U15 Football Championship V Grenagh – 24/9

Shamrocks 6-15, Grenagh 5-8

 

This was the third time that Shamrocks and Grenagh have met this year at this age group (between hurling and football) and each and every game has been thrilling ,end to end stuff with high scores being registered on both sides. The 12 a side certainly lends itself to open attacking football and this was evident again in Shanbally on Saturday afternoon last. It was the quarter final of the East Region and the sides had been well matched earlier on in the season.

 

Grenagh played with the wind in the first half but Shamrocks opened the brighter with scores from Alex O’Sullivan and goals from Tom Murphy and an absolute beauty from Rory Horgan, who got on the end of a team move with a well timed burst through the centre and he buried the ball low to the net. Shamrocks were ahead 2-2 to 0-1 at this stage and looked good. Grenagh however gradually came back into the game and their nippy forwards proved a handful for the Shamrocks backs as the half wore on. They put together some fine moves themselves to go ahead at the break 2-5 to 2-4. Shamrocks had a lot of work to do in the second half as despite being only a point down having played with the wind, the lads knew that this wasnt exactly their best football of the year – a lot of ball was given away needlessly in the first half.

 

Shamrocks scored a point fom play from Alex O’Sullivan straight from the throw in but Grenagh broke forward and scored a goal up the hill to go a goal up. But the Shamrocks players never panicked at this stage – they gradually wore down Grenagh around the middle and the switch of Aonghus Boland from left to right wing forward certainly helped matters. He kicked 3 points from play in the last 20 minutes and was involved in all that was good from a Shamrocks point of view. Alex O’Sullivan scored the equalising goal from a great move again and allied to his excellent free taking Shamrocks were 5 points up. Again, Rory Horgan burst through the middle and rattled the net, before Grenagh struck for another goal at the other end. It was score a minute stuff at this stage with Shamrocks holding the determined Grenagh at bay. Sub David Andrews finished off another move to put Shamrocks ahead by 8 before Grenagh threw everything at the Shamrocks back and notched up another 1-2 to close the gap to 4. However, Shamrocks closed out the game with further scores from O’Sullivan and Boland put the icing on the cake.

 

It was a great team effort from all the lads, including the 5 subs who came on. Shamrocks now play Western Gaels on a date, time and venue yet to be announced, probably next weekend. Training this Monday evening at 6.30pm.

 

Panel – D. Raleigh, C. O’Grady, S. Kidney, S. Kelleher, B. Coffan, B. Crowley, R. Horgan, D. Scriven, A. O’Sullivan, A. Boland, A. O’ Grady, T. Murphy, C. Scriven, P. Murphy, D. Andrews, J. O’ Brien, N. Hayes, M. Hitchmough, J. O’Keeffe.

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