Embedded Files
Post date: Oct 2, 2016 7:34:12 PM
Our under 13’s took on our near neighbours, Ballykelly, in the League semi-final at a very foggy More O’Ferrall Park on Sunday morning. At the end of a hard hour’s football it was the Kildangan lads who emerged from the mist with the smile of victory.
Kildangan had the perfect start with a Joey Walsh goal after just two minutes following a winding run by Cian Murtagh.
The visitors were quick to reply when Daragh Byrne kicked the first of his five pointed frees before Jack Curran blasted a goal to put Ballykelly ahead.
A Cian Murtagh free levelled the game before the visitors again went one ahead.
The next fifteen minutes was a ding-dong stalemate as both teams seemed to be able to put the ball everywhere except between the posts. Many of the misses were down to pressure by both sets of defenders and Kildangan’s Colm Coughlan, Thomas Browne and Caleb Schofield were in the thick of the action in this period.
Luke McKenna was denied, not one, but two goals when the referee called for ‘square ball’ frees which baffled all in attendance. A Ballykelly free then sneaked into the top corner of the net to deal Kildangan a heavy blow, however Cian Reilly pulled a point back as the half time whistle sounded.
The sun began to peer through the mist and light the way to the Ballykelly goal as Kildangan opened the second half with 1.1 in the opening minutes from Mark O’Donovan.
A couple of Daragh Byrne frees kept Ballykelly in the game but Mark struck for his second goal to put Kildangan a point up as we reached the mid-point of the half.
A John Kelly free stretched the lead to two but Byrne nailed another free for Ballykelly to leave just a point in it with ten minutes left.
From this point on our lads took control and scored 3.1 in the dying minutes.
Mark O’Donovan completed his hat trick before John Kelly goaled. Full forward Rory McGrath knocked over a fine point before Cian Murtagh added a sixth Kildangan goal as the final whistle sounded with the scoreboard (if we had one) reading 6.5 to 2.6 in favour of Kildangan.
With our lads in the final next weekend, we await the result of the other semi-final which is to be played on Tuesday night.
This was a superb contest with both teams really giving their best and playing some great football along the way. In the end, Kildangan showed some great spirit in the closing minutes and pulled off a deserved win. Well done to both teams on a very entertaining game and also to team mentors Mel O Dowd and Liam O'Donovan
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse