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You are > Home > Soccer: Spencer and Curry too hot to handle
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Friday, March 18, 2005
Soccer: Spencer and Curry too hot to handle
by: Adrian Flanagan
Permanent TSB Under 13 “A” League
VILLA 3, BALLINROAD 0
VILLA kept their chances of winning the under 13 A league alive with a fine performance and victory when defeating Ballinroad on Saturday morning last.
Played at a very windy Connors Park, the home side won by three goals to nil, with Robin Spencer and a brace from Stephen Curry scoring to give their side all three points.
The visitor’s worked very hard during the course of the game, but they found the home side just a little too hot to handle.
It was a case of teams at the opposite end of the table in action in this game, as the home side are near the top, but Ballinroad are really struggling at the foot of the league table.
But the home side had problems before the match even kicked off when goalkeeper Robert Breslin hurt his knee in the pre-match warm up and as a result, Villa manager Liam Connors played his centre forward Ciaran Donnelly between the sticks and brought in match winner Stephen Curry to play up front.
Ballinroad manager Don Shields had to plan without four regular players due to illness and other commitments and he had to call up a number of players from the clubs Under 12 side to make up a full squad.
The home side went into the contest in second place on the league table and desperate to catch the leaders Waterford Crystal, who are setting a hot pace at the top.
Ballinroad, on the other hand, required the points to try and get away from the lower regions of the table.
Following the 60 minutes of play it was the home side who went home happy, after collecting all of the points on offer.
Robin Spencer and Stephen Curry were the heroes as they netted the two goals and the opening goal, which, scored by Spencer, was without doubt one of the goals of the season.
The home side played against the strong breeze in the first half and they took the game to Ballinroad from the opening whistle.
They were awarded a free kick by referee John Keegan after just six minutes, which was taken by Tony O’Brien, from the left side of the park.
His well floated ball found Ian McCarthy at the back post but his volley hit the side netting.
Less than four minutes later, Tony O’Brien played the ball forward to Stephen Curry, who struck a low effort at the Ballinroad goal, but goalkeeper Conor Hickey got down swiftly to smother the ball. But it wasn’t long before Villa opened the scoring in brilliant fashion and it came after 15 minutes.
Eric Marsh played the ball square to Stephen Flynn, who in turn played it through to Robin Spencer and he ran 20 yards with the ball before unleashing a rocket of a shot to the net from 16 yards.
The ball flew into the roof of the net, past the helpless Conor Hickey. Ballinroad had a chance shortly afterwards when Cian O’Connell took a pass from Michael O’Halloran, but he was unable to keep his shot on target.
Aaron Molloy went off on a great run down the left wing after 22 minutes but his dangerous cross was cut out by the Ballinroad defender Diarmuid Henley.
Paul O’Brien then flicked the ball on to Stephen Curry but he shot went over from 20 yards range.
Robin Spencer almost scored for a second time just before the interval when the ball broke in the penalty area following a cross from Ian McCarthy but on this occasion he could not keep his shot down.
Playing with the advantage of the breeze in the second half, Villa continued to press forward although Ballinroad did try hard to mount some attacks of their own. Players such as David Morrissey, Shane O’Halloran and Shane O’Donovan tried hard up front for the visitors but it was at the other end that most of the action took place.
Robin Spencer played the ball out wide and right to Ian McCarthy early in the second half but his effort from an acute angle went over the crossbar.
McCarthy then crossed to the head of Spencer on 37 minutes, but the striker’s header was brilliantly saved by Conor Hickey. Stephen Curry, who scored the injury time winner against Hibernians some weeks ago, found the net for the first time in this game after 45 minutes.
Ian McCarthy won possession of the ball 35 yards from goal and he then played the ball through the Ballinroad defence to Curry, who raced into the penalty area before rounding the advancing goalkeeper and placing the ball into an empty net.
That goal knocked the confidence out of the brave visitors and it came as no surprise when Villa made the game as safe as houses on 52 minutes.
Tony O’Brien floated over a corner kick from the left to the far post and when the Ballinroad defence failed to deal with O’Brien’s flag kick, Stephen Curry took full advantage by tapping the ball to the net from close range.
The remaining six minutes saw Ballinroad trying to carve something out in the middle of the park, but when they did manage to get the ball forward the Villa defence was rock solid.
VILLA: Ciaran Donnelly, Kevin Kelly, Mark Gunning, Paul O’Brien, Stephen Flynn, Eric Marsh, Ian McCarthy, Tony O’Brien, Robin Spencer, Stephen Curry, Aaron Molloy, Jack O’Shea, Stephen Lynn, Wayne Robinson and Paul O’Brien.
BALLINROAD: Conor Hickey, Ronan Sheehan, Colm White, Owen Lavinne, Diarmuid Henley, Damien Dee, Cian O’Connell, David Morrissey, Shane O’Donovan, Michael O’Halloran, Nicky Dee. Danny Kiely, Michael Raher, Gearoid Morrissey.
REFEREE: John Keegan (Hibernians).
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