NEW & IMPROVED READ :) Match Report – Arva v Bailieboro (U13s) – 15th July. It’s 35 years this month since the Undertones recorded and released Teenage Kicks. Are Teenage dreams so hard to beat they asked ? After tonight’s match, they may just be about to become real. No Spaniards distracting the girls tonight. A pity, as this match would have been spoken of in hushed Spanish tones in the Athletico and Real camps of Madrid. It was incredible, pure and simple. Dramatic, controversial, passionate and determined – and this was even before the ball was thrown in !! Bailieboro were the opponents tonight. A team of legendary standing in fairness, the leading team at this age level in Division 1 for several years now. Their speed, skill and ability well known throughout the county. Arva, due to the small number available have agreed with the County Board to play 11 a side in this league. That usually leaves us with two, sometimes three subs on the bench. Bailieboro declined to agree to this arrangement and insisted on the 13 a side when they arrived with their panel of 21 players ! The only team to do so ! Then, overheard as the girls went to change was several Bailieboro players discussing adding the Championship in September to their medal tally after they won in Arva today and this league outright !! Arva players were not impressed. Dismissed already by the visitors the tension in the Arva dressing room was palpable. Wolfgang urged focus, to remember their mini teams, to play as they trained. The girls, brimming now with righteous anger were eager to get into the game. This was a new look for the Arva team. Captain Kayleigh Lee could barely contain them as she called all to order and led them out to the pitch. From the throw in Bailieboro attacked. Fast as predicted. Strong as predicted. Determined as predicted. They believed they were on their way to a predicted victory. They were wrong. Eabha Whelan was the first Arva player to the ball today, clearing up field. The Arva defence, as a unit, were central to everything today. Bailieboro attacked again. Their number 7, their Leah, head-band billowing as she tried to crash through the defenders. A county player at club and school level she is their best player. Sinead Mullally was marking her today. Sinead ran with her, stuck by her, refused to let her pass. Sinead’s hand first to a ball and both hands there to block, catch and clear away. It was already settling into a titanic battle. Holly Lynch was beside Sinead and played out of her skin today. Running faster than ever, throwing herself at players twice her size, chasing and winning loose balls. Kayleigh Lee, the captain, led by example. Clutching and grabbing the ball she cleared up to Leah and Johanna. Exhausting intense stuff, and still only minutes on the clock ! A ball broken down by Sinead and Holly was sent into Leah. She ran and passed into Kayla who ran under a defender and scored a goal for Arva. Arva attacked again form the kick-out. Claire O Connor battling for control, Chloe Pratt the only person in white among three red jerseys holding the ball and safely passing to Emma Walch. Emma running rings around defenders, passing to Kayla who shot but saw the attempt saved. The ball rebounded out and there waiting was Emma Walch. Bailieboro rushed to block the anticipated catch and kick but Emma used her head. Literally !! And for the first time on Michael Cully Park a goal for Arva scored by a header ! 5 minutes gone ! Holly wrestled and held onto a Red attacker, fighting and winning the ball. Sinead stretched further than the head banded one each time. Eabha Whelan ran and acted as a sweeper catching and clearing trespassing balls. Jade kicked long up field and Kayleigh lee commanded on the right. Nothing was passing these girls right now. Arva were relentless in attack. Johanna dragged and pulled but fighting for the ball and letting loose a scorching shot that rattled the post. Chloe Pratt in the centre holding strong. Leah battling and running, passing and shooting and soon Arva had a point. 10 minutes gone. Bailieboro launched an attack. Arva defenders, all of them, standing their ground, stopping the runs and winning the ball. Cleared by Holly out to Leah, she ran more than half the length of the pitch. Red shirts closed on her, she rounded one, another, two more and another before netting a goal for Arva. Bailieboro responded with a point. They attacked in waves now, the wall of defenders held. Sinead everywhere, Kayleigh a blur as she outran everyone. Jade, tall and towering, Eabha clearing loose balls and chasing off attacks and Holly, well, the game of her life. Holly caught and kicked, blocked and held up players. This was a defence masterclass we were watching from the five girls. Johanna ran and was surrounded by 4 red shirts. Somehow, she kicked through them and the ball sailed towards the goal, punched in flight by Emma only for the Bailieboro keeper to save it. Then the blur of pink as Jessica attacked, panicking the goalie and almost scoring a goal. Bailieboro attacked. They broke through and shot for goal. Claire Scott, eager to show what she could do saved easily and cleared out to Jade. Jade launched a rocket long and hard up field. Leah caught and ran and Arva had another goal. 4-1 to 0-1 for Arva. 15 minutes gone. Bailieboro attacked in Waves. They used 4 subs by now and moved their players around the pitch. The head band, their best player, unable to get by Sinead and Holly, now moved to the backs to shadow Kayla. Soon they had a point from a free. Then another. Kayleigh and Eabha stopped attacks in their tracks. Chloe back now to help clear the ball. Leah a presence too. The game more physical than usual. Intense. Johanna fouled on and off the ball. Kayla now being blocked and harried, pushed and held. The titanic battle had shifted ! Claire O Connor taken off in pain. Maria Finnegan filling the void. 25 minutes gone. Bailieboro attacked. End to end stuff. Kayleigh and Sinead excelled. Holly holding back and winning balls for Eabha and Jade to clear. Another save by Claire as the ball threatened her area, cleared to Kayleigh and then Maria. Maria, attacked now held firm and passed to Johanna who was fouled as the road had opened for her. Leah took her point from the free and the half time whistle went. Arva