After the playing of both National Anthems and in front of a good crowd a travel weary Crescent began game 1. We were slow to get in to the game and the sticky pitch didn't suit our fluent passing game. After 10 minutes an incisive Crescent move gave Dara O Doherty an opportunity to open Crescent's account but a linesman's flag intervened. Bellarmine were proving very dangerous from set pieces and scored the first goal after 22 minutes when Fergal Blake was extremely unlucky to deflect a cross past Ross Tiernan and in to the crescent net. We then took the fight to Bellarmine and with the introduction of Evan O'Grady gained the upperhand along the left flank where Johnny Togher and Chris Hansom were very prominent. Despite the best efforts of our central midfield duo of Graeme and captain Andy McDonnell Bellarmine increased their lead when again the Crescent defence failed to clear their lines and Bellarmine scored a second scrappy goal to the delight of the home fans. At half time coach Mullins and Coach Mc Donnell changed tactics and made some drastic changes in personel and formation. Crescent were a different side and immediately set about attacking the Bellarmine goal and got their just rewards when Chris Hansom forced the ball over line despite the best efforts of 2 Bellarmine defenders and their goalkeeper. The game immediately picked up in tempo and the quality of play from both sides improved as a result. The remainder of the game was very tight with chances at both ends but Crescent  could not break down the Washington State champions defense. In a much improved second hand performance Crescent will take a lot of positives into the next match versus Olympia high. Stay tuned. 

 

 

 

 What an AWESOME day ! Liverpool beat Fulham, Munster hammer Leinster and Crescent do Limerick and Ireland proud.......

On a beautiful sunny day we travelled to the state capital of Washington, Olympia, to play our second game against Olympia High School. Set in the magnificent Ingersoll Stadium and on a turf grass surface we had tremendous support from the Bellarmine players who came to support us. The game started at a good pace and we were very quickly in to our stride with Brian Murphy and Chris Hansom very prominent in our early moves. Mr consistency, Graeme Mulcair was again in tremendous form and we slowly gained the upperhand and pressed forward in search of a goal. Olympia were a big physical team and played a long ball game but our defence of Robert Lohan, Fergal Blake, David Cowpar and Johnny Togher stood strong. Ross Tiernan in goals was outstanding and his safe-handling spread confidence throughout the team. At half time the teams were scoreless and 10 minutes into the second half we changed formation to three at the back and pushed forward. Less than 5 minutes later we took the lead when Chris Hansom, after a great move in midfield between Andy McDonnell and Brian Murphy, left Chris with time in front of goal and he picked his spot well to place his shot past the Olympia keeper. The sideline were estatic and the roar from the Bellarmine boys could be heard across Mount Ranier. We kept pushing forward and several more opportunies came our way before a piledriver from 30 yards from Stephen White was too hot to handle for the Olympia keeper and Dara O'Doherty scored from an acute angle to put us 2-0 up. Immediately after this Olympia had a good chance to reduce the deficit but our defence stood strong. However with 2 minutes left a lapse in concentration allowed Olympia a soft goal and for a brief moment we were under pressure. But our character and pride shone through and we held out for a well deserved victory and we departed Olympia in high spirits. Roll on Harbor FC for our 3rd game..........................

 

 

 

 From the euphoria of our victory in match 2, to the disappointment of a 4-3 defeat to the Harbor FC Premier team. Playing our third game in 3 days finally got to our boys and though we came back from being 2-0 down to draw level at 2-2 tiredness eventually got the better of us and we finished on the wrong side of a seven goal thriller. With great support again from the Bellarmine boys and in temperatures in the high seventies we were very slow once again in getting to the pace of the game. Harbor FC were without a doubt the best footballing side and what they lacked in size and physique they made up for in pace and football ability and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 7 minutes when some very poor marking from a corner left 2 players unmarked in our goal area and Ross Tiernan in goals had no chance. The pace of Harbor's front men was causing us all sorts of problems and when we again failed to clear an easy ball after 22 minutes they increased their lead to 2-0. We eventually woke up and started to move the ball around and were quicker to the ball thus giving us chances to reduce the deficit and this we did on 32 minutes when a shot from distance from Brian Murphy squirmed under the keeper's body to get it to 2-1. We pushed forward at every opportunity and when a good cross from Geoffrey Barron found Dara O'Doherty his header found the net to leave it 2-2 at half time.

Some of our guys were flat out and we had to utilise the full squad to maintain the pressure on Harbor but some more poor defending got us in to more trouble and we conceded 2 quick goals to put us 4-2 behind. We responded well and had several shots at goal from David Cowpar and Andy McDonell before Chris Hansom reduced the gap to 4-3. We kept trying to the end but unfortunately couldn't make headway against a well drilled Harpor FC team and so the score finised at 4-3.

We now have an almost 2 day rest before our return game with Bellarmine and hopefully our boys will recuperate in time as they seek revenge..........................

 

 A good crowd gathered at Memorial Field in anticipation of the return match v Bellarmine - and they weren't left disappointed. This was by far Crescent's best performance as to a man there was a 100% pride and commitment given. We were quickly in to our stride and put Bellarmine on the backfoot from the start and we developed a few half chances to score. Bellarmine weren't to be outdone but Ross Tiernan was very commanding in goals and the first half finished scoreless despite the best efforts of Jon Harrison, Brian Murphy, Andy McDonnell and Dara O Doherty. The second half was a real ding-dong affair with Bellarmine going close on a couple of occasions but equally so we had a couple of half decent chances ourselves through Chris Hansom. It looked like one goal was going to settle the game and we certainly were going all out for it and right up to the final whistle it was nail biting stuff. But 0-0 it finished and the performance of both teams had to be commended. The sportsmanship from both sides was applauded by the good crowd and there were many wellwishers present to round off our final game in Tacoma.

 

 

 

 Against a much-fancied Ramapo Valley side Crescent gave a superb performance as Fergal Blake and David Cowpar were simply outstanding in the middle of the back four. We were by far the better side in the first half but just could not put the ball in the net despite the best efforts of Shane O'Donnell and Geoffrey Barron who led the front line with great commitment and endeavour. Ramapo Valley were trying to play a long-ball game but Ross Tiernan, who was captain for the night, was very quickly off his line on several occassions to twart any danger. The first half finished scoreless but the Crescent team were brimming with confidence after their first half performance. The second half started with Crescent again on the front foot with the hard-running Declan Ryan and Jon Harison showing well. Andy McDonnell and Graeme Mulcair were working very hard in the middle of the field closing out their opponents and the two full backs, Robert Lohan and Johnny Togher were supporting them whenever they could. Ramapo Valley opened the scoring completely against the run of play when a defence splitting ball reached their centre forward and he finished well. Despite this set back Crescent upped the ante and they were well rewarded when Brian Murphy controlled a defensive clearance and rifled his shot to the back of the net to the joy of the Crescent support on the sideline. This was exactly what Crescent deserved and for a short period we pressed on in search of the lead goal, but, again against the run of play, we failed to deal with a long throw and their centre forward was left with a free header, however, Ross Tiernan pulled off a spectacular save to push the ball on to the crossbar but unfortunately the ball fell back to the centre forward and he had an easy task in scoring. But our boys responded magnificently and got their just rewards when a header from Dara O'Doherty was cleared from behind the goal line by a defender but the eagle-eyed Assistant Referee, Frank O'Neill (wearing his contacts for the occasion) rightly signalled that the ball was over the line and so the score was 2-2. Only minutes were left and these were played mainly in the Ramapo Valley's half of the pitch. It finished 2-2 and the Crescent boys can take great confidence from their performance and can look forward to meeting the Ramapo Valley u18s tomorrow night.