Bohemians 1; Freebooters 2
Bohemians made their exit from the SFAI Under 15 Cup on Saturday afternoon last. They did take an early lead but as the rain fell and the underfoot conditions got worse their efforts became a little laboured and then a last minute chance to take the game into extra time was not taken.
This is a talented Bohs team, but that said so are the team from Kilkenny. For a number of years the Marble City have been producing some fine schoolboy outfits and Freebooters are without doubt a side to keep an eye out for this season.
Quick goal
Constant rain fell throughout the contest made conditions nearly impossible but credit these two sides as they as they gave it their all and it was a tough defeat for the home side as they tried their very best during the eighty minutes.
There was no doubting that the home side got off to the perfect start and within five minutes and with their first attack, they took the lead when a Ryan Foley left-wing corner was met at the back post by Kevin Barry, who headed across goal and Paul Whyte was on hand to head home from close range.
However, less than sixty seconds later, the visitors could have been back on level terms when a sweeping move down the left saw Gary McDonald turn provider for Murty Broaders and the youngster, who caused a number of problems during the course of the tie, fired a left-footed wide.
Michael Orpen had two decent efforts to increase Bohemians lead firstly on nine minutes when he was just off target with a right-footed effort and shortly afterwards, he got free on the edge but flashed a left-footed shot just inches wide.
Broaders was a player that the home side knew that they had to look out for and when he picked out Chris Valentine on 14 minutes, the latter took the wrong option when turning onto his right-foot and Josh Byrne saved well.
The Bohemians keeper did very well to deny the Freebooters dangerman less than three minutes later when Broaders raced onto a Conor Gorey pass but Byrne was equal to the task.
Dean Hayes did superbly well on 30 minutes when he raced down the right-wing before getting his cross in for James Connolly and the centre midfielder couldn’t direct his effort on target before Orpen was superbly denied by the impressive Freebooters goalkeeper Killian Buckley two minutes later.
Paul Whyte flicked a pass into the path of the youngster, however Buckley did brilliantly when denying the midfielder with his feet and in the final minute of the half, Bohemians defender Colm Morris proved too be the hero when Kevin Ireland got his head on the end of a Gary McDonald corner kick but Morris cleared the ball off the line.
Broaders winner
As the rain came down in bucket loads during the half time break, it made conditions near impossible and the visitors got the vital equaliser that they were looking for just four minutes into the second half.
But in truth, the home side would have been very disappointed with their defending from the corner as Chris Valentine was left unmarked in the area and he had the easy thing in heading a Conor Gorey corner past Josh Byrne.
When Ryan Foley did well down the right on 55 minutes, it gave James Connolly the chance to have a strike on goal but again Killian Buckley, who did superbly well throughout, got down well to deny the midfielder.
Freebooters rocked the home side on 67 minutes when they took the lead and scored what proved to be the winner when they were awarded a free kick by referee Tony Walsh and up stepped Murty Broaders and he drilled the ball to the corner and past the despairing dive of keeper Josh Byrne.
With just two minutes remaining, Conor Morrissey played the perfect pass for Michael Orpen and he just couldn’t miss but somehow he did as he only managed to fire a left-footed close range effort the wrong side of the posts.
It was the final chance of a gripping and entertaining affair played in the most horrible weather conditions and on that note, credit to referee Tony Walsh, who did a superb job on the game, which added to the enjoyment of the cup clash.
Bohemians: Josh Byrne, Dean Hayes, Colm Morris, Adam Heaslip, Kevin Barry, James Connolly, Ryan Foley, Conor Morrissey,Paul Whyte, Graham Robinson, Michael Orpen, Iniko Tejada, Luke Browne, Jamie Sage and Chris Kervick.
Freebooters: Killian Buckley, Jack Deegan, Aidan Nolan, Ollie Walsh, Gary Gaule, Conor Maharja, Gary McDonald, Kevin Ireland, Conor Gorey, Chris Valentine, Murty Broaders, Conor Greene, Kieran Lynch, Stephen Chopper and Keith Ruth.
Referee: Tony Walsh
