Block tackle: Southend's Kealon Cassidy attempts to prevent a cross from Waterford Crystal's Johnny Makubu with Daniel Ryan also in shot. | Photos: Noel Browne
This Under-13 ‘B’ League game produced some fine passages of play from both sides on Saturday last at the Crystal Complex. The home side needed to win to try and remain in touch with the teams above them and they had to fight hard to get the required result. They led 2-0 at half-time but the visitors did put them under pressure in the second period, but all told the result was perhaps the correct one.
The home side took the lead after less than three minutes when an attack down the left channel by Daniel Ryan resulted in a corner kick and when Eric Crowley floated the ball across Chris McDonagh got on the end of it at the back post to head home from close range.
It was a dream start for Crystal but they almost lost their advantage on 17 minutes when goalkeeper Jamie Roche saved well from Shane Coady.
Things got even better for the victors on 23 minutes when they doubled their lead and it came from another corner kick. It was Crowley again that whipped over the ball, this time from the right, and when Daniel Ryan saw his header blocked into the path of midfielder Conor Rochford Frisby, who blasted an unstoppable right-footed shot past helpless Southend netminder Jack Walsh.
Andy McDonagh had a glorious chance to extend his side’s advantage less than two minutes later when he raced onto an excellent ball over the top from Daniel Ryan but the nippy centre forward was denied brilliantly by goalkeeper Walsh before Tommy O’Loughlin fired the rebound inches wide.
With the Crystal defence looking very comfortable during the opening half, the visitors did have one other half-chance before referee Darrin Taylor blew the half-time whistle.
See The Munster Express newspaper for full story.
