Roche Emmets 3-4 Clan na Gael 5-6

The U13 boys saw a seven-point lead slip at home to Clan na Gael on Wednesday night as their Division Two league programme drew to a close with six wins from nine outings.

A stunning opening saw full-forward Liam McCabe bag two goals before the waterbreak, after Kyle Callan, Dean Griffin and Shay Carolan points had put Emmets 0-3 to no-score ahead.

Clans returned serve with a brace of minors before McCabe, whose talent is precocious, let rip at the visitors’ goal. At this juncture, the quality of the movement and passing was of the highest calibre against the Ecco Road boys, who were viewed as the division’s strongest component at the competition’s outset.

The second quarter saw the winners get on top, though when Jack Murphy picked up a loose ball and shot stunningly to the bottom corner of the net, through a host of bodies, Roche had restored their commanding advantage.

However, that would prove to be Emmets’ last register until the last 10 minutes as Clans hit the boys in blue for 4-4 without reply, including two sucker-punch goals in the first half’s dying embers, meaning the sides were level, 3-3 to 3-3, at the end of 25 minutes where Roche certainly had the better of the struggle.

With players tiring and the personnel changing due to the extreme heat, the hosts never regained their earlier flow and often conceded possession easily in allowing Clans to move nine points clear.

Back, from left: Ronan Grant, Donal Bradley, Adam McGuinness, Bernard Verbeek, Niall Connolly, Dean Griffin, Liam McCabe, Cian Ellis, Shay Carolan, Karl Reilly, Seán Conlon; front, from left: JJ McArdle, Peter McArdle, Lee Casey, Kyle Callan, Brooklyn Taaffe, Jack Murphy, Ruairí O'Donnell, James Curtis, Paul Reilly, Conor Clarke

The effort was always there, though, and scoring chances were continually created, but the wides’ record perfectly illustrates where the encounter was won and, ultimately, lost. Roche shot seven misses in each half (14 overall) to Clans’ five across the entire outing.

Carolan registered the game’s last point and try as they did to engineer a goal, our forwards were unable to close the gap any further.

Regardless, in defeat, there were some outstanding performers. Full-back Cian Ellis was arguably the best player on the field, Adam McGuinness and captain Ruairí O’Donnell were absolutely excellent in front of rapid James Curtis, who’s quicker off the line than Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic.

Conor Clarke ran himself to sleep, while Donal Bradley, Niall Connolly, Lee Casey and Ronan Grant had a significant influence in periods. Young Murphy gave a season’s best display on the right wing and then at left-half; Carolan, Callan, Brooklyn Taaffe and McCabe were involved in everything that was good about our attacking play; while Dean Griffin was unfortunate the ball didn’t fall for him in and around the target – he still kicked a point, however.

The handling of Seán Conlon, energy of JJ McArdle and Paul Reilly, Karl Reilly’s ball-winning, Peter McArdle’s support play and the battling of Bernard Verbeek all added to a decent display.

In spite of the outcome, this remains a very promising group and one the team management have really high hopes for, especially with a championship still to come.

Roche: James Curtis; Adam McGuinness, Cian Ellis, Ruairí O’Donnell; Conor Clarke, Ronan Grant, Donal Bradley; Niall Connolly, Lee Casey; Jack Murphy (1-0), Shay Carolan (0-2), Kyle Callan (0-1); Dean Griffin (0-1), Liam McCabe (2-0), Brooklyn Taaffe

Subs: Seán Conlon, Karl Reilly, Bernard Verbeek, Peter McArdle, JJ McArdle, Paul Reilly

Referee: Damien Connor