TRAINING WITH ROB!

Little Darragh Ryan runs into some trouble as Ireland and Leinster full back Rob Kearney prepares to tackle the Carlingford Knights player at a training session last Saturday.

Sunday’s game in the North Louth Winter League was between Castletown Knights and Bridgeside.

The game started with Bridgeside having a large portion of the overall ball possession and within five minutes they had their first chance when L. Gallagher crossed the ball into the Castletown danger area where the ball met the head of the Bridgeside striker who misguided the header and sent the ball high and wide. Minutes later G. Ronan was taken down just inches outside the Bridgeside box and the referee gave a free kick to Castletown. C. McKeown stepped up and fired the kick just wide of the post.

From this Bridgeside quickly countered Castletown and received a corner for their effort. F. Lane stepped up to take the corner and floated the ball into the box where it met the head of C. Callan who fired it past the helpless Castletown goalkeeper.

Shortly after this D. Callan put the home side ahead by two when a cross from J. Hayes found him in the box, the Castletown goalkeeper couldn’t react quick enough to revert the danger and he finished nicely into the corner of the net. Then ten minutes before half time, C. Callan got the third goal of the game and his second when he nicely converted a chance given to him by a brilliant through ball by F. Lane. Half time in the Friary, Bridgeside 3 Castletown 0.

The second half started with Bridgeside being the most dominant of the two teams but could not take advantage by creating any meaningful chances until about 15 minutes into the half when C. Jamison made a run from midfield unopposed and fired a shot from just outside the 18 yard box which forced K. Morris to make a fantastic save. In spite of this the rebound fell to a Bridgeside striker, D. Mundow, whose shot was fired into the roof of the net.

Shortly after this Bridgeside scored again when J. Hayes dispossessed the Castletown defender to go one on one with the goalkeeper and finished the opportunity to put Bridgeside up by five.

Shortly after Bridgeside got their sixth when G. Garvey got above the Castletown defender from a corner which F. Lane dispatched. Bridgeside continued to be the aggressor while continually holding onto the majority of the ball possession. However Castletown looked very dangerous on the counter attack creating numerous chances but failed to score.

The match finished Bridgeside 6 Castletown 0.