Roche Emmets 4-13 St. Patrick’s 1-8
Friday the 13th was far from unlucky for our U17 boys as Roche recorded a first victory over St. Patrick’s at minor level since 2015 on Friday night.
Playing with an intensity to match anything they summoned during their double-winning exploits of last year, the team dominated the fixture, playing the type of free-flowing football which singles them out within the club.
DD Reilly was just majestic, scoring two wonderful second half goals and splitting the defence open with a pass for captain Andrew McKay’s three-pointer. On top of his palpable influence, he was almost flawless from placed kicks, some of which were from the most acute of angles.
If anyone asks who our player of the future is, well, there truly is only one answer.
However, McKay, Tomiwa Osho and the midfield pairing of Seán Connolly and Ryan Rice-Martin each had storming games, as did the defensive six who grew into proceedings after a shaky start – Callum Grant defending particularly stoutly in the second half.
From Luke O’Connell’s early point, Roche were always in front, leading 0-4 to 0-2 at the first waterbreak, 1-6 to 0-5 by midway, and 2-11 to 0-6 at the three-quarter mark.
Albeit two crucial interventions from Oisín Nash during the opening exchanges were integral to Emmets building their head of steam. In previous outings, goals at killer times have cost Roche momentum, but with Nash bravely meeting all incomers, the failure to concede a maximum until well inside the final period was the confidence booster the team clearly needed.
Osho’s goal before the break put the boys in blue firmly in control, though with Pat’s seemingly favoured by a cross-field breeze, it was impossible to have anticipated such a whitewash in the second half.
But Roche just had a hunger and desire that wouldn’t be denied and with Reilly play-making – and finding his way out of doorless rooms all over the pitch – the gap continued to grow. His first goal was a lobbed shot over the keeper’s head, while his second saw him slalom through a myriad of bodies before unleashing a rasping drive high to the net.
A sweet win, one which lifts Roche off the foot of the league table ahead of a final round visit to Oliver Plunkett’s.
Roche: Oisín Nash; James Loughran, Callum Grant, Conor Callan; Luca Craig-Haye, Matthew McArdle, Taylor Ward; Seán Connolly (0-1), Ryan Rice-Martin; Tomiwa Osho (1-2), Andrew McKay (1-3), John Hodgers; Luke O’Connell (0-2), Eoin Maguire (0-1, 45), DD Reilly (2-4, 0-4 frees)
Subs: James Corcoran for Maguire, Criomhthann McGahon for Loughran, Josh McGuinness for Grant, Conor Litchfield for Craig-Haye, Seán Conlon for Hodgers, Maguire for McArdle
Referee: Stephen Fitzpatrick
