Glenmuir edge cracking contest
GLENMUIR ATHLETIC SHAMROCKS 2 1
THIS was a cracking all action under-12 encounter bubbling with endeavour with the play flowing from end to end and produced a surfeit of goalmouth drama. Glenmuir just prevailed which was tough luck on the visitors who perhaps enjoyed more of the attacking play and created the larger proportion of the scoring chances.
However, crucially they didn’t gain the rub of the green, epitomised by Ciaran McCormack who twice struck the winners crossbar from point blank range with the outstanding Glenmuir goalkeeper Jakub Matcyzl helpless for a change.
He was the single biggest stumbling block to Shamrock earning at least a draw that they had every right to feel they deserved.
In the first instance when the ball reboundeded back into play off the crossbar Shamrocks will feel that justice was served. The home side struggled to clear the ball when McCormick flicked a cross past the Glenmuir goalkeeper from a matter of a few yards, and it broke for Sean Brown to ram it home.
The goal three minutes into the second half, cancelled out the lead given to Glenmuir after five minutes by matchwinner Sulliman who scored both their goals.
Teammate Jack McLaughlin broke a tackle on the edge of the box to advance into the penalty area for goalkeeper Aaron McCourt to make an excellent improvised re-action save with his feet. The ball fell to Sulliman on the edge of the box and he shot low inside the post despite a valiant attempt by the goalkeeper to keep it out of the net, managing at full stretch to get his hands to it.
Playing down hill and with the wind Glenmuir had the better of play, but Shamrocks had their share of scoring of opportunities, with the unlucky Ciaran McCormick coming closest to scoring. He broke free of the home defence but Glenmuir top performer Matcyzl thwarted him, using his legs to save his shot.
Sean Brown sent a powerful shot whizzing across the Glenmuir goal as he spelled out the threat he posed throughout the second-half, which yielded his side’s equaliser.
Shamrocks had the upperhand but failed to press it home, and Glenmuir relieved the pressure to regain the lead five minutes later.
Suliman collected the ball outside the Shamrocks penalty box and turned inside and struck a sweet drive low inside the far bottom post.
McCormick struck the home crossbar for the second time shortly after and was denied by the bravery of the Glenmuir goalkeeper as he dived at the forward’s feet to deal with a cross as the left side of his defence was ripped up on the first of a number of occasions.
However, Glenmuir retaliated strongly, regaining the initiative and had three gilt edge chances to clinch victory , once when three of their players were left unmarked close to goal at the far post and Joseph Reel shot straight at the Shamrocks goalkeeper.
The outcome remained in the melting pot right to the final whistle, and in the dying seconds an equaliser looked inevitable when Brown pushed the ball past the home goalkeeper. It was collected by McCormick, but from a tight angle he shot into the side netting.
GLENMUIR: Jakub Matcyzl, Rhys Halpin, Cody, Oliver Reel, Suliman, Ben Duffy, Jack McLaughlin, Joseph Reel, Demilade Banjo, Denis Dymtryshen, Ferdia Hynes, Dane Kieran.
SHAMROCKS: Aaron McCourt, Sean Brown, Sean Griffin,Oiskin Gaskin, Mark O’Donovan, Joshua McGuinness, Mark O’Donohue, Tommy Brown, Tommy Quinn, Shay Lawlor, Oisin Carron, Ciaran McCormick, Conor O’Shaughnessy, Ronan Bradley, Frankie O’Hare, Cillian O’Shaughnessy, Cormac Drumm.