Davidstown tops in goal-fest
Scores galore as fine St. James’ effort comes up short
DAVIDSTOWN-C’CUDDY ST. JAMES’ 7-8 6-6
A GOAL-FEST in St. Patrick’s Park recently eventually ended with Davidstown-Courtnacuddy outlasting St. James’ to take the Gorey Guardian Under 15 football Roinn 2 shield.
In reality, this type of contest was no surprise at all. When the sides met in the group stages they combined for a total of 15-15, with the Ramsgrange boys winning out on that occasion.
This time the majority of the damage was done in the first-half. In fact, Davidstown-Courtnacuddy scored five of their seven goals in the first 14 minutes.
Even at that, St. James’ were happy to spar for a while and were just three points behind with ten minutes left in the first-half.
It was a brand of football that certainly made for attractive viewing for the small crowd of supporters in Enniscorthy.
There was no consideration to sitting in and defending, as both sides went after the win and deserve credit for their relentless effort.
Joe Doyle got the first goal of the game, but Aidan Shannon quickly responded in kind.
Craig Andrews was forced off with a nasty shoulder injury in the eighth minute, but not before he had shown the quality his side would be missing with a lovely goal.
Shannon responded again, but a brace of goals from Irish under-age soccer international Seán Fitzpatrick and a Dylan Sharkey major made it 5-0 to 2-3 as the first quarter came to an end.
Josh Delaney netted from the penalty spot and Paul Walsh pointed to close the deficit to two, but Davidstown-Courtnacuddy finished the first-half on the front foot with points from Tom Quigley and Sharkey, plus a quick 1-1 by Brian Smith, to make it 6-3 to 3-4 at half-time.
For much of the second-half the contest did slow down. Davidstown-Courtnacuddy had added four points, and St. James’ just two, as the game moved into the final five minutes.
However, Ciarán McPhillips and Walsh netted to make it interesting again.
Then, sprung into action, Seán Fitzpatrick linked up with Lucas Fitzpatrick to complete his hat-trick, meaning a late Josh Delaney goal was just academic as Davidstown-Courtnacuddy took the Roinn 1 shield in style.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy: Gavin O’Connor; Conor Hassey, Jack O’Regan, Seán Nicholson; Ryan Whelan, Daniel Murphy, Josh Doyle; Tom Quigley (capt., 0-1), Seán Fitzpatrick (3-2, 0-2 frees); Joe Doyle (1-1), Craig Andrews (1-0), Brian Smith (1-1); Callum Murphy (0-1), Dylan Sharkey (1-1), Shane Fehily. Subs. - Lucas Fitzpatrick for Andrews, inj. (8), Fionn Andrews (0-1) for Fehily (31), Connel Kelly for Hassey (55), also Alan Creane, Evan Williamson, John O’Donoghue, Eoin Croke, Páraic Doyle, Bill Quigley.
St. James’: Joseph O’Brien; Eoin Murphy,
Ciarán McPhillips (1-0), Dan Nolan; Eoin Shannon, Cosmo Hewlett, Caoláin Costello; Jayden Cheevers (0-4 frees), Jamie Foley; Aidan Shannon (capt., 2-0), Myles Hewlett, Josh Delaney (2-0, 1 pen); Joe McPhillips (0-1), Paul Walsh (1-1), Bobby Nolan. Subs. -
Sam Foley for Costello (40), Finn O’Connor for Nolan (40), Nolan for O’Brien, inj. (46), Danny Costello for A. Shannon (56), Aaron McPhillips for E. Shannon (56), also Jack Nolan.
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).