Cambridge Go Cherry Picking!
By Derek Buckley
The game was
started with a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for Noel Mantle
who recently passed away. He was heavily involved in the club and will be
sorely missed by players, managers and committee members.Cambridge under 11s premier are coached by Billy Colton and Shels player Alan Murphy and managed by Andy Nolan and Michael Kilroy. After a bad start the week before when beaten by Crumlin Utd things had to get better and better they did get.However, it was not to be easy for Cambridge, as their opposition were the well-respected, Cherry Orchard.
From kick-off there was only one outcome, and that was victory for the home side. They were first to everything and even though they looked physically smaller than their opposition, they played with a lot of passion!
Both wingers, Dean Kelly and Paul Healy could have had one goal each as early as in the first 5 minutes but praise for Cherry’s goalkeeper, although he conceded 4 goals he still had a terrific game. Minutes later both Jason Doyle and Daniel Power had efforts saved.
The deadlock was broken on the 18th minute mark by Jason Doyle with his top corner cracker, 1:0. The 23rd minute, Cambridge went 2:0 through fast legs, Dean Kelly. Although Cherry Orchard did have one or two half chances they were denied by replacement keeper Michael Kilroy who stood in for injured, Jordan Barnes.
At half-time off went Daniel Power and on came Steven Caulfield. After 40 minutes Cambridge made it 3:0 with a 20-yard volley from Sean Kavanagh. Minutes later Dean Kelly made it 4:0 as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
For the last 15 minutes Cambridge, well in control, brought on David Kiernan
and Andrew Doyle as Kelly and Doyle made way for them.Every player was outstanding. Ryan Tiernan and Craig Nangle were tower blocks in defence alongside Ross Kemple and Gary Mullen.
Man of the match went to Dean Kelly. I’m sure you all heard the saying ‘Like Father, like son!’ Well in this case it was ‘Like son will be better than father!’
Markievicz Celtic V Sandyhill F.C. 3:1
Marks Advance through Dunne Screamer
Markievicz hosting Sandyhill F.C. in the second round of the F.A.I. junior cup having already beaten their opponents 2:0. Cup matches should be different but that was not the case for Sandyhill who were simply woeful and to be honest Markievicz weren’t far behind them as Manager Joe Coleman stated “we played bad and got a result!”
On the brighter side of things, Coleman has worked wonders with Marks. Last year they were relegated to Premier B and nowadays they sit proudly on top of the table after seven matches with six wins and one draw.
It was a bright start for the hosts and the few early chances they had were squandered, they were in control and it was strange to see the visitors playing so deep, the likes of Alan Murphy and previous under 21s Shamrock Rovers player, Joe O’Connor having so much space in defence.
Marks best chance came in the 25th minute when O’Connor brushed aside four Sandyhill players with a run from his own half to feed the ball onto the path of Carl O’Brien and from the edge of the box his effort wasn’t quite as good as it should have been.
As Marks took their foot off the pedal this below-average Sandyhill side took a surprise lead from a half-cleared header from Willie Bell to gift No.8 an early Christmas present 0:1 where goalkeeper and captain Brian Whelan could do nothing. Chances galore fell to Marks through Lynch, O’Brien and Dunne but Sandyhill’s goalkeeper kept denying them.
The second half Marks were up against a stiff breeze and there was a simple solution, keep it on the deck, which they did but they had a problem in getting the ball past the last man and then on the hour mark Sandyhill’s defender, feeling probably sorry for Marks, gave them a dig-out and slots the ball in his own net, 1:1.
Marks second
came minutes later from a Mark Teeling throw-in onto the boot of Tony Dunne
and the rest was a carbon copy of the famous Ronnie Whelan goal scored in
Lansdowne Road many years ago, 2:1.The game ended as a contest with 15 minutes left as Philip Crowe tapped in an O’Brien cross 3:1. Markievicz did make good, but I still rate them alongside Liffeys as the best team in the area, and wish them all the best for the season.
Finally the Committee would like to thank Clanna Gael for the use of their facilities and also Nicols Funeral Home, their main sponsor.
Star Man: Joe O’ Connor.
Attendance: 42.
From the top: Cambridge Boys Under 11s. Middle: Captain Kilroy, Referee Mr. Martin and Man of the Match Dean Kelly. Below: Markievicz gets a half-time lashing by Manager Joe Coleman.