Fegan’s saves secure double
Castletown retain crown
CASTLETOWN GLYNN 2-2 1-2
GOALKEEPER Kyle Fegan made a string of superb saves to inspire Castletown to a second successive title when they staged a dramatic second-half display to see off a fine Glynn outfit in this thrilling Allianz Rackard League boys’ football mini-sevens final in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Wednesday.
This was a cracking effort from both teams, particularly through a power-packed second period as the sides showed their attacking instinct with free-flowing football.
While Castletown turned in a tremendous second-half to turn this game around, it still took some amazing goalkeeping from Kyle Fegan to keep them in front, as he made four top-class saves during that spell.
One stop in the closing stages made sure of his side’s victory, when he somehow managed to get down low to keep out what appeared to be a certain equalising effort from Tristan Cuddihy.
And not alone did he manage to smother the kick, he also got up immediately to regain possession of the ball and clear his lines as referee Dickie Murphy blew the final whistle.
The game was played out at a fantastic pace from the opening minutes as both sides moved the ball with accuracy.
Glynn made the early running, coming close with a couple of scoring attempts before they eventually opened their account as early as the third minute.
Colin Carley showed great control as he moved towards goal to finish with a rising shot to the roof of the net, giving his side a 1-0 to nil lead.
The Castletown response was swift, but Joseph O’Flaherty was just wide with a goal attempt, and Glynn increased their lead to 1-1 to nil through a sixth-minute Cathal Sinnott point after he had collected a great Tristan Cuddihy crossfield ball.
Cuddihy put his side into a 1-2 to nil advantage as they looked comfortable approaching the break.
Castletown’s solitary first-half score arrived just before the interval when Joseph O’Flaherty controlled the greasy ball before slipping inside his marker to send a low left-footed shot to the bottom corner of the net, which left the scoreline 1-2 to 1-0 at half-time.
The second period started at a cracking pace, with Glynn’s Tristan Cuddihy seeing his scoring attempt rebound back into play off the crossbar in the fourth minute, but one minute later the game was transformed.
Castletown atacked down the left wing, with Joseph O’Flaherty making considerable ground with a soccer-like dribble.
He somehow managed to pull the ball across the goal and, from twelve metres, Dylan Bealin - who later added a point - first-timed a tremendous shot to the top of the net, giving his side the lead for the first time (2-0 to 1-2).
However, the Castletown goal went on to live a charmed exist- ence as ’keeper Fegan saved superbly from Craig Laffan, while one minute later Colin Carley saw an overhead punched effort rebound off the post when it seemed destined for the net.
After Fegan had once again denied the opposition with a further save, Castletown counter-attacked and Fionn Kavanagh pointed a ’45 for what proved to be the last score of the game, with two minutes remaining.
As Glynn piled on the pressure, desperate Castletown defending saw them clear their lines on numerous occasions. And in that final attack, the superb goalkeeping of Fegan denied Glynn the equalising goal, with Castletown clearly enjoying their achievement of back-to-back titles, as they held their opponents scoreless in that dramatic second-half.
Castletown: Kyle Fegan, Mikey Kinsella, Diarmuid Brady, Fionn Kavanagh (0-1 ’45), Conor Fanning, Dylan Bealin (1-1), Joseph O’Flaherty (1-0). Subs. - Diarmuid O’Shaughnessy, Jesus Reyes, Niall Kavanagh, Jack Fanning, Mark O’Donnell.
Glynn: James Walsh, Rory Goff, Jack Conneely, Craig Laffan, Cathal Sinnott (0-1), Tristan Cuddihy (01), Colin Carley (1-0). Subs. - Seán Barron, Conor Reardon, Niall Taaffe.
Referee: Dickie Murphy (Starlights).