Friday 26th May

Connolly Celtic v Bunratty U13s Boys

The 13s had to put in a massive effort away to Connolly in the heat and with a bare 11 available, including U12s Ben Carroll. Excellent work from Cian and Diarmuid in defence and Conor and Mark through the centre of the park formed a strong base for the lads.

Connolly took the lead after 10 minutes, but the lads foraged away creating several close range chances but the ball would not go into the net. An equaliser was eventually found in the last minute when goalie Ben Carroll sweeped up Connolly clearance, finding Conor just inside his own half. Getting the ball under control, Conor went on a slaloming run getting into the Connolly box and having his shot blocked by a defenders outstretched hand. Conor took the opportunity to bury the penalty to earn the draw.

Shannon Town v Bunratty U14s Girls

The 14s girls put in a industrious and spirited performance away to Shannon Town. Missing both regular centre backs, Meia Carroll and Lucy Lohan stepped up to the plate and put in impressive performances. Alongside fullbacks Cara Power and Alice Brown, and shielded by a midfield of Emma Jones and Ailish O'Grady, the girls kept Shannon Town to limited chances.

Shannon Town scored the solitary goal of the game when a point blank shot was saved well by Abbie O'Gorman but a few deflections would cause the ball to fall at the feet of an attacker for a tap in.

In the second half, a returning Diane Moloney in defence allowed the girls to commit more in attack and come close to an equaliser. Muireann Earley down the right and Meia Carroll would come closest. At the other end, Abbie O'Gorman pulled off an incredible save tipping a powerful shot over the bar.

Bunratty U15s Boys v Bridge Utd 'B'

15s had a flyer against Bridge B. Things got off to a fairly slow start with the Bridge having the better of the play, having the majority of possession and testing the back line early.

For the first quarter of the match we were relying on counterattacks to make in roads, and got two large slices of luck. After 15 minutes, a Jack Quinn shot from just inside the box was deemed to have been blocked by a hand. It was a soft enough call due to the distance the ball travelled but the defender did have his arm sticking out. Colin Cavanagh stepped up to fire the penalty into the bottom left corner, keeper guessed the right way but couldn’t get a hand to it.

A minute later, at a Bridge kickout, Jack Quinn robbed the ball off their right centre back at the right side of the 18. Charging at goal from a tight angle with the goalkeeper approaching, Jack squared for Colin to tap home into an empty net.

Bridge got back into gear and had the better of the ball again, causing us some trouble down the left wing. Some nice diagonal runs from their left winger eventually reaped rewards when a well timed run and through ball got their winger in behind the back line allowing him to finish strongly, Josh Moroney got a hand to the ball but not enough to turn the ball around the post.

After the water break, with a few changes and the lads feeling a bit dissatisfied with their overall game, they came out flying for the second quarter. A Bridge player could not move for a Bunratty player in their face. The pressure was much more intense, started higher up the pitch and the pass/move game picked up pace. There was still some joy to be had for the Bridge down the left and at the base of their midfield but they had to work so much harder for it.

This increased intensity translated itself into chances, with Jack Quinn heading off the bar from a corner and Jack Quinn, again, managing to round the keeper but not being able to get the shot away due to a recovering defender.

Goal of the night would come on the half hour, Jack McNamara picking the ball up in the right inside channel 10 yards in his own half hit a beautiful curling ball through and around the defence (Kevin De Bruyne would’ve been delighted with it), to find Dylan Routley sprinting inside the left back. Dylan controlled the bouncing ball with his forehead about 30 yards out and drove at goal, slotting home to make it 3-1.

Unfortunately, our new found intensity wasn’t without it’s problems as we have away a few dangerous fouls but a combination of Aidan Jones, Ricardo Guevara and Josh Moroney kept put everything on the line to clear any danger. Bridge would end up hitting the bar from a free and a couple of our midfielders would get talked to for persistent fouling, along with Colin Cavanagh going in the book.

The second half was less intense as the heat took its toll and the match go a little more scrappy. The Bridge had some dangerous moments on the counter but couldn’t convert to chances and the lads let the intensity drop a level.

The reintroduction of Dylan Routley at the second water break livened up the match, as he set about pressuring the entire Bridge back line himself. Playing on the left wing, he would get his reward as he dispossessed the Bridge’s far side centre back inside the box allowing him to tap home 1v1.

The lads kept going to the end and in the last minute, some great pressure on the centre backs from Callum Sutton forced a turnover in midfield, allowing Colin Cavanagh to slide a ball through for Diarmuid Crowe. Diarmuid held off his centre back well, carrying the ball well into the left channel of box and finished strongly into the near post.