Stars of the future shine in cracker
SHAMROCKS GLENMUIR UNITED 6 3
THIS was a crackerjack of a match that could earn the accolade of game of the season. It had all the ingredients not least of which was that Shamrocks pulled off something of an upset in this under 12 top of the table clash in the premier division.
It was a richly deserved victory that puts them level in third place with Glenmuir, with the firepower of Fionn Dines, combined with the artistry of Catha Corcoran and also starring displays by Jack O’Shaughnessy and Farouq Ibrahim overwhelming the visitors in the first-half at Fatima on Wednesday night.
They went on to build a 4-1 lead at the break, but Glenmuir manfully stuck at their task and more than held their own in the second-half when Tony McDonnell scored the Goal of the Game from near half way, crowning some truly magnificent finishing in the match featuring breathtaking shooting..
Shamrocks took the game to Glenmuir from the start and for the first ten minutes barely let them out of their own half.
Dines was their main attacking weapon with his power pack shooting causing trouble straight away as he volleyed just over the crossbar when the ball broke to him outside the penalty box following a corner kick.
The danger he posed was underlined when on four minutes he rammed home the loose ball. The Glenmuir goalkeeper under pressure did well to slap away a corner kick, but the one player he or his side didn’t want it to fall to was Dines. The latter in flash had it in the back of the net.
Dines demonstrated his shooting power again when leaning back he nearly scored again before Liam Rogers had Glenmuir’s first shot on target from long range.
It was a short respite as Shamrocks with a soaring freekick by Jack O’Shaughnessy from the left touchline went two ahead as the ball flew over Adam Burke at full stretch and in underneath the crossbar after 14 minutes.
There were no containing Dines as he unleashed a rocket with his fearsome left foot that hit the underside of the Glenmuir crossbar.
The visitors made the most of this let-off as Conall McGeough reduced the deficit less than a minute later, when all alone at the back post he turned in Callum Clarke’s low cross from the right after it evaded teammate Rogers at the near post.
The goals came thick and fast, and Glenmuir fell three goals behind as Shamrocks scored twice more in the space of a few minutes.
The first was netted by Dines, who showed other precious finishing assets, strength to hold off two defenders to collect a through ball and then composure to place the ball low inside the post from close range.
The home side’s fourth resulted from a sweeping textbook move when the ball was played wide to Cochran on the right and he crossed low to provide Rhyss Kirk with an open goal to stroke it home.
Shamrocks lead could have been even bigger but for a vital interception by Sean Reilly with Dines closing in on goal to complete his hat-trick, while Ibrahim rose highest at the back post to head a corner kick just over the crossbar.
Glenmuir looked in for a trouncing when they made the worst possible start to the second-half when after a minute Kirk turned in the rebound after O’Shaughnessy struck the bottom of the post from a cross by Corcoran.
Shortly afterwards Conall McGeough made a wonderful acrobatic clearance off his goal line to prevent Shamrocks stretching their lead further, and survived more close shaves, with in one instance the crossbar coming to their rescue.
Then McDonnell struck that spectacular goal from just inside the Shamrocks half, and Shamrocks goalkeeper did well to push away a high shot by Dillon Arrowsmith as the losers enjoyed a good spell.
But as the play see sawed from end to end Farouq Ibrahim gained a deserved personal reward when he turned in the Glenmuir box following a throwin on the left and rifled home his side’s sixth goal
Back hit back Glenmuir through Matus Lukosevicius to make it 6-3 when he turned and shot to the home net from a corner kick.
Cathal Corcoran was unlucky not to put his name on the scoresheet before hand with a defence splitting dribble in which he beat two Glenmuir players to break free into the penalty box to the right of goal only for Burke to save his low shot with his feet at the foot of the post.
He also was thwarted again by the goalkeeper who went full length to foil him just before the final whistle.
