League

Illanbaun
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Blathmac Deans got the match started through his kick off. In the 3rd minute Geoffrey McBrand shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gehan McLian saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Arthur Lester received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 5th minute. Barra Willson tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 7 minutes of play, Abbeyleix Utd's Geary Gallagher made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Barra Willson was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 14th match minute, Illanbaun was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Bil Gallagher to maneuver through the defense. After a defensive mix-up in Illanbaun's zone, Geary Gallagher stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Barra Willson came out of the goal and Geary Gallagher tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Barra Willson made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Arthur Lester in the 23rd minute of play. Geoffrey McBrand took the ball and in the 26 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Gehan McLian. Gehan McLian dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-1. Rourke Costello kicked well hit freekick during the 28th minute of the match. Tyrone Cooney's late challenge caught a Abbeyleix Utd's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tyrone Cooney helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Illanbaun getting a freekick after 35 minutes play. Tyrone Cooney hit a great ball. Barra Willson made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Geary Gallagher in the 38th minute of play. Bedilia Taylor sent away a hard shot on goal in the 43rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience was convinced that Geoffrey McBrand's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Gehan McLian was relentless in the 45th minute of the game. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Geoffrey McBrand was the one to do the kick off. Bedilia Taylor received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 51st minute. Gehan McLian tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Bil Gallagher charged in rather forcefully in the 59th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Bil Gallagher the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 59 played minutes Illanbaun got a freekick which was hit by Bil Gallagher. In the 60th match minute, Illanbaun was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Bil Gallagher to maneuver through the defense. When Geoffrey McBrand came up free with the goalie in the 63rd minute, the Illanbaun fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Geoffrey McBrand couldn't finish the play. Illanbaun's Barra Willson proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 72nd minute of the match, managed to save Illanbaun from getting a goal against them. Abbeyleix Utd's Gehan McLian played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Geoffrey McBrand in the 75th minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in Abbeyleix Utd's zone, Geoffrey McBrand stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Gehan McLian came out of the goal and Geoffrey McBrand tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Rourke Costello hit a great freekick 81 minutes into the match. Geary Gallagher scored 1-2 in the 89th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Barra Willson, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. In the 94th minute, Brandan McOliver hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. When Brede Holt came up free with the goalie in the 96th minute, the Abbeyleix Utd fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Brede Holt couldn't finish the play. Abbeyleix Utd's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.