U13 division 3

Athboy Celtic 1-4 Borora Juniors

There can be no greater compliment for a team than the opposition coach demanding to see their ID cards to check they're not a/ 16 year-olds or b/ Man City academy graduates.

And you can understand the Athboy coach's concerns. How could a team that lost 7-3 to Oldcastle (a team that Athboy drew with but should have beaten), beat Athboy so comprehensively?

And I'll admit, I'm not too sure myself, other than to say the team that lost to Oldcastle was not the Borora Jnrs team I'm used to seeing. (Mind you, I'd hosted a First Holy Communion party the night before that went on till the early hours so can't really be sure what I saw…)

So following defeats in the last two games, this was a real test of character, one that was passed with flying colours.

Right from the off, the team were very much on it. The midfield trio of Oran McKenna, Dan White and Bobby Kavanagh were snapping into tackles, the attackers (Danny Gorman on the left, Henry Pratt on the right and captain James McCabe through the middle) we're looking dangerous.

But most importantly, the back four and keeper were looking, like an Ashford & Simpson tribute band, solid as a rock. Sean Gaynor was winning tackles, Oisin Gardiner was covering behind, and full backs Fionn Nulty and Patrick Cussen gave the opposing wingers absolutely nothing.

And Aaron Rothwell was faultless in goal. Goalkeeper is the toughest position on the pitch. When most outfield players make a mistake, it might lead to a throw-on. For keepers, a mistake means a goal.

So it is to Aaron's enormous credit that he bounced back from a tough two games.

But to win a game, you have to score goals. Chances came and chances went but the pressure eventually told. A corner from Fionn Nulty was met by McCabe with a powerful header to open the scoring.

McCabe then turned provider for the second, making a run into the box and then pulling it back for Gorman to finish.

Logan Wilson, on as an early sub on the right wing, was creating chances. A great bit of skill left the opposing full-back for dead. And he duly got his well-deserved goal.

McCabe again laid the ball on for Wilson to finish emphatically and put Borora 3-0 up.

The pace and quality of the Borora performance did not drop in the second half. Substitutes Jayden Sherlock, Oisin Campbell and Louis Redmond kept the defence solid and the midfield dominant.

Gorman helped ease any possible nerves when he seized on a loose ball and finished in style. There was still time for a consolation goal for Athboy and for Henry Pratt to get on the scoresheet when he skinned his marker, rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the open goal. Wait. What? He hit the post from a yard? Oh well. At least his dad won't have to buy him an ice cream thanks the complex goals-for-ice-creams contract struck between father and son.

A word should also be said for Vito de Francisco Fernandez, our skilful Spanish import. Due to the demands of the Athboy coach wanting to see ID cards for every player, the coaches decided not to risk putting Vito on, especially as he would probably score a hatrick and send the opposing coach into Phase five! However, Vito is fully registered, albeit without an ID card yet, and will feature in Wednesday's game.

Man of the match was the hardest decision of the day. Oran McKenna was great on the ball, Dan White was a tenacious ball winner, Oisin Gardiner was a towering presence in defence, Logan Wilson had his best game of the season so far, Danny Gorman added to his impressive goal tally and Patrick Cussen kept a Meath county player in his pocket all game. But James McCabe put in a captain's performance and got the nod

So all in all, we learnt something from the game. As the Athboy pre game pep talk was all about how many goals they would score, we learnt never to underestimate the opposition. Mind you, I still don't know what phase one, two and three mean.

Team: Aaron Rothwell, Oran McKenna, Jayden Sherlock, Fionn Nulty, Louis Redmond, Daniel White, James McCabe, Danny Gorman, Sean Gaynor, Oisin Campbell, Logan Wilson, Henry Pratt, Patrick Cussen, Bobby Kavanagh, Oisin Gardiner, Vito
Goals: McCabe, Gorman (2), Wilson

Man of the match: James McCabe

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