Good win keeps Ballincollig Top
U12 Premier Schoolboys
Umbro U12 Leagues CSL Premier Division
Moneygourney, Sunday 20th December 2009, 10.30 a.m.
Douglas Hall 0 – 3 Ballincollig
After six weeks without a game due to the weather, Ballincollig’s Under 12 Premier Team travelled to Douglas Hall. Conditions were near freezing but due to the all weather pitch at their disposal, the match went ahead. Ballincollig wanted to get their passing game going early and despite the lay off, they started very well. Plenty of good football got them into positions in their opponents half and they had Douglas under pressure from the start. The Douglas Hall goalkeeper had his hands warmed early with a shot from Japhet Mata and Ballincollig forced a succession of corners. Nothing came from these early attacks and the home side made it more difficult by playing five at the back and only one striker in an effort to frustrate Ballincollig.
The away team kept plugging away and from a Douglas hall breakaway they took the lead. Evan O Mahony won a great tackle at the edge of his own penalty area and passed the ball down the right hand side where a quick move involving Ruairi Cotter and Brian O Callaghan set Japhet free. Japhet’s pace took him around the goalkeeper and he finished with ease. Douglas Hall to their credit played well on the break but only had two chances, one of which came back off the crossbar and was cleared to safety by the covering Ruairi Cotter. The score at the break saw Ballincollig one up on the Hall.
Playing up the slight hill in the second half and also from the efforts of the first period, Ballincollig took a while to get into their stride. Sean Lucey and Kevin Browne again got a grip in midfield and from then on the game looked safe. A great ball down the left from Jamie Manahan found Brian free and as the ‘keeper advanced Brian lobbed it over him, only to see it come back off the crossbar. However, Japhet was following, up as a good striker should, and his header finished it to the net. The defence then came under pressure for a short time but with great direction from goalkeeper Aidan O Donovan, they held firm. Deservedly, for his non-stop work during the game, Brian O Callaghan got the third goal with 5 minutes left and again it was at the end of a great move. He finished it brilliantly and the goalkeeper had no chance. A good end to the year for this team who remain unbeaten in the league, with seven wins and a draw, scoring 28 goals on the way and a game in hand over the team in second. Keep up the good work lads. They don’t hand out the medals at Christmas.
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