Castlepollard Celtic Notes

Aviva Stadium; Ireland v. RussiaThe club will be holding a draw for two Premier Level Tickets to the Euro 2010 qualifier between Ireland and Russia in October. Tickets cost €5 each.TrainingAll club training will be held in Fagan’s Field on the Finea Road. Parents are reminded not to drop children off outside the ground but to please come inside to the car park.BoysUnder 7 Wednesday 6.15pm; Under 8 Wednesday 6pm; Under 9 Wednesday 6.15pm.Under 10 Wednesday 6pm; Under 11 Friday 4.45pm; Under 12 Friday 5.45pm; Under 13 Friday 7.15pm.Under 14 Friday 7.15pm; Under 16 Thursday 7.15pm.Girls (all on Thursday)Under 9 6pm; Under 11 6.45pm.;Under 13 6.45pm;Under 15 6pm.MembershipClub membership this year is €30 per player or €50 per Family (two players or more).WebsiteThe club’s website is now up and running and can be found at http://castlepollardceltic.leaguerepublic.com/TransportThe club would like to thank all the parents that provided transport to the games this weekend. Without this support we would have to hire buses at a large cost, also the players would miss out on all the vocal encouragement they get at games. If any parent feels that they can make themselves available for lifts please contact the managers. Twice a year each would cover all our away games.MerchandiseSean O’Donnell is the Club’s Merchandise Manager again this season. Anybody wishing to purchase club gear please contact their Manager and they will place an order with Sean.Under 12 LeagueBallymahon 5Castlepollard Celtic 1The Under 12s weren’t able to bring anything back to Castlepollard last Sunday afternoon when they were well beaten by a very good Ballymahon side. Forced into a couple of chances because of injuries Celtic put their midfield general Darragh O Reilly into goals but the tactic backfired as the home side controlled the middle of the park and drove forward at every opportunity. Three nil down at the break the visitors started to find their feet in the second period, closing down the well drilled home team and making it harder for them to close in the Celtic box as they had in the first half. Daniel Gilleran scored a lovely goal on forty five minutes when he side footed the ball home at the back post from a Daniel Higgins corner. Castlepollard nearly pulled another one back a minute later after Aidan Daly was brought down in the box, Daly took the resulting penalty himself but although hitting it well the home keeper dived low and pushed the ball out to safety. Celtic continued to take the game to Ballymahon and hit the post on fifty minutes when Gilleran fired in a pile driver that rattled the woodwork. Those two close shaves wakened up the home team and they scored two late goals to put a flattering gloss on the scorline.Team: Darragh O’Reilly, Danny Reilly, Eoin Fagan, Stephen Shanley, Ciaran Goodwin, Shane O’Donnell, Conor Lynch, Daniel Higgins, Aidan Daly, Patrick Fagan, Daniel Gilleran, Adam Leonard, John Dermody, Sean Butler Ennis.Under 13 LeagueBallymahon 4Castlepollard Celtic 2Missing six of their regular starting eleven Castlepollard were always going to find this game difficult but the thirteen players that traveled put in a great performance that nearly gave them something out of this game. Aidan Daly should have opened the scoring on ten minutes when he was put clean through by Pete Connor but the home keeper made a very good save to deny the young winger.Ballymahon then took control and went two nil up before Connor pulled one back on twenty five minutes after been put through by a lovely weighted ball from Conor O Grady. Ballymahon restored their two goal advantage straight from the kick off when a long shot caught out the Celtic keeper who slipped and injured himself while stooping down to collect the ball.The home side made it four one five minutes into the second half. Castlepollard then took control of the game and should have pulled one back on fifteen minutes when Connor hit the crossbar from the penalty spot after he was taken down while shooting at goal.The visitors did score from the penalty spot minutes later when Daly fired low and hard into the net after a home defender handled in the box. Celtic continued to push forward till the final whistle but they couldn’t close the gap any more.Team: Charles Flynn, Frank Brady, Ryan Farrelly, Connor McGraw, Richard Clogher, Andrew Keating, Pete Connor, Conor O’Grady, Shane O’Donnell, Aidan Daly, Ryan Briody, Shannon McMullen, Breean O’Reilly.Under 14 LeagueMostrim United 1Castlepollard