Gray brace too much for Cork Youths
YOUTH SOCCER
Daire Walsh
DDSL………………………………………….. 2
CORK YOUTH LEAGUE………………….. 0
JAMIE GRAY proved the difference between the teams in Home Farm FC on Saturday as his second-half brace ensured Cork Youth Leagues were denied a place in the FAI Umbro Youth Inter-League decider by an impressive Dublin & District Schoolboys League (DDSL) outfit.
The Rebels had secured the 2012 title with a 3-1 win over the same opposition, but despite having some promising opportunities throughout the course of the contest, it was the Metropolitans who ultimately progressed.
Declan Cooke’s Cork charges had displayed plenty of endeavour during the early exchanges. Yet, it was DDSL who had the first clear-cut opening just five minutes into the contest.
Conor Kane’s cross from the left-flank was slightly over-hit, but the energetic Luke Slater subsequently kept the move alive on the far side. St Kevin’s midfielder Gray raced into the area to meet Slater’s delivery, but couldn’t keep his 12-yard header on target. This was something of a let-off for Cork, but after breaking into the box on 11 minutes, right-winger Denzil Fernandez (who was causing frequent problems for DDSL full-back Ciaran Kelly) picked out Leeds’ Timmy Foley with an inch-perfect pull-back.
Foley forced an excellent fingertip stop from DDSL netminder David Craddock, and his opposite number – Dave Coffey – was also called into action to deny the onrushing James Doona five minutes later.
A piledriver from Cork right-back David Grant O’Sullivan was also deflected over the DDSL crossbar, but following a pulsating start to the proceedings, chances were few and far between as the half wore on. Neither side was gaining the upper hand, but the industrious Gray continued to threaten the Cork goal with a couple of ambitious efforts from distance.
Slater also fired over from a Stephen Hanley pass seven minutes before the break, and with the deadlock remaining unbroken as the action resumed, it was difficult to predict how the rest of the play would transpire.
Fernandez looked set to create daylight between the teams when he raced on to Jordan O’Reagan’s through-ball four minutes after the restart, but the pacey College Corinthians star couldn’t get in a clear shot.
As a result, DDSL were let off the hook, and they also breathed a sigh of relief when Kearney’s powerful drive drifted past the left-hand post on 53 minutes. The services of Coffey were once again required to thwart DDSL’s Eoughan Morgan, before the woodwork came to Cork’s rescue 25 minutes from time, when Doona unleashed an audacious chip from a left-hand angle.
This was only a temporary reprieve for the Rebels, though, and from DDSL’s next foray into enemy territory, Slater’s pin-point cross was coolly steered into the bottom-corner by the alert Gray. The gauntlet had now been thrown down to Cork, and with hailstones descending upon the Whitehall venue, Patrick Crowley and Cian Hawkins were introduced to the fray in an attempt to force the game into extra-time. However, before they had a chance of settling into their stride, DDSL doubled their lead on the stroke of 75 minutes.
When he stepped up to a 30-yard free-kick, it was expected that a shot at goal would be a tall order for Gray, but his speculative curling shot deceived the stranded Coffey, and found its way into the back of the Cork net.
The concession of this goal had effectively placed the tie beyond Cork’s reach, and when Doona was preparing to secure a three-goal advantage for DDSL 81 minutes in, the offside flag came to their aid.
Cork didn’t allow their heads to drop, however, and Foley was unfortunate to find the side-netting during the closing moments.
This may well have set-up a grandstand finale, but in spite of their best intentions, they couldn’t rein in the challenge of DDSL.
DDSL: David Craddock; Jamie Wilson, Peter Burke, Brian Foley, Ciaran Kelly; Luke Slater, Eoughan Morgan, Jamie Gray, Conor Kane; James Doona, Stephen Hanley.
Subs: Joe Doyle for Kelly (82), Kevin Coffey for Slater (92).
CORK YOUTH LEAGUES: Dave Coffey; David Grant O’Sullivan, Eli Kadi Harringfhton, David O’Gorman, Kyle McNamara; Denzil Fernandez, Ross Welch, Sean Cooke, Ciaran Kearney; Timmy Foley, Jordan O’Reagan.
Subs: Patrick Crowley for Cooke (68), Cian Hawkins for O’Reagan (73), Craig Lynch for Kearney (82).
Referee: Wojciech Ponarad.