U14 SFAI Cup 1st Round : Shiven Rovers 2 - 3 Kiltullagh Pioneers

Our u14 squad travelled to Newbridge, Co Galway yesterday evening and came away with a hard earned victory over a determined local side in the first round of the national cup. 

Despite being dominant in most areas throughout the first half, we were decidedly lucky to go in one goal up after Jamie McDonagh expertly finished a sublime cross from Tom Daly just 7 minutes before the break. We rode our luck at our own end and were lucky not to concede, but the number of chances we failed to take was frustrating. 

We then had an excellent start to the second half when Oscar O’Gorman scored with a great shot from 20 yards that the goalie parried and Tom was in like a shot to make sure it was over the line.....but Oscar was claiming it. 

At 2-0 up you would have thought we would have closed out the game from there, but a combination of home team determination and away team lack of concentration, allowed Shiven to score a cracking free kick and then punish some poor defending at a corner to equalize in the last minute. Both teams had goals disallowed also to add to the drama. 

Extra time was on the cards before Oisin Coyne took the game by the scruff of the neck. He was fouled just outside the box, dusted himself off, demanded the ball and duly dispatched the free kick into the right hand side of the goal via the ‘keepers hand and cross bar. 

Shiven had one more chance for an equalizer but we were lucky to see it drift wide at the death. 

A win is a win so we will take it, but this team is capable of more and they have set high standards over the last couple of years. 

Better days ahead!