Mallow AFC teams experience highs and lows of team sports

MALLOW United U/12 Premier team continue to learn about the highs and lows of team sport and were unlucky to go down away to Leeside on Friday evening.

There were six games at U/13 level in the last week where Mallow United’s Premier team were undefeated with two draws over two games while both the U/13A team and U13B team had two wins each, adding six points to their total tally for the season so far.

Mallow United U/14 Premier team made it four wins in a row and find themselves in a healthy position as the league table begins to take shape.

Mallow United U/15 continued their excellent start to the season maintaining their 100% record and making it five wins in a row with 4-1 win over Bandon and currently sit top of the table in Division 1.

It was a win an a loss for Mallow United U/15A with their encouraging performances away to Everton and at home to Springfield.

Mallow United U/17s suffered their first defeat of the league campaign at home to Coachford while the U/18s took a valuable point away to Rockmount.

Mallow United Juniors remain undefeated and top of the table despite a draw away to Kilreen Celtic with Anthony Bowles, Jojo Noonan and Derek O’Flynn on the mark in their 3 -3 result.

Mallow United Seniors took a hard earned point in their game at home to Glasheen despite closing out the game with nine men against 11.

Last Saturday morning Mallow travelled to last year’s league winners Midleton. Unbeaten in their first four games, the Mallow lads started with confidence - Cormac Dilworth partnering Donnchadh Barrett in midfield and Jerry Collins dropping deeper into a marking role it was down to the wingers to create chances for the lone striker Daniel Smith.

Louis Hanover is improving with every game and was a constant threat, causing the Midleton defence a lot of problems.

The Mallow defensive four of Buckley, O’Connell, O’Keeffe and Burke has been the back bone of this team ably assisted by their keeper, Denis Mulcahy, and this match was no exception.

Mallow took the lead from a poorly cleared corner when Daniel Smith struck a dipping shot over the Midleton keeper for a well taken goal.

Mallow were full value for their 1-0 half time lead but it was Midleton who started the second half better and when the ball was flicked on from midfield the winger cut inside to drill home the equaliser. Ten minutes later the same player scored his second in exactly the same fashion.

The Mallow lads rallied, however, and for the final ten minutes Smith, O’Neill, Dilworth and Hanover all had chances. It was Cormac Dilworth who drove into the penalty area and was fouled. Jamie O’Neill took the resultant penalty to make it 2 – 2 and take another valuable point.

MALLOW: Denis Mulcahy, Cory Buckley, Alan O’Connell, Billy O’Keeffe, Niall Burke, Jamie O’Neill, Jerry Collins, Donnchadh Barrett, Louis Hanover, Daniel Smith, Cormac O’Sullivan, Cormac Dilworth, Shane Cronin and Kevin Kilmartin