Under-16s win on Royal visit

CHRISTMAS rust was in evidence at Castlemartin as Termonfeckin Celtic played their first game of 2020, but they came good to defeat their hosts Donacarney Celtic.

The Meath wide moved the ball well in the opening 15 minutes but couldn’t break down the defence of Aaron Sullivan, Cormac Brady, Andrew Smith, Paddy Keane and James Younger-Hobbs.

After that Termonfeckin began to gain control, passing the ball well and creating openings, with Oscar McKenna, James Finnegan and Sean O’Driscoll going close to scoring.

Christopher Myles forced the Termonfeckin keeper into two good saves, but on the half-hour mark the pressure paid off as O’Driscoll intercepted a clearance

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in midfield and sent the ball down the right to Cody McAuley. He beat the Donacarney full-back and whipped a cross to the back post where Adam Butler struck a cracking volley to the net.

After half-time Termonfeckin remained in the ascendancy, with keeper Caleum Dolan in full control of his box and Cian Crinion, Smith and Keane rock solid at the back. Further forward, Younger-Hobbs and O’Driscoll keeping the ball moving well from midfield.

Initially the visitors found in difficult to keep possession in the final third, but eventually they doubled their advantage. Mitchell Carroll and Eoghan Sawyers moved the ball up the right side before switching play to the left, where Rian Jordan found Butler. He pulled the ball back for Younger-Hobbs to bury a 20-yard strike past the Donacarney keeper.

Goal number three came from a corner kick when Keane blocked an attempted clearance and his deflected shot found the nimble feet of O’Driscoll who finished calmly to put the result beyond doubt.

TERMONFECKIN CELTIC: Caleum Dolan, Aaron Sullivan, Paddy Keane, Andrew Smith, Cian Crinion, James Younger-Hobbs, Cormac Brady, Luke Matthews, Oscar McKenna, Cody McAuley, Sean O’Driscoll, James Finnegan, Christopher Myles, Mitchell Carroll, Eoghan Sawyers, Rian Jordan, Adam Butler.