A trip to the RSC grounds for the game today saw us come away with a hard earned victory against a decent Crystal side.
We started the game superbly and created a few opportunities from open play and corners.
The quality of delivery from these corners was of the highest order and enabled us to open the scoring after 20 mins .
A brilliantly flighted corner from Evan Cleary towards the back post was met by James Delahunty, who rose majestically above several defenders to bury his header past the Waterford Crystal keeper.
Although we were playing some terrific football for most of the half a long ball up field from the home team wasn’t dealt with and resulted in a free kick for Crystal. The delivery into the box caught out some of our lads asleep and the Crystal striker nodded the ball into the bottom corner.
The home side roared into the game and dominated the physical exchanges and were the better side for the remainder of the half.
Facing a gale of wind in the second half wasn’t going to be an easy task and serious questions were asked of this teams character and ability to dig out a result.
Although we struggled to get up the pitch with the conditions the back four and midfield trio showed great courage to limit the opposition to long range efforts.
A reshuffle on the hour mark saw a momentum swing in the game when the lads took the game by the scruff of the neck and drove the home team deep into their own half with some great passing and running off the ball. Such was the quality of our play we should’ve added a couple of more goals only for some tight offside decisions.
As the game entered the last quarter the lads showed their talent and character in abundance and when Evan won a super tackle in midfield Lee Tracey pounced on the loose ball to send Conor Stacey clear and as was about to shoot a defender upended him to concede a penalty.
Up stepped Dylan Harrington to keep up his 100% record from the spot. We saw out the last few minutes without conceding too many clear cut chances.
The confidence and work ethic that these lads showed today was a joy to witness from start to finish.
Great performance again by the whole squad today keeps us in the hunt for the title.

Credit must go to the management team of John Ryan, Patrick Dobbyn and Ethan Ryan as their hard work and preparing of this talented squad since last August has the boys still in the mix for league honours.

Due to overnight rain, pitch in Ashgrove is unplayable so girls u14 & u10 matches are cancelled today. Please Share.

A humdinger of a game in windy Stradbally this morning as the league challengers looked to steamroll a visiting Mooncoin Celtic. With our boys facing into the gale in the first half, they stuck to their task well, retaining their shape and working tirelessly when not in possession. Paddy T was solid throughout with his shot stopping top class and it was always going to be a fortuitous goal to beat him. A wind assisted corner swirled in the air and entered the net off the far post midway through the half. This spurred the boys on as the put it up to the Stradbally lads. The second half was always going to be different with the wind at their backs. They pushed and pushed for that equalizer but couldn’t get the breakthrough. Excellent squad effort by all present with solid games put in by Sean Kearns and Billy Delahunty at the back with little getting past them. Canice Kinsella was his usual busy and creative self with Man of the Match Anil Ramaswamy putting in a super shift on the right side of midfield. Piltown await the lads in their next meeting.

U14 Girls home to Park Rangers, kick off 11am

U10 Girls home to Park Rangers, kick off 12.30

Youths away to Waterford Crystal, kick off 11am

4th division away to Park Rangers, kick off 2pm

Best of luck to all teams. Support for all our teams would be most welcome especially the girls on Sunday morning if ye have a couple of hours to spare.

Tommy Kielthy was the man in the hot seat today getting another cut on the new ground. A super job as usual and doesn’t it look well?

6 fallers at the weekend coupled with the 13 that fell midweek, leaves 50 entrants heading into week 3. Man United’s late winner on Saturday saved over half of the field. Interesting couple of weeks coming up with a few shrewd people going with lesser lights and holding on to the big guns.

Club hats available also for €10, please email your order to kevindobbyn@live.com

An order will be placed by end of the week so anyone looking for gear please email your order to kevindobbyn@live.com

6 fallers today and 41 through to round three so far. Chelsea will be watched with hope by 9 entrants who picked the boys in blue. Just aswell Man United scored that late goal as we’d be left with only a handful.