North Dublin Schools League

NDSL U-12E

27 April 2008

         Clontarf FC  2    Castleknock Celtic  0

Castleknock Celtic 12E’s travelled to St Annes to play Clontarf who they beat last Sunday to win the League. Given they were already Champions this was an opportunity to allow many of the loyal subs start a match and allow one or two of the first 11 stalwarts try their hands playing in different positions. Clontarf had proven difficult last week and so they proved again today.  

The first twenty minutes were busy with both teams probing and looking to break through but neither side being able to get in behind the defences for a close in killer shot. Tom Byrne was busy down the left but was well marked and found the going tough. Paul Burke moving out from sweeper was all over midfield but failed to find a way through. Adam McCabe playing from the kick off made Clontarf work very hard to build anything in midfield. Jack Jennings our usual goalie had a good stretch of the legs at left full back.  On twenty-two minutes Clontarf scored from the left. The attacker looked like he had been sheparded out to the end line but his well struck but speculate shot sneaked in at the near post to put the home team ahead. They controversially went further ahead five minutes later when a free kick from mid way in the Castleknock half went over the defence and Orla Higgins in the Castleknock goal raced to collect but appeared to be fouled and was injured by the challenge of the Clontarf forward but the ref gave the goal.  

Restoring the team to its more usual line up for the second half produced 30 minutes of sustained attacking by Castleknock. However Clontarf marshalled their defence well and riding their luck a couple of times held on. The final whistle blowing just after Darragh McCaffrey put yet another shot barely over the bar.   It was not to be Castleknock’s day.