Improving St John’s U-10s feature at Teconnaught Blitz

Sat 5th June 2004 East Down Blitz in Teconnaught

St John’s 0-01 v 1-03 Kilcoo
St John’s 1-02 v 3-03 Ardglass
St John’s 1-03 v 1-02 Bredagh
St John’s 2-00 v 1-02 Loughinisland
St John’s 0-04 v 3-03 Drumaness

The hard work we had done in training paid off in our second blitz as we played much better in each and every game and even bagged a couple of wins to boot.

St John’s 0-01 v 1-03 Kilcoo

The first half of our first game was a close affair as both sides settled to their tasks. Michael Keenan and Darren Morgan were strong and quick to the ball at the back; Conor Savage and Philip Brennan battled for every ball in the middle of the field, while Amy Doyle, Niamh Flanagan and Patrick O’Neill did everything to unsettle the Kilcoo rearguard.

Good combination play between the midfield and forwards created several chances; when one chance was blocked Kevin Keenan was on hand to open the scoring. Kilcoo pressed hard for an equalizer but were denied several times and forced into shooting a couple of wides before they got an equalizer just before the break. Kilcoo were the better team in the second period and added 1-02 to their total. Still the Johnnies defended well and created a few chances of their own and were unfortunate not to add to their score.

St John’s 1-02 v 3-03 Ardglass

This was a tough game against a physically big Ardglass team. St John’s were undaunted by their size and started brightly. Patrick Flynn and Patrick Keenan showed good handling skills in receiving passes and laying the ball off to colleagues. It was no surprise when Conor Gilmore found the back of the net for the first score of the game. However, Ardglass came to dominate the period though and scored 2-02 before the break. In the same period St John’s only managed one wide.

The second half was closer with both sides scoring twice. Ardglass hit the bar from a free and scored a point before St John’s replied with two points. Ardglass got another goal just before the finish despite the best efforts of John Girvan.

St John’s 1-03 v 1-02 Bredagh

At half time St John’s looked to be heading for their third successive defeat as they could only manage a solitary point from a Philip Brennan free while Bredagh managed 1-02. St John’s really came alive in the second period and managed 1-02 of the own without reply to give a well deserved victory. Good defending by Michael Keenan, Kathleen Milligan, Neil Savage and Conor Gilmore denied Bredagh a single shot during the second half.

Colm Kelly, Kevin Keenan and Conor Savage with the goal were the scorers. James Walsh, Nicole Noade, Jerome Gordon and Amy Doyle also played well in setting up the scores and also the chances that went wide while St John’s dominated the period.

St John’s 2-00 v 1-02 Loughinisland

Loughinisland were another big tall team, but St. John’s buoyed by their previous game were in no mood to be intimidated. St. John’s battled well all over the field and everyone deserves credit for their hard work and skill. Both sides swapped wides before St John’s were awarded a free. Philip Brennan’s shot crossed the goal line despite the efforts of Loughinisland defenders to clear the danger. The sides swapped wides again before Darren Morgan pulled of a great save to deny an equalizing goal. Proof that defending is as important as attacking! Michael Keenan, Colm Kelly and Philip Brennan marshalled the defence well and couldn’t be faulted for the one point that Loughinisland got before the break.

Loughinisland started the second period brightly with a goal and a point before St John’s had even mustered a single chance. St John’s won a 45 and worked the ball into Conor Savage who was brought down when through on goal. The referee signaled for a penalty. Philip Brennan stepped up and did the necessary to restore St John’s lead. St John’s defended their lead by continuing to attack and won a couple of 45s and shot a couple of wides, whilst Loughinisland could barely get the ball beyond the half-way line.

St John’s 0-04 v 3-03 Drumaness

St John’s went into their last game boosted by their two wins and the knowledge that they had beaten their fifth opponents, Drumaness, the week before. Pride goes before a fall! Drumaness played with great passion and were by far the better side in the first period. They shot wide twice before getting their first point. Kevin Keenan equalized before St John’s shot 2 wides themselves. Drumaness rallied again with a second point and a goal before St John’s attacked again. They fired efforts wides of the narrow goalposts. Drumaness added another goal and a point to give them a comfortable 2-03 to 0-1 lead at the break.

St John’s upped their work rate in the second period. The defense restricted Drumaness to a solitary point thanks largely to the work of Patrick and Michael Keenan, Conor Savage and Colm Kelly. At the other end St John’s pressed to close the gap with two points from the boot of Philip Brennan and one by Kevin Keenan. Four other efforts went wide, often as players shot from a distance rather than passing onto a better placed player.

St John’s Squad: Kathleen Milligan, Michael Keenan, Patrick Flynn, Patrick Keenan, Darren Morgan, Colm Kelly, Conor Savage, Philip Brennan, Conor Gilmore, Kevin Keenan, James Walsh, Patrick O’Neill, Amy Doyle, Niamh Flanagan, Neil Savage, Nicole Noade, Jerome Gordon.