On a cool night , things did not look good for Ballyoulster U21. With only 30mins to kick off , only 11 players were gathered in the dressing room. Not one real keeper in sight. Moorinho tried his best to recruit a keeper for the game, but had no luck. It was not going well for the boss - who had left the Water bottles at home aswell. Moorinho tried to call his wife, to bring the bottles and his gear up. But she did not answer. So against his better wishes he went with Bonyo in goals.
So the team took the field , granted not the line up the boss wanted for this eagerly anticipated friendly/grudge match. The game started brightly , but then the ref got involved and started to have and to organise his own entertainment. Everytime U21 player made a challenge it was a free kick ?. This led to amazing decision given to the 3rd team on the edge of the box. It was no free, but the ref saw it differently. The free kick taken was poor , but the ball fell to a player in offside position as per the new FIFA rule. The ref amazingly let this goal stand. Feeling hard done by and with some of the tackles and off the ball incidents , Moorinho started to see red mist , He decided to ask the ref was his decisions correct.
The 3rd team held this lead against the run of play , unti the 37minute . Ball played to Cian Eastwood , resulted in a perfectly uted lob to bring the game all square.
The ref , then got a good decision right - he blew the half time whistle at the correct time ( well done Mr Ref).
Cian Eastwood was then rested as ,Moorinho decided to tinker with the team. Michael Doyle stepped up and volunteered to go in goals , this meant Bryan Bonyo moved up as centre forward, Matt Murray moved out to right side, Jamie Hennessey replaced Cian Eastwood and went in centre half - This in turn pushed Craig Dempsey into Midfield and freeing Thomas Cheevers into the attacking midfield role. Was this tinkering a master stroke , or was it a heat stroke from the lack of water - only time would tell.
Ballyoulster U21 , then took the game to the 3rd(pub Team) at this stage - with now the pace of Eddie Ojo and Bryan Bonyo , the unfit 3rd team were going to struggle big time. Against the run of play the 3rd team took the lead (I was in the field trying to find our match ball at this time). I could hear the 3rd team players trying to wind up the U21's. But this backed fired big time as Bryan Bonyo scored again to make it 2-2 - (I was still in the field , so did not see the goal).
As the game worn on , Ballyoulster U21 were starting to have a field day, The tiring limbs of the 3rd team , could be heard all over Ballyoulster as the U21 , brushed aside their opponents. It would only be a matter of time before the U21's would take the lead - But we forgot about the ref, he was still determined to not let this happen. To his utter disgust , Bryan Bonyo broke free and tapped a ball into the net. Micheal Doyle(GK) now made his customery run into the oppositions half to celebrate with the match winner. Things turned a bit nasty then , when Dylan james had a cheek to get his head in the way of a Ballyoulster Sub. The ref once again awarded a drop ball. So all in all it was a good workout , we kept our head and won the game - we lost a match ball again. Well done to all the lads , who played tonight - I was happy with the performance and attitude -I will never forget the water again.
