Double delight for Bunclody
Further final heartbreak for Cloughbawn in U12 clash
BUNCLODY 3 CLOUGHBAWN 0
BUNCLODY COMPLETED a memorable Wexford and District Schoolboys Soccer Cup and Division 2 double with a smashing victory over Cloughbawn in Curracloe on Saturday.
The scoreline certainly doesn’t tell the story of an exciting game in which both sides had their chances and periods of dominance. Cloughbawn lost the Under-11 Cup final last season and this was more heartache for them.
The Division 1 runners-up bossed much of the first-half but came up against an inspired ‘keeper in Jack Reck and a Bunclody defence that is used to not conceding many goals.
Indeed, in six cup games they allowed just one goal, in the quarter-final against Shelburne, which clearly shows their defensive prowess.
But it’s not just about defence for Bunclody. They have clever footballers in midfield that looked to move the ball quickly but on the deck to release a striker in Ciarán Scott who is an absolute nightmare for opposing defenders.
It was on the counter-attack that they looked most dangerous in the first-half. Scott got away on a quick break in the eighth minute but a sharp save by the feet of Dean Browne ensured the game remained goal-less.
The closest Cloughbawn came in the first 15 minutes was when Charlie Murray dragged his shot wide after being played in by Lucas Fitzpatrick. Then, just at the start of the second quarter they rattled the woodwork.
In truth, they should never have had the opportunity. Jack Reck came out and cleared his lines and Murray ran into him.
It should have been a free out but the Cloughbawn midfielder came off worse from the collision and comically that led to a free in being given. However, nobody with Bunclody was laughing as Fitzpatrick stepped up and clanked the crossbar with the resulting shot.
Scott had an effort cleared off the line by Oisín Rochford in the 22nd minute, while a sharp Shayne McDonald shot was saved by Reck at the other end.
Just when it looked like the sides would hit the interval goal-less, Tony Doyle picked up the ball well outside the area and thumped his shot through bodies and into the Cloughbawn net, off the fingertips of Browne.
The goal broke a little of the Cloughbawn spirit. Jake Nolan fired a shot onto the crossbar in the 34th minute but Bunclody did get their second eight minutes later when a long Ryan Butler pass picked out Conor Doyle and he volleyed past Browne.
Cloughbawn did have one big chance to get in the game but Reck somehow got back to scoop McDonald’s header off the line and onto the post.
Despite protests, the officials were spot-on for not awarding the goal, if it was over the line, and that’s highly doubtful, as nobody could have been definitive.
With their opponents’ resistance broken and Cloughbawn’s ‘keeper upfield for a corner, Bunclody wrapped up the win with a third goal in added time.
Doyle shot from his own half, and it was close to the goal when Scott got a late touch to an empty net, but he conceded the goal to his team-mate as they completed the double in style.
Bunclody: Jack Reck; Ryan Butler, Des O’Connor (capt.), Lorcan Kinsella; Jake Nolan; Eamonn Murphy, Tony Doyle, Conor Doyle; Ciarán Scott. Subs. (rolling) - Oisín O’Leary, Oisín Finn, Ryan Kavanagh.
Cloughbawn: Dean Browne; Oisín Rochford, Kevin Barron, Killian Tierney; Lucas Fitzpatrick; Charlie Murray, Charlie Smith, Shayne McDonald; Mary Kaylan-Goodall (capt.). Subs. (rolling) - Cody Doran, Ryan Sinnott.
Referee: Pat Redmond.