Football Feile Report 2014

The signs of nerves were evident late on Friday evening as the Feile Gear was been handed out in the Club.  However, it was not on the faces of the players, as they were delighted to be sporting the latest trends from the Club Shop, but on the faces of the coaches who had just received the delivery from the “stitchers” who had just about made the deadline.

The Team assembled on Saturday morning in Thomastown Cuala and appeared to be relaxed.  The sound of the bagpiper turning the “cats” was detracting but did not shift the focus of this Team on the task ahead.  The Parade was tense with the usual variance in height of a 13 year old Dublin lad clear for all to see.  For once Lucan had their fair share above the average!

 See the parade on youtube!

http://youtu.be/L59RZThx6So

First up were Skerries who had fancied their changes in Div 2 following a strong start to their league campaign.  They started brightly however the Lucan lads soon got on top and took the opening 20 minutes on a score line of 1-06 to 0-03.  The second half saw Lucan utilise the bench in anticipation of a long day.  It did not affect the scoring rate and it finished Lucan 2-11 Skerries 0-3, scores Cian McHugh 1-3, Andrew Carroll 1-1, Eanna Torsney 0-5, Conor Lawlor 0-1 and Herkus Svinglinskas 0-1.

Next up were Sylvesters who had just experienced a narrow 6 point defeat overs hosts and favourites Cuala.  The early encounters were fierce with the Lucan lads coming off best due to the excellent defending of James Fenlon and Sean Whelan.  This was a very tight affair with both side squandering goal chances including an excellent save from the Lucan net minder Ciaran Behan.  At half time the score was in Lucan’s favour 5-2.  Lucan faced the wind in the second half and managed to keep their opponents at bay through excellent defence from Anthony McNulty and wing back control through Alan Murphy.  That final 20 minutes produced only 2 scores and Lucan ran out deserving winners on a score line of 6-3

Scorers: Matthew Dunne 0-3, Cian McHugh 0-2 and Enna Torsney 0-1.

So that left Lucan qualified for the semis, a battle with the hosts for top spot guaranteeing a “home” semi and banishment of the Dalkyities to the depths of west Dublin!

Following the break for Lunch both Teams lined out on the Thomastown Senior pitch and by the size of the home crowd word had spreading on the streets of Dalky that their Team were on the verge of something special.  Lucan elected to play with the wind in the first half.  They got off to a flyer and took the opening 2 scores.  Cuala to their credit had some excellent footballers worthy of their Div 1 pedigree and they moved the ball well against the wind.  David Millar was excellent in the break down and the commitment of this crop of Lucan footballers could not be questioned at any time during this game.  With minutes left in the first half Cuala had been held to 2 scores and Lucan were 5 up which suely would not be enough under the conditions.  The Lucan midfield man Brendan Berry won clean ball in the centre of the park and release Colm Walsh who delivered a pinpoint looping 30m pass to the arms of the sniping corner forward Conor Lawlor who finished stylishly to the top corner of the net.  At the turn Lucan were 8 up but would it be enough.  In the end it wasn’t and the a final minute point by Cuala to the roars of the local support earned them the home draw and sent Lucan “away” to Palmerstown!

Scorers: Cian McHugh 1-5, Conor Lawlor 0-1 and Matthew Dunne 0-1.

The track to Glenawlyn was a familiar one.  The opposition St. Maur’s had a convincing victory over Raheny and beaten Lucan out of the Lock 3 weeks previsouly.

A windy pitch in Palmerstown played host to a classic encounter when a large Lucan crowd had gathered as word spread throughout the village. Maurs played with the wind in the first half and this looked to have payed off with a 6 point advantage at half time.  However, Lucan managed to claw that lead back in the first 15 minutes of the second half and then scored 2-02 with out reply to run out convincing winners and reach Sunday's final.

 Lucan 3-09 St Maurs 1-08

U14 Football Feile Div 2 Final Lucan Sarsfields 1-04 Raheny 2-04

Lucan and Raheny had qualified for this final on merit having progressed to semi-finals as runners up in their respective groups on Saturday Afternoon and in both cases overcame the Team that topped the group.  In Raheny's case it was a 1 point win over Cuala, whereas Lucan outplayed St. Maurs in the final 5 minutes of the semi-final to overturn a 6 point half time deficit.

The final on Sunday got off to a flying start with both teams battling for the open score in the end it came from the boot of Matthew Dunne after a well worked passage of played started by Brendan Berry.   On the 7th minute the Raheny goalkeeper pulled down the Lucan attacker in the box to  concede a penalty with Eanna Torsney expertly dispatched.  Lucan had raced into a 1-01 to no score lead.  However, Raheny bounced back with scores of their own with 2 points from play.  Some excellent defence work from James Fenlon and Joseph Bankole. Some excellent defensive work from both sides kept the scoring to a minimum for the 20 minute half with Gavin Millea in the full back position controlling thinks for the Lucan side.  

Lucan scored and excellent point from industrious midfielder Torsney with minutes left in the first half and looked to be taking a commanding lead into the break, however Raheny bounced back with a goal of their own right on the half time whistle, to even the match at 1-02 a piece.

The initial exchanges in the second half belonged to Raheny but they could only convert one of their 4 chances, with excellent pressure being applied by Sean Whelan and Anthony McNulty.   Half way though the second half Lucan were in the ascendancy with Alan Murphy controlling things from centre back.  However, a number of chances were spilled and the exertions of the previous days games were beginning to show.  Cian McHugh for Lucan finished off a lovely move with a point from play and it was left to Conor Lawlor to poach a point in the 35th minute of the game to take Lucan into a 1 point lead with 5 minute to play.  To their credit Raheny never gave up and battled hard to score the equalising point and a goal in the final minute to take the Division 2  Title.

The Lucan management team Tom Millea , Stephen Ponder, Ollie Collins, Johnny McCormack and Callum Buchanan were immensely proud of their team after the final.  They had battled hard in the morning phase of the group stages on Saturday to overcome Skerries 2-11 to 0-03 and St Sylvesters 0-06 to 0-03 followed by a narrow 1 point defeat to Cuala.  The peak of the weekend was probably the semi final on Saturday.  The Club, management, mentors, coaches families and friends had a great weekend and Feile experience despite the disappointment of Sunday!

Back l-r Cian McHugh Luke Harris Henry Keogh Andrew Carroll Gavin Millea Eanna Torsney Brendan Berry Ciaran Keane Joseph Bankole Herkus Sviglinskas James Fenlon Luke Ponder Darragh O Connor Edward Connolly

Front Anthony McNulty Michael Doyle Ciaran Behan Conor Lawlor Sean Whelan David Millar Alan Murphy Mark Lavin Matthew Dunne Colm Walsh Jake Rooney