Heartbreak for Dunmore Town U 14's in Connacht Shield Final

Heartbreak for Dunmore Town U 14’s  as they lose out 5-4 on penalties in The Connacht Shield 2007

After defeating three Sligo teams and two Galway teams in a marathon journey of matches in the cold and icy Saturday mornings of January and February, a windswept March and a Mediterranean April the under 14’s of Dunmore Town had deservedly earned their place in this prestigious competition that has become so much a part of the wider picture in the development of underage soccer in the province.

This is a competition that allows the “Little Clubs”compete at the highest level – Dunmore Town versus Moyne Villa – in a Connacht Final,Celtic Park,Castlebar, Sunday May 6^th 2007.

The Dunmore lads started nervously against a very determined Moyne Villa side that immediately stamped their authority on the game with a series of attacks on the Dunmore goal. Number seven for Moyne Villa,Wesley Enriquez, a natural left footer in the Liam Brady mould, lorded midfield and was a constant threat to Dunmore every time he was in possession. Fifteen minutes into the game disaster struck for Dunmore when an under pressure keeper Conor Gleeson made a long clearance up to midfield from just outside his area. No Dunmore player challenged for the ball and a very grateful Enriquez lofted the ball into an unguarded Dunmore goal from the half way line.

As so often happens in matches a goal conceded has the effect of springing the team that conceded it into immediate action. Dunmore began to play a more attacking, pressurised game and the chances of getting back a goal before half time were looking a lot better. When Dunmore number ten, Enda Rattigan, went on another of his jinking runs out on the right wing the forwards were making their way for a run into the box anticipating a cross. Young Rattigan had other ideas, however , as he cut inside, rounded three defenders in the process and gave the keeper no chance, scoring inside his right hand post.

Ten minutes after the break the referee overruled his linesman who was in a much better position to see that the infringement occurred outside the area and awarded a hotly disputed penalty to Moyne Villa. Up steps that lad Enriquez(who else?) again to strike a tremendous shot off the crossbar and then acrobatically, he scissor kicked the rebound into the net. It was a finish good enough to grace any final but the referree, clearly mesmerized by the overhead kick,should not have allowed the goal to stand, as the number 7 played the ball twice without any other player from either team touching the ball. Great work down the right wing by Padraic Daly and a cross into the centre was met by a James Mullarkey volley into the Moyne Villa net. Two all and it stayed that way till full time and throughout extra time. Moyne Villa won the penalty shootout 5 to 4. Well done to team manager,John Mullarkey,and to all his squad who put in a tremendous effort all year. A big thank you to all the parents and family members for their huge support in Castlebar .Congratulations  and well done to Moyne Villa on winning the Connacht Shield

 Dunmore Town: Conor Gleeson.Stephen O Toole, Andrew Mc Walter,Darragh Glynn,James Mullarkey,Padraic Daly,James Maloney,Jarlath O Loughlin,Joseph O Connor, Enda Rattigan,David Burke,David Kelly,James Comer,Ger Fagan,Darren Burke,Colin Brennan ,Cathal Mulryan and Ruairi Silke