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» Match Report: NDSL – Under 9B1
» Match Report: NDSL – Under 12D
» Match Report: NDSL – Girls Under 16
» Match Report: SFAI U12 Norton Cup 2nd Round
Wednesday, 28.11.07
NDSL – Under 12 Cup
Portmarnock 2 – 4 Kinsealy Boys
Sunday 25th November 2007
Following a good win over St.Ita’s in the previous round Portmarnock welcomed league leaders Kinsealy on a sunny morning for the second round cup clash. The teams met earlier in the season with Kinsealy winning a tight game 3–2 in Malahide, so another close game was expected. Unfortunately late withdrawals due to illness meant a reshuffle with Luke Dowd volunteering to go in goal in place of Curtis Hayden who had to withdraw at short notice.
Kinsealy got off to a flying start with a hopeful shot looping over the home keepers head within the first five minutes. They followed up with a second goal following a short corner leaving Portmarnock two down with less than fifteen minutes gone.
Heads did not drop however and when a great cross from Paul Scully was turned into his own net by a Kinsealy defender Portmanock reached the break just one behind.
Good early pressure in the second half did not produce an equaliser and when Kinsealy added two more goals mid way through the second half the game looked over as a contest.
Terrific performances by Ciaran O’Reilly, Simon Prior and man of the match Andy Killeen made the visitors fight all the way to keep their advantage and when a great though ball from Andy Killeen put in Paul Scully for the second goal it looked as if a late comeback was on.
The visitors held on however despite pressure from the home side with the final ten minutes being played exclusively in the Kinsealy half and both their manager and the Referee agreeing that the final score of 4–2 was not a fair reflection of the game.
TopTuesday, 27.11.07
KickStart 1 Coaching Course
Calling All Managers…
Anybody interested in doing the Kickstart 1 Coaching Course… There is a course this Saturday in Baldoyle from 9am to 5pm cost €22.50 being run by the FAI… If interested contact Barry Flynn on 087 927 4003
TopMonday, 26.11.07
NDSL – Under 9B1
Balbriggan 1 – 2 Portmarnock
Saturday 24th November 2007
It was almost one of those games. Despite dominating the match from start to finish, it took a late strike by midfielder Danny Corcoran to bag the 3 points for Portmarnock.
A string of fine saves by the Balbriggan goalkeeper plus some poor finishing almost cost Portmarnock the win their play deserved. Portmarnock were never in trouble in this game, their passing and movement coupled with their determined tackling had Balbriggan on the back foot from the first minute.
The first clear chance of the game came in the 5th minute when a quick free kick by Joey Fagan found Alex Kavanagh unmarked in the box about 10 yards from the goal. He controlled the ball, turned and shot but saw his effort saved brilliantly by the Balbriggan goalkeeper. Danny Corcoran was next to be denied, his right foot effort from the edge of the box kept out at full stretch by the goalkeeper. Danny went close a few minutes later when chasing a through ball from Eoin Ingle, he lobbed the keeper only to see the ball float wide of the right hand post. Some good work by Curtis Daly–McGrath down the left wing led to another opportunity for Alex Kavanagh, but yet again, he was denied by the Balbriggan keeper.
Just when it looked like the half would end scoreless, a good move down the right involving Joey Lenihan and Joey Fagan led to the ball been played inside to Danny Corcoran. He hit a rising left foot shot from about 20 yards and though the Balbriggan keeper again got across to the shot, he could only succeed in touching the ball into the top left corner of the net.
Aidan Caffrey, our keeper in the first half hardly saw the ball as any Balbriggan attacks that got past our midfield, were comfortably cleaned up by the solid back pairing of Joey Lenihan and Eoin Ingle.
Alex Kavanagh moved into goal for the second half, with Aidan Caffrey taking over Alex’s midfield position. David Dunne also came in at the back for Joey Lenihan.
An early Balbriggan attack was well stopped by Eoin Ingle. However, from the resulting corner, the ball spun off a Portmarnock defenders’ leg, hit a Balbriggan attacker on the back of the head and could only be pushed into the net by Alex Kavanagh. After that the match returned to the pattern of the first half – Portmarnock attacked and attacked the Balbriggan goal.
Danny Corcoran did well down the right, beat two Balbriggan defenders in the box and pulled the ball back from the end line, only to see the outstretched leg of Robert Savage just fail to connect with the cross with an open goal at his mercy.
Joey Fagan delivered several excellent corners which caused panic in the Balbriggan defence. One of these corners led to an almighty scramble in the goal–mouth with Aidan Caffrey and Curtis Daly–McGrath both being denied by defenders legs before the goalkeeper managed to dive on the ball.
A quickly taken long throw from the right by Joey Fagan found Danny Corcoran on the edge of the box, but close attention by a Balbriggan back caused him to push his shot wide. Minutes later, another good move down the right saw Joey Fagan and Curtis Daly–McGrath combine to put Danny Corcoran through on goal, only to see his shot for the top right hand corner saved brilliantly by the keeper.
With Portmarnock pushing forward for the win, we were hit on the break and David Dunne and Joey Lenihan (back in for Eoin Ingle) did brilliantly to hold up a 4 on 2 situation to allow our midfielders to get back to avert the danger.
