It was a very successful weekend on the playing pitches for the U13 footballers with team 1 securing their first win in division 2 and team 2 winning their second game in a row in division 8.

Team 1 took on St. Monica’s in Pairc Ui Bhriain with both teams looking for their first win in the league.  Olaf’s were quick off the mark and after 10 minutes were 5 points up thanks to 2 points from Eoin Foley and a point each from Glenn Soraghan, Joseph Rafferty and Tom Keane.  Monica’s replied with a point but Olaf’s replied with points from Eoin Foley, Glenn Soraghan and 2 points from Tom Keane.  Monica’s kicked 2 unanswered points to keep them in the game.  On the next Monica’s attack, Jack Dalton made a marvellous save which started a period of dominance for Olaf’s.  Jack’s save was cleared by Conor Kirwan who gave the ball to Rory Gallagher.  Rory gave a quick ball to Sean McDaid who in turn found Joseph Rafferty.  Joseph easily beat his marker and slotted the ball to the corner of the net to give Olaf’s some breathing space.  Joseph won the next kick out and slotted over a point to put Olaf’s further in front.  This point was quickly followed by points from Glenn Soraghan and Tom Keane.  Just before the break Monica’s scored another point to leave the half time score at Olaf’s 1-12 St. Monica’s 0-4.

 
Olaf’s started the second half like they started the first by playing some lovely open flowing football.  Eoin Foley scored a point from a 45 and this was quickly followed by another point from Joseph Rafferty to extend the lead.  A few minutes later Monica’s got another point to bring their score to 5 points.  Olaf’s hit a few wayward shots and from the next Monica’s kick-out Joseph Rafferty won the ball and scored a magnificent goal. This was followed by points from Eoin Foley and Glenn Soraghan.  Monica’s replied with 2 more points. The last few minutes of the game saw Olaf’s laying siege on the Monica’s goal. The pressure paid off with a goal from Tom Keane and 2 points from Eoin Foley.  The referee blew for full time and Olaf’s secured their long awaited first win in the league on a final score line of Olaf’s 3-18 St. Monica’s 0-7.

As stared earlier, great credit must go to goalkeeper Jack Dalton who had an incredible game.  This is the first game this year (in both grading league and league) that the team haven’t conceded a goal. The backs of Matthew Deering, Conor Kirwan, Tom McGurk, Fiachra O’Sullivan, Eoin Foley and Rory Gallagher. The mid-field pairing of Tom Keane and Sean McDaid were always in control.  The half forward line of Glenn Soraghan, Joseph Rafferty and Jamie Deiseach had the better of their markers for the game and the full forward line of Matthew O’Ceallaigh, Cian DeBurca and Alex Start played extremely well.  Substitute Dara Coleman made a big impact in the forward line when introduced. The team won’t have things as easy on Tuesday next (May 10th) when they travel to Kiltipper Road to play table topers Thomas Davis.  Davis have played 4 and won 4 games so far.

The panel on Saturday was Jack Dalton, Matthew Deering, Conor Kirwan, Tom McGurk, Fiachra O’Sullivan, Eoin Foley (0-6), Rory Gallagher, Sean McDaid, Tom Keane (1-4), Glenn Soraghan (0-5), Joseph Rafferty (2-3), Jamie Deiseach, Matthew O’Ceallaigh, Cian DeBurca, Alex Start and Darragh Coleman.

Following a comprehensive win in their last game, team 2 had a round trip of 110 kilometres when they had to travel to Balbriggan to play O’Dwyers in their third game of the league.  Like Olaf’s, O’Dwyers were on 2 points but they had played an extra game.  In the games they lost, O’Dwyers lost to table toppers Good Counsel and second placed Whitehall Colmcille so the team knew they had a battle on their hands.  Olaf’s started well and team captain Cian Power-Kelly scored a marvellous point. This was quickly followed by an opportunistic goal from Fiachra McLoughlin.  O’Dwyers started to take control and would have scored more than the 3 points they got were it not for excellent saves from Ben Thornton and heroic defending from Andrew Hayes. Ryan Murphy, Cian McDaid, David Breathnach and James Keogh all plugged away.  Fiachra McLoughlin scored 2 more points for Olaf’s before the break but O’Dwyers replied with 2 points of their own to leave just 1 point between the teams at half time on a score of Olaf’s 1-3 O’Dwyers 0-5. 

Man for man, O’Dwyers were physically bigger than Olaf’s but Olaf’s were the better footballers and in the second half Olaf’s put some lovely movements together which resulted in 2 goals from Jordan O’Connor and points from Fiachra McLoughlin and Adam O’Callaghan.  O’Dwyers scored 1-4 to keep them in the game and with 5 minutes to go just 2 points separated the teams.  Olaf’s dug in deep and again Andrew Hayes cut out a lot of O’Dwyers attacks.  With just a minute to go, James Keogh broke up the field and played the ball into the full-forward line. Neill O’Mahony, Rory Geoghegan and Adam O’Callaghan contested the ball with their O’Dwyers defenders but full-forward Eric Stapleton used his strength and speed to fist the ball to the next to put the game out of reach of O’Dwyers and secure a well-deserved win for Olaf’s.  The final score was Olaf’s 4-5 O’Dwyers 1-9. Next up for this team is a tough assignment against Fingallians in Pairc Ui Bhriain on Tuesday May 10th.

The panel on Saturday was: Ben Thornton, Ryan Murphy, Andrew Hayes, Cian McDaid, Gavin Soraghan, David Breathnach, James Keogh, Tristin Kennedy, Cian Power-Kelly (0-1), Jordan O’Connor (2-0), Adam O’Callaghan (0-1), Rory Geoghegan, Neill O’Mahony, Eric Stapleton (1-0) and Fiachra McLoughlin (1-3)