leading 4-2 to 0-3. The Bailieboro team were ashen faced . “we’re in trouble here girls ” said their mentors. Wolfgang praised a thrilled Arva. On a high they had dominated the first half. But now, he warned prophetically, they will attack. Arva took to the field. Bailieboro ordered by their mentors to shoot low and hard. Arva steeled themselves. After this half, several people can testify that it is possible to hold your breath for almost 30 minutes ! It was incredible. There was no-one in the stand. They were all at the side of the pitch, leaning over the wall, screaming for and against players. No time for white knuckles as hands waved and moved to influence play. The referee wishing now he had trained with Adele in order to keep up with all that was happening. Talk about a game of two halves !!!! Bailieboro were relentless. They attacked in droves, fresh legs every few minutes added to the team. Kayla Brady targeted by the headband and others, denying her the ball or a chance to kick. Kayla broke through on the left at one point to find the player running out the fifteen yards to attack her was the Goalie. Twice her size Kayla couldn’t get through this time. Bailieboro throwing all into this match and a lot of it at Kayla. Bailieboro added points to their tally. Sinead, Holly and Kayleigh ran the park today. Throwing themselves at players, blocking crosses and clearing when possible. The Bailieboro defenders now moved up to attack. Johanna and Chloe back defending. Maria fighting for possession. Jade and Eabha surrounded by 5 red shirts as they tried to block, hold, intercept passes and clear. Just when it looked like Bailieboro had found an opening, another Arva shirt sped in to block. Emma Walch ! She had sprinted the length of the field to lend a hand. It worked. The Wednesdays worked ! Arva cleared and survived for now. 15 minutes gone and no score this half yet for Arva. Bailieboro continued to attack and soon, almost inevitable, they scored a goal. Their relief was palpable. They attacked again and had a second goal. Arva 4-2, still, Bailieboro 2-7. Arva ahead by a point. 20 minutes gone. Arva attacked and went wide. Bailieboro defending. Arva exhausted as fresh legs kept Bailieboro moving. Like Mourhino’s Milan against Barcelona, Arva flooded their own half. Sinead, Holly, and Kayleigh fantastic today. Claire saved shot after shot, running and catching, beating away Bailieboro. But they were relentless. Eabha and Jade red faced as they fought and wrestled two red shirts at a time. Chloe and Maria back too as were Kayla, Emma and Johanna. Bailieboro broke through and somehow a low and hard shot, as was demanded off them earlier, powered through and rattled the post and crossed into the net. For the first time in the game, Bailieboro were ahead. 2 points. 25 minutes gone. We had four captains on our team today. Sinead Mullally, the under 12 Girls team captain. Leah Brady, the under 12 Boys team captain. Chloe Pratt, the girls school team captain. All finalists this year. All county winners. And the Captain of the under 13s, Kayleigh Lee. Now they showed why they were captains. Giants ! Sinead shouted at her fellow defenders for a final push and focus, spurring them on, giving her all. Chloe demanded the same from Maria, Jessica and Johanna. Leah stood central, waiting, knowing the moment would come, giving directions to Kayla and Emma. And Kayleigh Lee, leading by example. As fast and fit and determined as an hour before hand. Four captains together, in a line at one point, standing against the red tide. No heads were being allowed to go down. All were back in the Arva half now. Breaths still held by mentors and parents. The pitch smaller now as the crowds started to swell along the sidelines. 28 minutes gone. Bailieboro attacked. Kayleigh fought hard and chased balls to the limit of the line, winning them for Arva. Leah waited. Sinead stood and grabbed balls from the hands of attacking players, shouldering attackers aside, not letting them past, teeth gritted.. Leah waited. Chloe present in the middle of 4 red shirts, wrestling, pushing away, fighting back, holding ground and winning the ball. Still Leah waited. Eabha and Jade, a double act, racing together and turning away attackers. Leah was anxious now. Then Holly, exhausted yet spurred on by all around saw the ball loose. She ran. She got the ball and cleared to where Leah waited. Long held breaths were exhaled in a joint shout as Leah ran. Bailieboro ran with her. Two first, then three. Now four. Hands out stretched and angles blocking Leah from kicking or passing. She held the ball, hopping and soloing, waiting her chance. Jessica and Emma sprinting alongside drawing defenders, screaming for the ball. Johanna held and stopped on the right. Leah had waited enough. She knew where Kayla would be. She passed direct and Kayla caught. Bailieboro went back to holding their breaths as Kayla ran under the arms of the Head band and blasted a goal for Arva. The first score this half for Arva. Arva a point ahead. 29 minutes gone. Bailieboro attacked and were held back. Arva attacked and were held back. The pitch closed in as the field narrowed more as spectators fought for space and clear views. 29 minutes and 35 seconds gone. Bailieboro attacked again, held at the half way line by a wall of white and blue shirts. One broke through and the wall stopped her, conceding a free. Arva back defending, again, each marking a player, holding the line. The kick came and went over the bar. The whistle went. A draw. We could breath again ! “ My heart ! I didn’t think it would take it !! ” said one Bailieboro Spectator. She was 17 !!! Imagine how really really old people who just turned 50 felt ! Bailieboro relieved they got a point. They’ll remember Arva ! The final score Arva 5-2, Bailieboro 3-8. The lady of the match award went to Holly Lynch. She played out of her skin, the best yet and fully deserved her prize! Remember, not girls but giants !! Team: - Claire Scott, Jade Magarahan, Eabha Whelan Kayla Brady, Holly Lynch, Sinead Mullally, Leah Brady Jessica Pratt , Maria Finnegan, Claire O Connor , Emma Walch , Johanna Sheridan , Kayleigh Lee, Chloe Pratt, Emily Finnegan .
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 10:56:57 +0000
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