Cruel heart-break
Brave young Seagulls beaten on penalties by St Pat’s
ST PATRICK’S ATH X BRAY WANDERERS X
OVER 500 people turned out to see Bray Wanderers come so, so close to becoming the first-ever SSE Aitricity U-13 League champions in a fascinating final.
St. Patrick’s Athletic were the visitors to a chilly Carlisle Grounds and the sides were deadlocked after both normal time and extra time but Saints goalkeeper stole the headlines as he kept out a Seagulls spot kick to seal the title for his side.
The 528 in attendance weren’t left short on entertainment as the stars of the future served up an enthralling 100 minutes.
Brian Moore enjoyed the first chance of the match midway through the first period.
Matthew O’Hara showed lovely dancing feet on the flank and his low cross found Moore but he skied his effort.
The next opening also fell the visitors’ way. Moore spun on the ball 50 yards out and picked out the run of Taylor Mooney. He controlled it neatly but home custodian Derry Moloney spread himself well and blocked with his legs.
Wanderers almost hit the front through Lorcan Moore. Hugh Parker delivered a corner that lead to a scramble in the six-yard box and Moore got the final touch but his shot was smothered.
Bray shot-stopper Derry Moloney really earned his stripes in the second period as he denied Brian Moore not once, but twice. The attacker probably expected his 15-yard curler to bulge the top corner but it was tipped behind by Moloney and from the resulting corner, Moore blasted goalwards from close-range only to again be denied by the ‘keeper.
Both sides had a chance to take the advantage in extra time.
Roy Lawlor was up first for the Seagulls with a curling effort which Rian Hogan clawed away and then Pat’s substitute Roland Uzuma turned his effort over after being found in the box by Sean Mackey.
The talent displayed by these young men in the preceding 100 minutes continued in the shoot-out with both sides netting six in a row with aplomb.
Pat’s then netted their seventh before Rian Hogan saved Luke Nolan’s 12-yarder to see the Saints clinch the trophy.
BRAY WANDERERS: 1. Derry Moloney,
2. Ronan Langan, 3. Luke Nolan, 5. Alex Baines, 7. Daniel Isichei, 8. Shea Brown,
9. Hugh Parker, 10. Roy Lawlor, 14. Lorcan Moore, 15. Daniel Jordan, 16. Freddie Turley. Subs: Ryan Donnelly, Josh Bishop, Shane Gough, Ryan Lynch, Ciaran Scott, Callum Davis, Kian de Sousa Crowe. ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: 1. Rian Hogan, 2.Cameron Hamilton, 3. Matthew O’Hara, 4. Luke Kehir, 6. Rhys Bartley, 7. Sean Mackey, 8. Caighlum Barry-Mulvey,
9. Brian Moore, 10. Christian O’Reilly, 11. Taylor Mooney, 15. Sean Hayden. Subs: Luke Kane, Dane Mahon, Eamonn Armstrong, Roland Uzoma, Tyreik Sammy. REFEREE: Cillian O’Reilly. VENUE: Carlisle Grounds, Bray.