Then with less than two minutes remaining, Danny Corcoran picked up the ball in the centre circle just inside his own half. He set off on a run down the left half of the pitch, went by two Balbriggan defenders and drove a low shot from just inside the box into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Portmarnock comfortably held out for the remaining minute to register the win. This was probably our best footballing performance of the season. The team controlled the match from start to finish against a very good Balbriggan side. The team’s passing, movement, speed of play and general determination were great to watch. On another day, we could easily have scored 8 or 9.
It was also very nice at the end of the game to receive compliments from both the match referee and the Balbriggan manager on the performance of the team.
Team: Aidan Caffrey, Joey Lenihan, Eoin Ingle, Alex Kavanagh, Danny Corcoran, Joey Fagan, Robert Savage, Curtis Daly–McGrath, David Dunne.
TopWednesday, 14.11.07
NDSL – Under 12D
Castleknock Celtic 2 – 8 Portmarnock
Sunday 11th November 2007
Following draws in their last two games including one away to league leaders Glebe North, Portmarnock headed for Castleknock on a bright sunny morning hoping for three points.
One look at the pitch at Laurel Lodge left us in no doubt the accurate passing was going to be a problem due to the length of the grass. Great credit therefore to the team as the passing and movement throughout the game was excellent with chance after chance being created from the very first attack where Paul Scully had the ball in the net only to be ruled offside.
It was to be a recurring theme of the game with the home side defending on the halfway line and using the offside tactic to frustrate Portmarnock.
However two early goals from Sam Boland sent us on the way and two more from Paul Scully mid way through the first half ended the game as a contest although the home side pulled one back before half time. Further goals from Andy Killeen, Karl Murray and Darragh Scanlon in the second half made for a very one sided scoreline before the home side broke through for a second.
Mark Keogh wrapped up proceedings with goal number eight which proved beyond doubt that reliance on the offside trap as a tactic is effective up to a point but, when faced with a team that can pass the ball well and time runs correctly it is of limited use.
All in all it was a good performance and the result and keeps the team well in contention as the season progresses.
Narrowly losing three early games has now been followed by two wins and two draws and sets up an interesting second half of the season.
Stephen Peppard
Mark Beed
Eugene Keogh
Friday, 09.11.07
NDSL – Girls Under 16
Portmarnock Girls get off to a flyer
Portmarnock 4 – 0 St. Ita’s
Sunday 4th November 2007
Sunday 4 November was an historic day for girls soccer in Portmarnock. Playing together for the first time the girls from Portmarnock put in an incredible display. Goals from Miriam Twomey, Lisa Savage and 2 from Shauna Cummins put paid to a gallant St Ita’s team.
The match was played in a spirit which says a lot for girls soccer. A lesson could be learned from these girls with the respect and commitment shown to each other. It would be impossible to single out a player of the match because each and every girl on the Portmarnock side deserved the accolade.
The Portmarnock girls have been together for just about 3 weeks although you wouldn’t have noticed this by the manner in which they supported each other and passed the ball around.
It is early days yet but the future for girls soccer in Portmarnock is looking bright.
Well done to all involved!
Team:
Ashling Glover, Catherine Healy, Naomi Andreucetti, Kate Ryan, Jill Kearney, Miriam Twomey, Lucy Travers, Emer Tansey, Christine Gibson, Shauna Cummins, Lisa Savage,Sinead Redmond.
Missing due to injury: Katie Hanley (get well soon)
Missing due to holidays : Laura Murphy, Robyn Bruen, Danielle Bruen.
Wednesday, 07.11.07
SFAI U12 Norton Cup 2nd Round
Portmarnock 4 – 1 WFTA
Another fine performance from our Under 12’s on Saturday morning in Paddy’s Hill. Our under twelves had a tough draw in the second round of the National Irish Bank SFAI cup against an inform WFTA team who play in the Major league of the DDSL.
This was the team’s second major team to play against in this competition having already knocked out Naas. The third round draw also leaves the lads a hard game drawn against a much fancied St Kevin’s Boys also from the Major league.
Our squad was slightly depleted this weekend as a number of players were missing due to holidays and family commitments, however the remaining lads went on with the task in hand admirably.
The game started well for the team, and with the master goalkeeper Mark O’Connor and an excellent back four of Connor Sutton, Gareth Brant, Connor Grant and Ross King, WFTA had a huge task to get past them.
It took 17 minutes for us to break down the WFTA defence, a superb pass splitting the WFTA defence from central midfielder Philip Smith, letting David Stuart run on to the ball, with his close control he sent a cross in, and there to meet was Captain Dylan Murray to start what was to be his third hat–trick this season. On 25 minutes we went 2–0 up, this time Dylan’s strike partner David Stuart netted after a WFTA defensive error. WFTA kept themselves in the game however just on the stroke of half time.
Starting the second half with the slightest of margins 2–1, it took us 15 minutes from the start of the second half to give us a 2 goal cushion, once again Stuart and Murray combining to take the lead 3–1 and with only 3 minutes remaining the upfront duo of Stuart and Murray made it a 4–1 win.
The whole team played as a unit inclusive of our substitutes Aaron Mulvey and Dylan O’Neill both must be commended for being able to contribute so much when they entered the game. What was so pleasing about this performance was the pure determination of this squad to remain in the competition, and we look forward to the next round against St Kevin’s.
Well done one and all!
Darragh Smith, Kieron King, Ian Murray, and of course our supporters.
Dylan Murray scoring the second of his hat–trick.
Defending the lead.
