BOYS UNDER 12 LEAGUE SF: STRAND CELTIC 3 CLIFFONEY-GRANGE 2
Cliffoney

Our boys under 12 made history when they reached the league final after a thrilling extra time win over a superb Cliffoney-Grange side on Wednesday night last. It is a great achievement when you consider that ten of the fifteen player squad are all eligible next season.

The game was end to end all the way through and either side could have claimed the final place. Cliffoney opened the scoring when Alan Mc Laughlin broke clear and weaved around Oisin Conway for a superb finish. Strand got back into the game ten minutes later when Liam McElhinney finished at the back post after a great move involing Aaron O Boyle AND Cillian Egan.

The pace continued into the second half with both sides having chances. There were some great battles in the middle of the field with Alan McLaughlin, Shane McCallion and the excellent Shay Doherty battling for supremacy. Midway through the half a pass from Shay Doherty split the Cliffoney defence and Cillian Egan executed a superb finish with the outside of his foot to give Strand the lead. Strand continued to make chances but could not get that elusive third goal while Cliffoney were also dangerous on several occasions.

Then with time up a long ball gave Alan McLaughlin a chance and he needed no second invitation to finish and send the game into extra time. While it would have been easy for the Strand lads to have their heads down they bounced back and another great finish from outside the boax by Cillian Egan sent the strand boys into the final.

Both sides take great credit for a great game of youth football with some great individual performances and passion in the game. Well done to all the players and the management team of AJ Cogan, Stephen Conway and Seamus Gilligan.