U14 Match Report – Shamrock Rovers 2 Cabinteely FC 0
In difficult playing continues, and despite a brave effort, Cabinteely’s season came to an end tonight as they bowed out of the U14 EA Sports National Underage Elite phase at the Quarter Final stage.
Playing against a strong breeze, the visitors defended well in a tight opening period at a windy Roadstone this evening.
But an early goal in the second period coupled with another score on the hour mark saw Shamrock Rovers advance to the final four.
With the aid of the wind, Rovers started well. After a corner in the just the second minute, the ball was scrambled off the Cabo line. Then from another flag-kick seconds later, the ball has hacked clear just before the goal-line.
David Winkler saved well from Ike Ozari on 13 minutes before home defender Conor Lougheed flashed a shot wide four minutes later.
Winkler thwarted Lougheed on 34 before the visitors had their first real opportunity in the 38th minute. In a break from the right-wing, Rhys Knight found Leon O’Sullivan whose 25-yard effort was superbly tipped out for a corner by Jack Ellis.
Fireworks from a nearby housing estate greeted the start of the second half. And it was home side who grabbed the vital breakthrough in the 45th minute.
Ozari showed good close control in the box to tee up Darragh Marshall who blasted to the net first time right-footed from 15-yards.
Cabo hit back six minutes later when right-full back Jack O’Brien shot over after being set-up by O’Sullivan. Then on the hour, after an interception, Eric Schütte’s shot from the edge of the box took a deflection and took the sting out of the attempt as Ellis gathered.
Straight away at the other end, Rovers made it 2-0 when substitute Eoin Keane finished to the net from close range.
To their credit, Cabo never gave up and tried everything to get back into the match.
With ten minutes to go, Schütte’s corner wasn’t dealt with. The loose ball fell to sub Jorge Nash but he didn’t get a great connection with Ellis saving.
Then in the 79th minute, Dylan Bourke and Knight combined to find Schütte. His strike from 22-yards crashed back off the crossbar before being cleared for a corner. Knight took the dead-ball deep. Ross Young got in a header that was cleared off the line by covering Rovers player.
