Rearcross Youths 4 - Noreside Celtic Youths 3

Rearcross Youths turned in a fine performance against Noreside Celtic to recover a 3-1 deficit and win out in the end by the odd goal in seven in this Youths League game played under lights at Rearcross FC Grounds. The damp conditions didn't detract from this game as both teams played an attacking brand of football from the kick off, Rearcross came close on eight minutes when Kieran Devitt shot over from a Michael O'Gorman pass. Rearcross were enjoying the better of the early exchanges and Michael O'Gorman poked the ball just outside the Noreside upright five minutes later. Noreside took an unlikely lead in the fourteenth minute when Joe Maher got in on the left to finish the ball to the net from close range. Rearcross lost their way after this setback and went further behind on the twenty minute mark when Michael John Carroll forced his way through to slip the ball to the corner of the net with the home side's call for an offside going unheard. Rearcross picked it up after this and Shane Lenihan did well on the right to find Brendan Shanhan who was unlucky not to find the target. Rearcross were back in the game with thirteen minutes remaining in the half when Kieran Devitt collected the ball on the edge of the area and drilled a rasping effort that ricocheted off the inside of the upright and in to the back of the net. The lead was short lived however as Noreside broke on a counter attack a minute later and Anthony Lyons was first to react to bundle the ball over the line after a long range effort had rebounded off the crossbar. Rearcross didn't throw in the towel and Michael O'Gorman forced a smashing save out of the Noreside Celtic keeper five minutes before the break. This was followed two minutes later by a snap shot from Greg Kennedy that pulled to the right of the upright. The last action of the half saw Rearcross keeper Bobby Carroll advance of his line to making a crunching save at the edge of the area.
Rearcross signalled their intent from the start of the second half and Michael O'Gorman shot just wide after two minutes of play, Luke Keeshan then denied Michael O'Gorman again with a block from close range. The woodwork thwarted Rearcross on 53 minutes when Shane Lenihan's effort came off the upright following good work by Tommy Kennedy. Rearcross brought it back to the minimum in the 59th minute when Mark Hogan's free kick broke to Kieran Devitt who was well positioned to knock the ball to the corner of the net for his second of the evening. Rearcross were well on top at this stage and drew level on 65 minutes when Tommy Kennedy was the provider to Michael O'Gorman who finished with aplomb from an acute angle. Rearcross took a dramatic lead a minute later with a superb twenty five yard free kick effort from Michael O'Gorman that left the visiting custodian with no chance. Rearcross kept the pressure on and Shane Lenihan's effort was tipped on to the crossbar nine minutes from time. Shane Lenihan kept plugging and was unlucky two minutes later when the visiting keeper advanced to make the save. A dramatic end to an exciting encounter saw a good effort from the visitors clip the upright as the home side breathed a sigh of relief. Shane Lenihan was again involved in the final attack of the game when a darting run on the right saw the striker upended in the box. A luckless outing for Shane Lenihan saw the resulting penalty pull just left of the upright, however it mattered little as Rearcross had already done enough to secure a much deserved win in what was a promising performance from the home side.

Rearcross Youths: Bobby Carroll, Harry Williams, Cormac Nolan, Mark Hogan, Colm Nolan, Greg Kennedy, Kieran Devitt, Shane Lenihan, William Horrigan, Michael O'Gorman, Brendan Shanahan
Subs: Sean Hickey, James Deegan, Dave Carroll, Micheál McLoughlin, Tommy Kennedy

Noreside Celtic Youths: Luke Keeshan, Anthony Lyons, Ricky Buckley, Damien Hogan, Pa Ryan, Frankie Kennedy, Proinsías Matthews, Stevie Russell, Joe Maher, Michael John Carroll, Bobby Bergin
Subs: JP Kennedy

Referee: Jimmy McCarthy