Plenty of action to catch up on from the previous few days, everything from U7s up to Ladies. So let's get into it!
Thursday 18/05/23
Avenue 'B' v Bunratty U14s Boys
The 14s made their second trip to Roslevan already this season and came away with a 4-1 win to maintain their 100% start to the season. Goals from Sean, Ben, Ollie and Dylan sealed the win with an additional goal from Cian ruled out.
Bunratty Ladies 2 - 1 Murroe Ladies
The ladies dominated the first half but couldn't turn their chances into goals, with Emma Nolan and Amanda Madden flashing wide from inside the box and Sharon McGorrian hitting the bar from the right side of the box.
Murroe started the second half the better team and could've taken the lead within two minutes of the restart when a Murroe player took advantage of slack marking from a through ball and attempted to round the keeper. Luckily goalie Shelly Goggin was equal to the task and managed to claw the ball away from the attackers feet. The same situation would occur again but this time Murroe's Marie Rainsford poked a precision finish into the far left corner, leaving the keeper with no chance on 48 minutes.
This would prove to be the wakeup call Bunratty needed as they proceeded to up the intensity and test the Murroe defence again. Fortunately the equaliser wouldn't be long in coming as Amanda Madden was released with a through ball to slot home after 50 minutes.
As the match progressed Murroe would proceed to get more joy in the middle of the park but the Bunratty backline would hold them largely at bay. The winning goal would eventually come in the 80th minute when an inswinging cross from the left by Sabrina McCarthy was attacked by a combination of Leah Kelly and Sharon McGorrian. For now Sabrina has been credited with the goal but we will have to wait until the Dubious Goals Panel have a look at this one!
Murroe would have a chance to equalise in the last minute when a long range freekick was parried into danger by Shelly Goggin, and an unmarked Murroe player would proceed to volley over the bar from al of 5 yards.
Friday 19/05/23
Bunratty U14s Girls v Connolly Celtic
The 14s girls put in a monumental performance against Connolly with a helping hand from U10 player Sofia Moroney and U11 player Leah O'Grady.
The girls asserted themselves on the game from the beginning and would take the lead on 15 minutes with a strike from Cara Power, she would also be the architect of another when she pressured a Connolly defender into turning the ball into their own net.
The girls would continue to show a clinical edge in front of goal. A dangerous corner from Meia Carroll could only be turned in to their own net by the Connolly defence. Meia wasn't finished there though, she would have a hand in another one, by playing an exceptional throughball to send Sophie Doherty through on goal. Abbie O'Gorman also got in on the action with a superb strike from the right side of the box. Ailish O'Gady would proceed to score the goal of the night with a screamer from outside the box.
Coole FC v Bunratty U12 Girls
The 12s girls made the trip to Gort to play a strong Coole side. Unfortunately the girls started off slowly and Coole took advantage with a couple of quick goals. Just before half time some great team pressing allowed Bunratty to turn the ball over deep in the Coole defence and provide Annie Purcell the chance to find the net.
The girls upped the intensity in the second half, a second goal would come when Kara Quinn pressing a Coole goal kick allowed Caoilinn Earley to fire home. A battling defensive display from Lucy Twomey, Ailbhe Halpin, Grace McNamara and Lacey Scullion held Coole at bay, but the girls couldn't claw back the result despite a mammoth second half performance.
Saturday 20/05/23
Bunratty U15s Boys v Avenue 'B'
15s got off to a flying start v Avenue 'B', after 10 minutes great interplay between Dylan Routley and John Hannon on the edge of the box released Colin Cavanagh breaking from deep, who slotted calmly past the keeper. Avenue equalised after 18 minutes when they broke 4-v-3 on the Bunratty defence. Cian Brennan had a goal ruled out for offside and Dylan Routley let Avenue off the hook with a mishit shot from 6 yards out. Bunratty eventually retook the lead when a cross from Anthony Tighe on the left was met by Dara Walsh powering across his fullback and turned the ball into the far bottom corner with his knee. Half time 2-1.
Second half continued in the same vein with Bunratty constantly getting space down the wide channels but struggling to get clear chances in the centre. A cushion was established on 45 minutes when a sliced cross by Aidan Jones from 30 yards out looped over the Avenue keeper. Bunratty took their foot off the gas allowing Avenue to start applying some of their own pressure, but a formidable back line of Aidan Jones, Ricardo Guevara, Jack McNamara and Anthony Tighe kept the Avenue attack from getting into dangerous areas. Bunratty would wrap up the scoring in the last minute when Cian Brennan made a nuisance of himself in the box allowing Dara Walsh to pass a dropping ball into the bottom corner for his second.
Bunratty U7s & U8s Girls Blitz
The first U7s & U8s blitz of the season was hosted by Bridge Utd. The Bunratty girls played 4 games against Bridge Utd and Newmarket Celtic, putting in a monstrous effort through out the day and scoring a pile of goals, which gave them a lot of chances to practice their cartwheels!
