::: Gorey Celtic FC

Saturday 10th December 2011
Gorey Celtic 2 - 2 North End

The under 16 2nd team had a home fixture against 3rd placed North End Utd with a 1pm kick off. Well we were on the field warming up and the referee was at the ground too but still no sign of North End .... they had 1 player there, 15 minutes later 4 more lads turned up, 15 mins later still no manager or the rest of their squad and no phone call from them either.
The ref rang their secretary a couple of times and he said they were on their way. Finally I rang the league's fixture secretary to see if he had any info, he had heard nothing from them and then in walks the rest of the lads and their manager. The game kicks off 45 mins late, the reason they had no transport!!

Back to the game... we started OK getting the ball on the floor and making a couple of early chances, but we didn't seem to be able to match their strength, we were also a little off the pace at the back and they made us pay for that, one of their quick strikers receives a good through ball he out runs our defence and slots the ball past the big frame of keeper Corey Chambers.
We make a change and get JJ Larkin on for Aaron "Spoofie" Doyle who was a little out of sorts also a little shuffle around to make room for JJ in midfield and moving John Joe McCarthy into fullback. We were still attacking but we kept letting ourself down in the final 3rd, then to rub salt into the wounds they get a corner Cian Byrne defending the front post heads the ball up and it hits the crossbar and ends up in the net to put the visitors 2-0 up and half time couldn't come quick enough....

H.T. 0-2

Alan and myself ask for more passion in the second half we also asked for more belief to turn things around and remind the lads that we are still the only team unbeaten in the divison.
We get Alan McPartlin and Ian Barnes on and move Ben Clarke back to centre half, another little shuffle Alex Behan off injured and Jordan Doyle off tactical. Now we look like a team, competing for every ball and winning most and Alan Mc upfront making his presence felt . The balance was right in our team now and we were pushing North End back creating more space for us to play our game . Big Alan Mc was more than a hand full for their defence now and Aaron Heffernan allowed to run at them now sees us get the upper hand. Ian Wins the ball in midfield finds Alan Mc who controls turns his marker and fires into the back of the net from 18 yards game on now! 1-2

We throw everything at them now and bombard their goal hitting the crossbar, both posts and had 2 cleared of the line .The goal was going to come and it did, a goalmouth scramble and the ball pops out to Dion Leeson who smacks it in through all the legs into the net to level the game at 2-2
We get Sean Murray on for an injured Flavian Haiduc and he nearly gets the winner, then Aaron goes down injured so Dillon Byrne comes on for him . Minutes left and and how we didn't snatch all the points I will never know, but saying that happy to take the point .

Unbeaten going into Christmas is not bad, Well done lads

Team: Corey Chambers, Aaron Doyle, Cian Byrne, Sean Lavery, Alex Behan, Ben Clarke, Dion Leeson, Flavian Haiduc, Aaron Heffernan, Jordan Doyle, John Joe McCarthy.

Subs: JJ Larkin, Alan Mc Partlan, Ian Barnes, Sean Murray, Dillon Byrne.