U14's Beat Celbridge

Edenderry……2-12
Celbridge…….3-08

Last Sunday Edenderry played hosts to Celbridge in an under 14 football challenge as part of a double header with an Edenderry/Celbridge under 16 challenge. After an entertaining game of football Edenderry emerged winners by a single point on a scoreline of 2-12 to 3-08.

Edenderry started brightly in this game with two points from Oran Lawton and Aaron McDonnell. Celbridge hit back with a goal and a point to take the lead, but Edenderry responded brilliantly with an unanswered 2-05, with Oran Lawton scoring a goal and a point, Alex Kenny scoring three points, Bobby Walsh a goal and Aaron McDonnell a point. Celbridge scored the next point before their goalie made a great save from Alex Kenny. Edenderry then made a double substitution with Dylan Maloney and David Hughes coming in for Leslie Nolan and Mark Abbott. Celbridge then scored their second goal of the game, before Edenderry made another couple of changes just before the break with Gavin Conlon and Emmett O’Brien coming on in place of Jamie Dolan and Oran Lawton.

Halftime, Edenderry 2-07 Celbridge 2-02.

After halftime Celbridge reduced Edenderry’s lead to four points with a very good point. But that score was soon cancelled out when Alex Kenny finished off a great move involving Aaron McDonnell and Dylan Maloney. Celbridge scored a fisted point, before Oran Lawton and Jamie Dolan were re-introduced for Emmett O’Brien and Bobby Walsh. Celbridge then scored two points in a row from frees, before Matthew O’Grady kicked one of the best points in the match when he beat several Celbridge players after a solo run. Stephen Connolly was then brought in for Gavin Conlon, before Aaron McDonnell kicked a free over the bar for Edenderry. That score was soon followed by an impressive point from Dylan Maloney. Over the next few minutes the Edenderry management gradually introduced Kevin Beatty, Robert Cronin, Ciaran Kelliher, Leslie Nolan and Mark Abbott into the action in place of Alex Kenny, David Hughes, Ciaran Farrell, Dylan Maloney and Stephen Connolly. Aaron McDonnell then kicked another point after a pin-point pass from Jamie Dolan. Celbridge then hit a goal and two points to leave just a solitary point between the teams. With time running out it looked like Celbridge were about to score the winning goal, but Cain Brereton made a fantastic diving save to keep his sides one point advantage when John Reilly’s final whistle blew.

This was Edenderry’s very first game of the year, and they will be delighted to get the win in a good tight game in which every player on the panel was given a run. Edenderry had some good performances from Cain Brereton, Craig Monaghan, Karl Murphy, Aaron McDonnell, Matthew O’Grady, Bobby Walsh, Alex Kenny and Dylan Maloney.

Team: Cain Brereton; Mikey McNeilis, Craig Monaghan, Karl Murphy; Ciaran Farrell, Ross Mangan, Mark Abbott; Aaron McDonnell (0-4), Matthew O’Grady (0-1); Leslie Nolan, Oran Lawton (1-2), Adam Mahon; Jamie Dolan, Bobby Walsh (1-0), Alex Kenny (0-4).

Substitutes: Ciaran Kelliher, Emmett O’Brien, Gavin Conlon, Robert Cronin, Dylan Maloney (0-1), Stephen Connolly, Kevin Beatty, David Hughes.

Referee: John Reilly.