Celtic 10Castlepollard travelled to near neighbours Mostrim in Edgeworthstown last Sunday afternoon and for the second week in succession scored ten goals.Last week it only took forty two seconds for Castlepollard to get on the score sheet, this week it took five and a half minutes before Micheal Daly opened up his account when he controlled the ball from an Aaron Jackson corner and side footed home from six yards.Ciaran Fagan fired just over on ten minutes before Ian Kilcoyne hit the crossbar with the keeper beaten. Daly got his second of the game on sixteen minutes from twenty five yards after hitting a sweet right footer over the stranded keeper.Daly completed his hat-trick on twenty nine minutes when he outpaced the home defence and ran in to fire home from just inside the box. Stephen Ryding then won the ball from the resulting kick-off and ran from the inside his own half beating off the tackles from the United players before unleashing a super shot that gave the keeper no chance. Kilcoyne finished the first half scoring just before the whistle after good link up play from Daly and Reuben Byrnes.Last years top scorer Warren Casserly hit the crossbar five minutes into the second half before Ryding got his second of the game ten minutes into the half when he again ran at the defence and slotted the ball home from close range.Team captain, Israel Dowling headed his goal of the day from a Ryding corner two minutes later. At this stage of the game the Celtic players were running rampant and made it eight nil on the hour mark when Kilcoyne ran from the half way line and rounded the keeper.Mostrim got a well deserved goal back minutes later. Casserly managed to do better than earlier in the game and he opened up his account for the year when he ran in, beating three defenders before firing past the advancing keeper. Casserly got his second just three minutes later with a near identical goal.Kilcoyne nearly completed his hat-trick but he hit the crossbar after good approach play by Ciaran Fagan. Castlepollard’s Under 14’s are due to play Multyfarnham YC at home next Sunday, all support is welcome Manager Jim Keating would like to thank all the parents who provided transport to the game and vocal support during it, the players really responded to the encouragement they got from the line.Team: Niall McCormack, Eoin Connell, Aaron O’Reilly, Scott Duignam, Daniel Lonican, Ciaran Fagan, Michael Daly, Warren Casserly, Aaron Jackson, Ian Kilcoyne, Reuben Byrnes, Israel Dowling, Colm Kilbride, Ciaran Doyle, Andrew Keating, Alan Jennings and Stephen Ryding.Under 16 LeagueLisryan Rovers 2 Castlepollard Celtic 2Castlepollard Celtic under 16s for the second week had a short trip to play another derby game with this week’s opposition being Lisryan Rovers. In what was a very wet day on a small tight pitch Celtic started very well forcing three early corners, the excellent left back Jason Coyle went close with a cracking drive on ten minutes. Castlepollard continued to create half chances but could not score, this was by no means a one sided affair with Lisryan being a big strong side and Celtic keeper Conor O Reilly having to make two or three smart saves.But then the goal came towards the end of the first half and it was Celtic who got it when Shane Cunningham turned his marker to slot a lovely through ball into the path of John Egan who stroked the ball home.Celtic we’re slow to start the second half and Lisryan drew level after ten minutes of the half. However Castlepollard slowly came back into the game and were playing some good football when Mickey Murray hit a free from thirty five yards that missed everyone but found the back of the goal to put Celtic two one up.Celtic continued to push for more goals but against the run of play and a mistake at the back saw Lisryan get the second to go two each.The visitors nearly claimed all three points right at the end when a lovely cross by Anthony Nea sailed across the goal and despite two Castlepollard forwards throwing themselves at it the ball rolled harmlessly wide.Two all is how this finished. Thanks to all players who togged out on a very wet day also thanks to all the drivers too.FixturesSaturday, September 25Under 9: Community College v. Lisryan Rovers, 11amUnder 10: Fagan’s Field v. Mohill Academy, 11amUnder 13: Fagan’s Field v. Camlin United, 12.30pmUnder 16 Connaught Cup: Away v. St. Joseph’s (Athlone), 2pmSunday, September 26Under 12; Fagan’s Field v. UCL Harps, 11.30am.Under 14; Fagan’s Field v. Multyfarnham YC, 1pm.