SHAMROCKS: Alex McArdle, Cillian Dixon, Francis Kirk, Mark McEnteggart, Sean Browne, Fionn Dines, Jack O’Shaughnessy, Farouq Ibrahim, Cathal Corcoran, Aodhan Kirk, Rhyss Kirk, Criambhain McGahon, James Cochran, Oisin Weldon. Manager, Brian O’Shaughnessy and Leslie Callan
GLENMUIR: Adam Burke, Sean Reilly, Tony McDonnell, Leon Yore, Callum Clarke, Daniel Craven, Liam Rogers, Noyus Ahdzilus, Dillon Arrowsmith, Matus Lukosevicius, Conall McGeough, Kalom Hutchinsoin.Manager Gary Rogers. Walshstown 2 Ardee Celtic 0; Rock Celtic 0 Bellurgan Utd 1; Shamrocks 6 Glenmuir Utd 3
Bellurgan Celtic 1 Glasslough Villa 0; Glasslough Villa 2 Glenmuir Celtic 0; Bay Utd 0 Woodview 2; Quay Olym 1 Blayney Acad 5
Redeemer 5 Ardee Utd 1; St Dominics 3 Muirhevnamor Celtic 2; Glenmuir Ath 0 St Dominics 4; Glenmuir Ath 2 Redeemer 5
Rock Celtic 1 Bellurgan Utd 0; Bellurgan Celtic 2 Glenmuir Utd 3; Shamrocks 0 Quay Celtic 3
Quay Olym 0 Bay Utd 2; Ardee Utd 1 Dromin Juv 2; Bellurgan Ath 2 Rockville 5
Shamrocks 3 Bellurgan Utd 0; Rock Celtic 0 Ardee Celtic 0; Quay Celtic 4 Quay Olym 0; Glenmuir Utd 3 Dromin Utd 1; Shamrocks 4 Glenmuir Utd 2; Quay Olym 2 Ardee Celtic 5
Woodview 5 Dromin Juv 1
Glenmuir Utd 2 Albion Rvs 0; Albion Rvs 0 Ardee Celtic 2; Quay Olym 1 Bellurgan Utd 5
Rockville 1 St Dominics 1; Rockville 2 Bellurgan Celtic 1; Bellurgan Celtic 5 Bay Utd 2; Grove Rgs 1 Walshstown 3; Ardee Utd 2 Shamrocks 5; Ardee Utd 2 Bay Utd 5 Termonfeckin 2 Ardee Celtic 0; Bay Utd 2 Ardee Celtic 0; Blayney Acad 3 St Dominics 0; Glenmuir Utd 2 Ardee Celtic 0; Rock Celtic 2 Ardee Celtic 0; Bellurgan Utd 2 Ardee Celtic 0; Rock Celtic 5 Termonfeckin 1; Bellurgan Utd 2 Glenmuir Utd 1; Shamrocks 2 Glenmuir Utd 2; Ardee Celtic 0 Shamrocks 2; Ardee Celtic 0 Dromin Juv 2; Ardee Celtic 0 Quay Celtic 2
Ardee Celtic 2 Termonfeckin 0; Rock Celtic 4 Dromin Juv 1; Ardee Celtic 1 St Dominics 3; Termonfeckin 1 Muirhevnamor 5
Fixtures
Quay Celtic v Ardee Celtic, Clancy Pk 6.45; Shamrocks v Glenmuir Utd, Fatima 6.45
St Dominics v Woodview, Friary Field 6.45
Bellurgan Utd v Glenmuir Utd, Bellurgan 6.45; Rock Celtic v Ardee Celtic, Bellew Pk 7.00
Walshstown v Shamrocks, Walshstown 6.45; Ardee Utd v Grove Rgs, Ardee 6.45; Albion Utd v Bay Utd, Monasterboice 7.00 Glenmuir Utd v Ardee Celtic, Glenmuir Pk 6.45; Walshstown v Shamrocks, Walshstown 6.45 Pictures: Ken Finegan Bay Utd v Quay Olym, Rock Rd 6.45 Bellurgan Ath v St Dominics, Bellurgan 6.45 Ardee Celtic v Quay Celtic, Ardee 7.00 Glenmuir Utd v Quay Celtic, Glenmuir Pk 6.45; Dromin Juv v Termonfeckin, Dromin 6.30; Shamrocks v Bellurgan Utd, Fatima 6.30; Bay Utd v Blayney Acad, Rock Rd 6.45
Bellurgan Celtic v Ardee Celtic, Bellurgan 6.45 Walshstown v Bellurgan Celtic, Bellew Pk 6.30 Shamrocks v Quay Celtic, Fatima 6.30 Woodview v Glenmuir Utd, Fair Green 10.00; Shamrocks v Muirhevnamor, Fatima 10.00; Blayney Acad v Bellurgan Celtic, Ballybay 11.00; Ardee Celtic v Rock Celtic, Ardee 10.00
Quay Olym v Shamrocks Celtic, Clancy Pk 10.00; Glenmuir Celtic v Bay Utd, Glenmuir Pk 10.00; Rockville v Quay Ath, Blackrock 10.00; Glenmuir Ath v Bellurgan Ath, Glenmuir Pk 11.00
Quay Celtic v Bellurgan Celtic, Clancy Pk 11.00; Bellurgan Utd v Ardee Celtic, Bellurgan 10.00