FÈILE HOPES ON TRACK...
Two fine performances by our u14s tonight see O'Loughlin Gaels advance to the final stages of this years Paddy Grace u14 Féile scheduled for Sunday next with the eventual winners the opportunity to represent their club in the at the 2015 Regional FÈILE Finals. They played out two qualifier games tonight in St.Kierans College against stiff opposition in Lisdowney and Dicksboro GAA. Lisdowney were first up and although the game started well with a well taken Mikey Wallace goal that was the only goal our boys were going to get against a good defence and an excellent Lisdowney keeper. But the hurling guile of Conor Kelly ensured that the points kept coming for O'Loughlins...Conor throwing over 7 of his own with the powerful Ethan Kerwick (5), Jack Sheridan and Mikey Wallace (1 each)..accounting for the rest. Lisdowney did attack too but strong performances from Harry Bland, Mathew Hogan and Peter McNamara stifled any worthwhile attack. Two goal chances too were well stopped by the alert goalkeeping of Ronan Lavelle.
The second game became the group decider as Dicksboro had by now disposed of Lisdowney's challenge. The game started off with both teams showing no quarter and it took almost 5 mins for either team to register the first score. It came from a ground stroke from from the bas of Conor Kelly's hurl as the 'boro keeper failed to deal with a high ball. That seemed to give Conor the appetite for more as he bagged himself 2 more before the game was out - both assisted by the nimble Jack Sheridan. Jack helped himself to a point of his own, as did centre back Jamie Young who was outstanding all evening. Mathew Hogan's work rate tonight earned him a contender for player of the match, with Niall Higgins, Jake Hickey, Peter McNamara and Declan Coffey all putting in solid games. Dicksboro rarely threatened the O'Loughlins goal in what was a dominant performance by our boys. Mikey Wallace can be accredited too to one of the more unusual goals ever scored on the St. Kierans pitches...a deflection from the 'boro keeper headed to the net!!…..Like the rest of the St. Johns contingent present, Mikey 'Ronaldo' Wallace is looking forward to the weekend.