League Play-Off

Raferagh
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Aaden Cooney started the match with the kick off. Cappanagh Utd's Braonain Robinson proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 5th minute of the match, managed to save Cappanagh Utd from getting a goal against them. After 6 minutes, Branagain Ghee mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Cappanagh Utd and the Raferagh players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 9th minute the ball was on its way in behind Cappanagh Utd's goalkeeper Braonain Robinson, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 11th minute, Byrne Molloy hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. If Earnán Gillmour had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 12th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 15 minutes of play, Cappanagh Utd's Cacey Deery made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Baird McJohn was left in no man's land by his defense there! With his leg Braonain Robinson managed to avoid a goal in the 19thth minute, when Raferagh's Aaden Cooney fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Raferagh's Aaden Cooney got a good chance for a goal in the 21st minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. If Aaden Cooney had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 25th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Beckett Coyle recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 28th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Baird McJohn stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Beckett Coyle's shot from short distance in the 29th minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Aaden Cooney got free with Braonain Robinson in the 31st minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 34 minutes into the match, Raferagh's goal looked a bit too open when Beckett Coyle came free, but Baird McJohn reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of Cappanagh Utd booed when Raferagh was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 35 match minutes in a wonderful position. Aaden Cooney didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 38th match minute, Raferagh was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Earnán Gillmour to maneuver through the defense. The supporters of Raferagh booed when Cappanagh Utd was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 40 match minutes in a wonderful position. Brian Beckett didn't get a good kick on the ball. Raferagh's Baird McJohn played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Beothach McJohn in the 42nd minute of play. Raferagh were awarded a corner in the 45th minute after Cappanagh Utd's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Donegan Cronin took the corner. After having played for 48 minutes, Beothach McJohn managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Cappanagh Utd's supporters crossed their fingers, but Beothach McJohn was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 0-1 lead.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Beothach McJohn made a kick off. Finbar McNamara sent away a hard shot on goal in the 52nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Aaden Cooney hit a great freekick 54 minutes into the match. Through an outstanding action, after 60 minutes, Baird McJohn successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. Finbar McNamara fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 65th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Braonain Robinson having to interfere. Braonain Robinson showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Aaden Cooney, who was totally free with the ball in the 67th minute. The audience was convinced that Aaden Cooney's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Braonain Robinson was relentless in the 68th minute of the game. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Aaden Cooney in the 71st managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Braonain Robinson saved Cappanagh Utd from getting behind. 72 minutes into the match, Beckett Coyle had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Baird McJohn. Raferagh's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Beckett Coyle was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-2. Raferagh's Aaden Cooney got a good chance for a goal in the 82nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The audience thought a goal was coming when Cacey Deery got free with Baird McJohn in the 90th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 91 minutes into the match, Raferagh's Aaden Cooney sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Braonain Robinson narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The Raferagh manager could be seen shouting at his players as they walked down the tunnel after the match. He was clearly angry that they had squandered their superior possession, allowing Cappanagh Utd to win.