Another step

Slashers u21s took another step forward on 23 Nov in Ballymahon against Mostrim/Séan Connollys/Ballymore to reach the u21 b Championship final. The game was torrid at times with the opposition well up for it but Slashers prevailed in the end. The game opened well with Slashers scoring quickly through alert forwards like Niall Kelly, Brian Walshe and Ruarí Clarke going well. A goal by Brian Walshe early in the game looked like settling the team but the amalgamation kept chasing and there was only a point in it at half time. Adrian Duffy, Liam Barry, Patrick Farrell , Shane O Connell and Shane Rodgers worked hard to ensure that scores were hard to get. Andrew Dalton (C) and Cian Kavanagh contested everything in mid-field and distributed good ball and won a lot of good breaks. Entering the 2nd quarter Andrew Dalton was tackled going through and taken out but the loose ball broke to Colm Farrell who buried the ball in the net. Séan Costelloe came on for Andrew Dalton as a blood sub and it was all shoulders to the wheel at that point. Cian Kavanagh was black carded which added to the pressure but the team stood tall. Ryan Mangan had to be called on for an injured Adrian Duffy. The last 10 mins were helter skelter but Slashers played sensible football and came out on top. Goals from Brian Walshe, Colm Farrell (2) Séan Clarke and Andrew Dalton steadied the ship. Daniel Doherty had an excellent game where his kick outs were always useful. On wards to a final next Sunday which is a really great way to cap the year playing right up to the end of November. Opposition will be a fancied Abbeylara so a great final is in store. Slashers have had a tough campaign to get to this point so the team will want to finish the job this week.

Team

Daniel Doherty, Adrian Duffy, Shane Rodgers, Séan Clarke, Shane O Connell, Patrick Farrell, Liam Barry, Andrew Dalton (C) Cian Kavanagh, Ruarí Clarke, Colm Farrell, Niall Kelly and Brian Walshe, Ryan Mangan, Sean Costelloe.