Reporting by Sean Finlay Scanlan and Evan Curling
It’s finally match day as the notoriously successful Coláiste Choilm arrive at Mullingar pitch at 10:45 booming for action for what is expected to be a promising game against a gallant Boyne side.
Coláiste Choilm get straight into a top class warm up with a fair share of sprints and ball work, putting them straight into fine tuning for the upcoming test.
And we are off! The game commences at 11:15 am after a Boyne tip-off.
Chance! Immediately the game gets into a sloppy start but the boys gain possession as Keith O’Rourke puts in the challenge. He puts a ball over the top with an excellent pass to put Daly in on goal, but the opposition’s keeper was sharp and beat him with a fraction of a second.
Coláiste Choilm continue to put an immense amount of pressure on the Boyne defenders from the get-go as O’Shea and Daly force errors which are costly to any defence.
Ohhh! A controversial decision from the referee after it seemed that the Boyne defender had handed the ball inside his box, but he deemed it as natural hand positioning. No penalty which is a very tough decision to make in a game like this, and fair play was the decision.
Coláiste Choilm are oozing with attacking quality in the final third of the pitch with high crosses coming in from O’Shea and Galvin which the opposition are having nightmares about. The boys are very unlucky not to have scored considering their consistent performance in the attack.
Go on! A picturesque, low through ball from Doran who puts Daly through, but it just wasn’t to be as the keeper collects in the 23rd minute.
So close! Absolutely superb from the boys opening up Galvin, who almost scores an absolute worldie.
Goal for Boyne. They break away on the counter attack after a Coláiste Choilm attack where the striker gives Rigney no chance, slotting it into the bottom right corner. 1-0 to Boyne in the 30th minute after a very rare attack considering the fact that Coláiste Choilm have controlled the half through and through.
Half time: Boyne Community College 1-0 Coláiste Choilm
Coláiste Choilm are behind at the break after an extremely unfortunate goal which does not reflect their performance at all. But one thing is for sure, they won’t stop going.
Second Half
The half commences but is immediately pulled to a halt as a Boyne player goes down injured.
Immediately Sam Heffernan leads the attack and bursts down the middle with unimaginable quality of skill, not letting the opposing team take possession of the ball.
Goal for Boyne. 2-0. A fiercely contested high ball from a Boyne free kick cheaply results in a goal as a result of the sun blaring overhead into the eyes of the Coláiste Choilm defenders, unfairly representing their performance, as they have shown plenty of quality with no limit, enough to have them comfortably ahead.40th minute.
Yesssss! An absolute beast of a shot from Mark Dunne from a free kick situated just outside of the box, where he calmly dinks it into the top left corner! Game on! 2-1. 57th minute.
After a Ronaldo like goal, Mark Dunne has unlocked the belief of the team that surges them on to win games. Will we see an equaliser?
Coláiste Choilm aren’t giving anything up, they just need a bit of luck. There are dangerous balls going into the opposition’s box left, right and centre. This is going down to the final play which promises to be an end to end, heart racing finish.
After a hard, long and difficult battle with a strong Boyne side, the opposition had the edge over this excellent Coláiste Choilm side, in a tight, end to end game.
Man of the Match: Keith O’Rourke after working tirelessly for the whole game, challenging every ball and posing a great attacking threat.
Full Time: Coláiste Choilm 1- 2 Boyne.
Starting XI
Rigney, Galvin, O’Rourke, Minnock, Connolly, Heffernan, Dunne, O’Shea, Doran, Holton and Daly.
Subs
17th: Trainor for Holton(injury) .HT: Cunningham for Trainor.59th: Cassidy for Doran. 62nd: Staunton for Cassidy(blood sub).