| U13 Footballers - February 5 2011 |
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| Written by Ger Kirwan |
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The U13 footballers commenced their 2011 campaign with a trip to a wet and windy Farnham Park to take on Erin’s Isle in the first round of the division 3 grading league on Saturday February 5th.
The game started at a whirlwind pace and with the first attack of the game Tom Keane scored an excellent goal to give Olaf’s a dream start. This was quickly followed by a point by the team’s top scorer from last year, Glenn Soraghan. Isles were clearly rocked by the start that Olaf’s made but they got back in the game with a goal which they followed up 2 points to put them back in the lead. On the next Olaf’s attack, Cian DeBurca knocked down a lovely ball to Jack Dalton who finished the ball to the net to put Olaf’s back in front. Cian DeBurca kicked a lovely point a few minutes later to extend Olaf’s lead. It was hell for leather until the break with both sides showing lots of determination. Isles scored another 1-2 and just before half time the ever dependable Eoin Foley scored an excellent point to leave Olaf’s 1 point in arrears on a score line of Erin’s Isle 2-4 Naomh Olaf 2-3.
Olaf’s started the second half as they started the first half and scored a goal with their first attack. This time though it Eoin Foley who scored an exceptional goal following a lovely passing movement that involved Tom Keane, Conor Brady and Fiachra O’Sullivan. This goal was quickly followed by a goal from half time substitute Matthew O’Ceallaigh. Isles kept in touch by scoring 3 unanswered points. Conor Brady got on the score sheet with a goal and then Eoin Foley scored another goal to bring his tally for the day to 2-1. Olaf’s were coasting at this stage and were 8 points in front with 12 minutes to go and it looked like victory was theirs.
Unfortunately Erin’s Isle had a different idea and dominated the game from there on in. There were camped in the Olaf’s half and were attacking incessantly. There was some heroic defending by Olaf’s but some basic mistakes like hopping the ball on a wet surface and picking up the ball off the ground cost them dearly when Isles scored 3-2 without reply. In the end Isles won on a score line of 5-9 to 6-3.
The conditions certainly didn’t help but in the end, fitness and basic errors cost Olaf’s dearly. The team realised that they threw away a glorious opportunity to start the league on a win and are aware of the work that needs to be done if they are to compete a high level.
The panel on the day was: Ben Thornton, Dara Coleman, Conor Kirwan, Tom McGurk, Alex Start, Eoin Foley (2-1), Rory Gallagher, Sean MacDaid, Jamie Deasy, Glenn Soraghan (0-1), Tom Keane (1-0), Fiachra O’Sullivan, Conor Brady (1-0), Cian DeBurca (0-1), Jack Dalton (1-0), Matthew O’Ceallaigh (1-0), Cian Power Kelly, Joseph Raferty, David Breathnach, Adam O’Callaghan, Andrew Hayes and Tristin Kennedy.
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