake Murtagh coming close just before the break after good work by Sean Foley and Adam Donohoe. The first period ended 0-0, with a solid defensive display from the back four of Jamie Fagan, Cian McGlynn, Shane Campbell and David Rathborne.
Early in the 2nd period a penalty was conceded, but NECSL goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran was equal to the effort, and saved to maintain the 0-0 scoreline. Soon after the NECSL were able to capitalise on the momentum built up in the first period. During a period of sustained pressure, the ball fell to Cormac Rafferty at the edge of the area, and he volleyed straight into the top right hand corner giving the NECSL the lead. Cavan/Monaghan got stronger as the second period continued, eventually clawing back two goals, to take a 2-1 lead by the end of the second period.
Going into the final period, the NECSL were once again on top. Good work from Lewis McKeon down the right culminated in the ball being played inside to Adam Donohoe, who tee’d up Ben Gibney to lob the goalkeeper from 20 yards, bringing the score back to 2-2. As the 3rd period continued the game began to become more scrappy, and Cavan/Monaghan began to dominate, eventually adding 3 more goals to their tally to seal a win for the home team.
The coaches and players were delighted to get the first game of the season complete, and look forward to getting more matches played in the New Year.
NECSL 14’s headed to Drogheda for another well needed run out today for this year’s Kennedy Cup Squad, again played over three 30 minute periods.
We started brightly maintaining good possession, with a new midfield three experiment of Luke Mahon, Sam McCabe and Kristian Crawford dominating the central areas and linking up well with the forward three.
Callum Clarke showed his versatility this week by playing on the right of the forward three causing them all sorts of problems. Chances came and went with the best efforts falling to Sam McCabe and Aaron Cummins only to be denied by either good goalkeeping or last ditch defending. The lads came off after 30 minutes scratching their heads how they had not scored four goals.
The second game started much the same after making eight changes, maintaining good possession, again chances went by with the best falling to Seosamh Sheerin after a fantastic corner from Seanie Keoghan into the danger area with Seosamh falling short of making contact on which seemed a certain goal.
Going into the final third still the keepers had very little to do which is a testament to the team in front of them, especially with the new centre back partnership of Killian Clarke and Conor Hallinan which is improving every week.
Our first goal of this campaign came from a brilliant solo effort when Arron Cummins skipped by a couple of challenges coming in from the right and slipping it past the keeper into the corner of the net. Again more chances went begging and then the inevitable happening when you don’t take your chances, a mistake at the back leading to a late equalizer.
Well done lads, we must keep developing every week. Next up is Longford, next week away kicking off at 11, hopefully we will have all players available.