St. Patrick’s Under 16’s travelled the short distance to Limavady on Thursday night to start their championship campaign against a fancied Wolfhound’s team. It was a fine night for championship football and after a short delay (waiting on the referee to arrive) the young men from Drum and Drumsurn got started.

In the third minute of the game Alex Moore opened the scoring from play, kicking a thirty-yard shot over the bar. A minute later Limavady drew level from a short range free. In the sixth minute Conor O’Reilly scored his first of eight points after a good spell of possession football. Limavady’s reply was immediate, drawing the team’s level for a second time. In the tenth minute of the game Conor scored his third point from play to re-establish the lead. The teams drew level for a third time in the eleventh minute.

In the fifteenth minute Cahir Friel missed a golden opportunity to score a goal after a magnificent solo run, kicking the ball wide. From the resulting kick out Conor O’Reilly won possession and kicked his third point of the game from play.

With 20 minutes on the clock and St. Patrick’s commanding a one point lead, both teams exchanged points to keep the game tightly knit. The St. Patrick’s score, coming from the boot of Cahir Friel.

Cahir Friel and Conor O’Reilly scored two further points from play to increase the lead to three points. This was short lived. Two quick goals in the space of three minutes from the Wolfhound turned a three point deficit into a three point lead.

Conor O’Reilly, kicked his fifth point of the half in the twenty-ninth minute reducing the gap to two points sending the teams in at half time on a score line of (2-04 to 0-08).

Having made hard work of the first half the young men in green and white made a perfect start to the second, dispelling any doubts by scoring a goal straight from the throw in. Michael McGonigle won the ball in midfield and off loaded it to Connor O’Reilly on the forty yard line. Conor broke through the Limavady defence unchallenged and kicked a powerful shot to the back of the net.

An additional three points in the next five minutes courtesy of Cahir Friel and Ciaran Mullan turned the half time deficit into a four point lead. Man of the match O’Reilly then converted a forty yard free kick to put five points between the teams with only ten minutes of the second half played.

It took Limavady thirteen minutes to register their first point of the half, which was cancelled out one minute later when Michael O’Kane converted a lovely twenty yard point from play.

The St. Patrick’s five point lead was reduced to two in the forty-sixth minute when Limavady found the net for a third time in the game. The inability of the St. Patrick defenders to clear their line and some poor ball handling skills presented the goal on a plate for the home team. This was the second time in the game a commanding lead was lost and the first time the St. Patrick’s lads looked under pressure.

Straight from Philip Cooks kick out Ryan O’Reilly ran the length of the pitch, playing in Michael O’Kane to score his second point of the game.

The next Limavady attack was broken down by Paul McVeigh who came charging out of defence with the ball. Finding Conor O’Reilly with his pass, the speedy Centre half forward ran the length of the pitch ‘AGAIN’ only to be fouled twenty yards from goal. Conor converted the resulting free kick, bringing his personal tally to 1-07.

Over the next eight minutes it took some stern defending from the St. Patrick’s full back line and Liam Miller at half back to keep the Limavady forwards at bay, defending a four point lead. Liam Miller was everywhere, breaking up attack after attack.

Two unanswered Limavady points reduced the gap to two points (3-07 to 1-15) going into the last 5 minutes, making for a nail biting finish.

With three minutes remaining on the clock Cahir Friel scored his fifth point to put three points between the teams and deep into injury time Conor O’Reilly scored his eighth point by converting a forty yard free kick (very impressive).

This was a hard fought victory, but a victory that was deserved by an under age team with a never say die attitude. Their first half performance was impressive but they failed to deliver the killer blow, allowing Limavady back into the game with two quick goals in the space of three minutes. Un-forced errors cost St. Patrick’s 2-02 in the first half and put undue pressure on a team that was other wise cruising.

The half time team talk from Seamus Mullan and Gary Moore seemed to work wonders as St. Patrick’s came out for the second half with new found confidence and a more direct style of play.

The speed of Cahir Friel and scoring ability of Conor O’Reilly proved decisive on the night. It was good to see four of the six forwards get on the score board. Better performances are required next time by some of the more experienced players, especially in midfield and at half back.

This was an enjoyable, action packed under age championship game that will hopefully have taught the St. Patrick’s lads a few lessons. Games from here on in are set to get harder.

Well done lads. Enjoy the victory.

St. Patrick’s
Philip Cook; Owen McCloskey, Daryl Mullan, Paul McVeigh, Liam Miller, Daniel Mullan, Eion Ferris; Cahir Friel (0-05), Michael McGonigle; Michael Robinson, Conor O’Reilly (1-08), Niall Farran, Alex Moore (0-01), Michael O’Kane (0-02), Ciaran Mullan (0-01)

Subs
Caolan Mullan for Michael McGonigle (55mins)