LSL Sat Major 1C 12 Mar 16
Edenderry 2nds 3 – 3 Greenhills / Greenpark FC
On a nice sunny Saturday evening perfect for a game of football, Edenderry 2nds threw away 2 points by conceding 2 late goals in the last 5 mins of the game. The Dublin side Greenhill / Greenpark FC were a very poor and undisciplined side, with the referee booking 7 of their players, and to the surprise of everyone not sending anyone off.
For the second week running Edenderry dominated all the possession in the first half. In the 9th minute of the game Alan Farrell won the ball inside his own half and played the ball out wide to Peter Mc, Peter played a nice pass up the wing to Spud Dunne, as Spud beat one player and crossed a pin point accurate ball into path of Tone Byrne. Tone controlled the ball only to be fouled by the out rushing away keeper. The referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped team Captain Alan Farrell to send the keeper the wrong way and give the home side a 1 nil lead.
The away sides first chance came in the 20 min as John Doyle’s mis-placed back pass went out for a corner. As the ball was whipped in it found the head of the away side’s centre forward, but his header was straight at the home keeper Noel Kenna.
In the 28th minute of the first half Jack Lennon made a great diving blocking tackle on the edge of his own box. The ball rebounded across the box where another diving block tackle was made by Ned Foran, this time winning possession on the edge of his own box. Ned played a high ball into the centre of midfield where it was flicked on by Spud. From the flick on Tone Byrne raced clear leaving the away defence in his wake to calmly slot the ball home under the on rushing keeper to make the score 2 to nil.
The away side never seemed to get out of first gear with the home side winning in all areas of the field. In the 36th minute after some great build up play from Seanie Moore, Peter Mc and Spud Dunne, Tone Byrne was taken down in the box and the ref pointed to the spot for the 2nd time in the game. Again this time Alan Farrell stepped up and put the keeper the wrong way. The home side were totally dominating the game and should have been more in front with Tone Byrne, Seanie Moore and Spud Dunne going close.
The away side’s first goal of the game came on the 40th min. Jack Lennon put in a great tackle on the edge of the box on the away sides winger and came away with the ball, but to the surprise of everyone (both home and away players and supporters) the ref pointed to the spot. The spot kick sent the home keeper the wrong way to leave the score 3 – 1 at half time.
The second half started the same way as the first with the home dominating the play. The home side should have put the game out of site with Spud Dunne and having two one on ones with the away keeper only to see the ball going narrowly wide.
The second half was a stop start affair with the away side committing foul after foul. The ref booked 5 of their players in the second half alone without sending off anyone for consistent fouling and abusive language towards the referee. With 15 mins left in the game Jack Lennon had to come off due to yet another bad tackle on the young defender that went unpunished The home side had to play the last 15 mins of the game with 10 men after the home side had already brought on their 3 subs..
The away sides second goal of the game in the 85th minute when a ball in the box was not cleared by the home side only to find the away sides centre forward who drilled a shot and found the back of the net leaving the home keeper with no chance.
The away side were pushed forward looking for the equaliser and this came in Over-time thanks to the away sides centre half. A long ball was played into the Edenderry half box and headed on towards goal, as the home keeper came to claim the ball Noel was unable to clear the shot and the ball dropped for the centre half to tap the ball into an empty net to leave the score line 3 – 3.
This should have been a very comfortable win for the home side especially leading the game 3 – 1 at half time. It just goes to show that if you don’t take your chances anything is possible in football.
Edenderry Team: Noel Kenna, Jack Lennon, Darren Doyle, John Doyle, Dave Sherkle (Brian Clarke 60 mins), Peter Mc Namara, Alan Farrell, Seanie Moore, Ned Foran, Spud Dunne and Tone Byrne – Subs Sucba Donoghue, Brian Clarke, Tadhg Brereton and Eon Mc Donald
