Determined Minor A Footballers Take Home Round 2 Champo Win
August 01, 2020
Syls Minor A team took 2 points from Cuala on Wednesday In the second match of the group stages of the Championship, despite having to make the long mid-week trek across the city to Shanganagh Park. It was clear from the beginning that they only had one thing in mind and that was to bring back two points to Malahide.
From the beginning, Syls moved the ball through the channels at a ferocious pace which the opposition found difficult to handle in the early stages. James Cotter along with half forward line of Mick Shalloe, Cian Donnelly and Senan Hogan clocked up miles of ground on the night, while Ross Keogh gave an exhibition on free taking in the first half which Dean Rock would have been proud of.
Syls were unlucky to lose a player to a red card after twenty minutes which meant the team had to dig even deeper for a full forty minutes, which was no mean feat against the well drilled Cuala team. A well taken goal by Erik Jerkland before the break was particularly important.
Despite the extreme pressure in the second half Syls’ work rate was phenomenal, particularly by the full back line of Ciaran Mc Loughney, Mark Kavanagh and Cian Roche. The physical presence and strength of Sean Mulvey and all the half back line with the assistance of Jed Tormey and Dan O Leary at midfield made the night difficult for the opposition. The contribution of our subs in the second half, along with a clean sheet from Sean Downey, was crucial. The final straw in breaking Cuala down on the night was brilliant block by Kieran O’Donnell in the closing minutes, followed by a Keogh free slotted between the posts, from an almost impossible angle.
The work rate and team cohesion was very apparent on the night and Syls finished the night with a worthy 1 - 9 to 0 - 8 win. The final game in the group is on August 9th away to Ballymun Kickhams.