NDSL 13D/League Cup

12 October 2008 

Clontarf FC  4   Castleknock Celtic 0   

The 13D’s played their first league match at the higher division today and learnt the need for application and luck.  

The game started well with Castleknock the more dominant team. In fact it was only on 6 minutes that Clontarf got into Celtics half.  However despite the possession and pressure the Clontarf goal was only threatened by two half chances one by Tom Byrne on 8 minutes and the second by Craig Smyth on 12.  As time went on Clontarf got the measure of Celtic and on 21 minutes they scored from an attack that started from a throw in on the left with a passing move finding a Clontarf player on the edge of the box who shot well into the top of the net. At half time it was 1-0 but Celtic looked as good as Clontarf and certainly had the winning of the game.  

The first 4 minutes of the 2nd half were a disaster. Clontarf were awarded a penalty after two minutes when Paul Burke was ruled to have tripped a Clontarf player at the edge of the box. Almost from the restart Clontarf having won the ball they broke through the centre and the shot from the edge of the box left Amir Kasaspovic in goal with no chance.  At this point what was needed was a super effort by Castleknock. However Clontarf were on a high and competed for every ball and won the half chance nearly every time.  Despite this Castleknock came close with Paul Burke, having moved to midfield, his shot went just wide on 37 minutes and Craig Smyth had a penalty appeal turned down soon after. With 3 minutes to go and Castleknock resigned to the loss Clontarf sneaked in for a fourth.  

Not a good day for the 13D’s who need to look to their game and rise to the standard of the higher league. Most of the team need to play to the example set by the Castleknock man of the match team captain Paul Burke whose work rate and determination to win every ball was a lesson for the rest of the team.   

Squad.  Amir Kasapovic,  Ntinga Mtiko, Jack Ryan, Graham Chan, Aaron Connolly, Declan King, Thomas Byrne, Jackie Chan, Ciarán Byrne, Hugh Molloy, Craig Smyth, Adam McCabe, Iain Coughlan, Paul Burke