Super strike saves the day for Carnew in the Back Alley
CARNEW AFC 2 GLENCORMAC UNITED 2
ROBERT Young’s stunning goal after 62 minutes of this feisty Andy McEvoy Premier clash between Carnew and Glencormac United at the Back Alley on Sunday afternoon secured a share of the spoils for the home side in a classic game of two halves.
The first half belonged to Glencormac. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, they had a very strong wind blowing straight down the field from the dressing room end which was at their backs in the first half.
Secondly, they were playing all the football, with the likes of Sam, Luke and Josh O’Callaghan, Simon Doyle and Ian Devlin dominating in all sectors of the field.
However, from the moment the second half began the tide radically changed in this game as the home side began to finally play with some cohesion and they seemed to grow in stature as the tension ratcheted up with Eugene Jordan, Dan Nolan, Justin House, JJ McCrea, Wayne Kinsella, Robert Young, Cillian Gilligan and Will O’Neill all upping their game with that wind now at their backs and momentum in their favour.
Back to the first half, though. Eoghan Dolan and Justin House were key figures in the early exchanges in terms of keeping Glencormac at bay on what was for the most part a sunny but very brisk afternoon on the Wexford border. Glencormac were moving the ball nicely with Stephen Kirwan and Sam O’Callaghan in control on the periphery of their defence and Luke O’Callaghan, Colm Nolan, Sean McCormack and Ben Callaghan performing well up the middle.
It was Josh O’Callaghan who proved to be the most annoying thorn in the Carnew defence in that opening half and it was his doing that sent Glencormac in leading by 2-0 with victory seemingly beyond doubt for the visitors at that stage if play was to continue in the same vein for the second 45.
The busy Ian Devlin brought Nathan Keane into action when his low cross was gathered by the Carnew netminder.
Keane would be replaced at the break with Tomas Kinsella and apart from the concession of the two goals he had a decent 45 minutes between the sticks.
PJ O’Keeffe looked to have released Cillian Gilligan with just Craig Williams to beat but Jason Redmond’s whistle sounded for offside and the chance was lost.
A shot from Sam O’Callaghan brought a very decent save from Nathan Keane at one stage while Sean McCormack got on the end of a corner from the same man, but his header looped up over the crossbar for a harmless wide.
Dan Nolan then had Carnew’s best chance of the first half when a Cillian Gilligan free broke in the Glencormac area.
Wayne Kinsella’s initial shot was blocked down by the visitors’ defence but Nolan was on hand to lash a shot off the upright that eventually went out for a corner after Robert Young’s attempted cross deflected off the tender area of Stephen Kirwan’s anatomy.
Nothing came of the corner and Glencormac swept down field thanks to a thumping kick from Ben O’Callaghan that sent Ian Devlin away with only Nathan Keane to beat. Devlin cleverly headed the ball in front of him and then tried to go around Keane but the Carnew netminder brought him down in the box and Jason Redmond signaled for a penalty before flashing a yellow at the Carnew number one.
Josh O’Callaghan took on the responsibility of the spot kick and after a short delay due to some unnecessary verbals pertaining to the defeat suffered by the visitors in the Wicklow Cup final last season the Glencormac sharp-shooter buried the ball low and hard into the corner of the Carnew net for the game’s opening goal.
Glencormac’s second came about when Craig Williams gathered a PJ O’Keeffe free that had been held up by the wind. Williams launched a bomb down on top of O’Callaghan who bravely placed the ball past Keane knowing that a collision was imminent.
It looked beyond doubt that Glencormac would win this game if the play was to continue along the same pattern for the second half. However, everything changed when Carnew returned to the field.
Cillian Gilligan pulled one back after 13 minutes with a sweet strike past Williams and then Robert Young fired home a wicked goal from outside the box to level the score with 17 on the clock.
The game took a sour turn around this time with verbals arising among players and sidelines and late tackles and silly challenges flying in. The apparent cultural differences between the two teams were referenced by both sides, with ‘wannabe Dubs’ issued at the expense of the Glencormac players while Carnew’s use of the term ‘ya eegit’ came in for mocking from a Glencormac stalwart at one stage.
Carnew introduced Tomas Kinsella into the goals at the break and he showed a sound pair of hands for whatever attacks Glencormac could muster. Dean Grandy offered a nice pair of feet to the action while John Kavanagh cut a formidable figure with his recently shaven head (for charity) and silky skills on display up top.
But for all their second-half threat with that wind at their backs, Carnew couldn’t grab the winner, and the spoils were shared after a dogged battle on the Wexford border.
CARNEW AFC:
1. Nathan Keane, 2. Eugene Jordan, 3. Eoghan Dolan, 4. Dan Nolan, 5. Justin House, 6. JJ McCrea, 7. PJ O’Keeffe, 8. Wayne Kinsella, 9. Rob Young,
10. Will O’Neill, 11. Cillian Gilligan. Subs:
12. John Kavanagh, 13. Dean Grandy, 14. Tomas Kinsella, 15. Jack Kearney.
GLENCORMAC UNITED:
1. Craig Williams, 2. Stephen Kirwin, 3. Sam O’Callaghan, 4. Luke O’Callaghan, 5. Colm Nolan, 6. Sean McCormack, 7. Ben Callaghan, 8. Simon Doyle, 9. Ian Devlin,
10. Josh O’Callaghan, 11. Evan van de Burgh. Subs: 12. Luke Reynolds, 13. Daniel Devlin.
REFEREE:
Jason Redmond