::: Gorey Celtic FC

Sunday 30th October 2011
Tramore 5 - 3 Gorey Celtic

Big cup game in Tramore, the boys in good form and looking foward to playing a decent side. A big concern for me was 1 game in six weeks, a walk over and lads away with the school didn't help our fitness levels or preperation, then the dreaded drop outs, our captain working, our next in line injured playing rugby, which he only started playing on Thursday?? and our third choice in line away for the weekend, and also our first and second choice goalkeepers. So now lose Sami Keogh our right wing back and our 3rd choice keeper goes between the sticks(are u keeping up)..
Not a great start, but fair play to the 15 that did tog out on a wet and crappy morning in Waterford. Gavin Walker in for Ciaran Gartland making his first start, Jamie Finn in for Sami making his 1st start and Adam Ellard in for Adam Connor ,also for his first start of the season.

We get off to a flyer a long ball from Darragh Curran gets knocked on by Jordan Davies and Darren Brennan pounces on a goalkeeping error, great start and 6th goal in four games for the big man, but gets better after a great ball from Luca Consentino little Adam Ellard latches on and finishes brillantly lobbing the keeper from a tight angle to get his first of the season and put us two up inside 10 minutes.
I'm rubbing my eyes in the thick fog, what a start, Tramore were a big side and had a Peter Crouch up front and used his height to feed him and feed off him and started to get back into the game and worked a great goal down the left when we switched off, 2-1 and game on. Jordan and Mossy getting through alot of work, but Luca having to drop deeper to help out. Mossy also unlucky striking a bar with a great 25 yarder.

H.T. 1-2.

The fog got thicker and on a big pitch we started to tire and on the hour after a sublime pass from Adam Ellard, Jamie Finn had a great chance to put us 3-1 up but credit the keeper made a top save, and with it seemed to lift Tramore and they got a soft 2nd and we started to wilt, got Peter Byrne on, then lost Gavin Walker, young Adam Connor on and a struggling Darren Brennan goes centre half, Tramore smelt blood, and went 3-2 up.

We're all over the place at this stage, another injury Peter Byrne with a nasty cut, but battles on, started to blame the ref, who did seem to lean towards the home side in the 50/50s. Tramore got fresh legs on and the big striker pulling Mark Doran and captain for the day Darragh Curran all over the place, soon became 4-2, Darren now injured and another shuffle, Adam Thompson on and our last sub in the cup competition.
Tramore get a 5th and a nightmare 20 minutes, it was scratching of heads all over the side line, when Joe, John ,Tom and me for a change had no answer, but credit the boys keptfighting when iIhad thrown in the towel and Luca again claimed an assit when his cross was knocked home by the centre half, 5-3 and the boys tried hard for a 4th in the remaining 6 minutes which would have set up a grand stand finish, but wasn't to be and a horror show on the eve of halloween in the thick fog.

Good performances for an hour from Luca Consentino, Jordan Davies, Jamie Finn, Gavin Walker, the two Adams and maybe Mark Doran, but died a death after that and got to get back on the horse starting next Saturday at home vs Rosslare Rangers in the bread and butter of the league, but hope the lads learn lessons and hope the experience stands to them, because as I always say you always learn more in defeat as a coach or manager about your players and their character.

Team: Sami Keogh, Gavin Walker, Darragh Curran, Mark Doran, Jamie Finn, Mossy, Jordan Davies, Luca Consentino, Adam Roche, Darren Brennan, Adam Ellard

Subs: Adam Connor, Peter Byrne, Adam Thompson, Joe McNulty