Busy weekend for the WDSL community
RATHNEW 6 GLENCORMAC 0 U14 PREM DIV SHIELD
RATHNEW’S under-14 side turned in a masterful performance against Glencormac United last weekend at Bridgewater Centre Park to claim the Premier Division Shield in emphatic fashion.
Dominating the game from start to finish, the Village side never looked in any real trouble from the Kilmacanogue side who battled bravely to the end despite the one-sided look to the final score line.
The writing was on the wall when Rathnew bagged their opener after six minutes when a corner was swung in and the ball fell to the impressive Daniel Isaac who connected sweetly and instinctively to drive the ball home to the back of Charlie Frawley’s net, giving the Glencormac netminder absolutely no chance to save.
Rathnew proved relentless in this encounter and when Glen- cormac did attack with menace the Village defence stood firm with Ryan O’Neill, Ethan Power, Jack Hayden and Ryan O’Toole all very impressive throughout.
Glencormac’s Oisin Kelly did show plenty of potential in this game and from one of his long throws they managed to get a shot off from the boot of Dean Bradshaw, but Josh O’Connor was more than comfortable in making the save.
Six minutes after their opener Rathnew struck again when Scott Dowling drove home from close range and they made it 3-0 after 20 minutes when Ethan Power connected with a breaking ball from a Jack Gregory corner to rifle home to the bottom corner of an unsighted Charlie Frawley’s goal.
Rathnew would make it 4-0 before the break to more or less kill the game off as a contest. William Moorehouse brought an excellent save out of Frawley, but Zach O’Connor followed up and finished wickedly to the back of the net.
The pattern of the game didn’t change much in the second half. Rathnew more or less laid siege on the Glencormac goal with the Sugarloaf side breaking where possible but coming up against a spirited and competent defence.
Charlie Frawley was Glencormac’s star man in this game and he pulled off two superb saves from the boots of Scott Dowling and Jack Gregory moments after the start of the second half.
The real killer blow arrived from yet another Rathnew corner three minutes into the second period. The corner was slightly overcooked with excellent work from Scott Dowling – one of the many standout performers on the Rathnew team – saw him jink one way, then another before swinging in a beautiful cross which was met by the boot of Adam Byrne who gave Frawley no chance with a lovely low drive.
The final nail in the coffin came when William Moorehouse produced the goal of the afternoon when he fairly hammered home a rocket to the top corner to make it 6-0.
Glencormac never once threw in the towel and were denied a consolation goal when Josh O’Connor pulled off a superb double save from a free-kick and a follow up from Glencormac’s
Oisin Kelly.
A superb shift from the Rathnew lads. They are a side with plenty of capable footballers. It wasn’t Glencormac’s day, but they can hold their heads high after a brave performance.