This was a game that had absolutely everything, great play, mistakes, goals, saves, penalty shouts and loads of excitement from start to finish. Having played each other recently in the National Cup when Park got the better of exchanges it was a given that Killorglin were going to turn up full of desire and determination to get the victory on their home patch.
The game started with Killorglin firmly on the front foot and in control in the early stages. It was taking some time for the Park lads to get their game going. For almost the first ten minutes Park were defending resolutely but really struggling to get the ball and when they did get the ball we weren’t holding onto it for long. Even though Killorglin had a lot of possession they weren’t creating too many clear chances. However, just as we seemed to have weathered the early storm the ball broke to a Killorglin player in the clear behind our defence and Liam in goals made a really great save to take the ball off his toe just as he was going to shoot.
Throughout this period of the game we did make a couple of surges up the field and it definitely looked like we would score goals if we got the ball often enough to our forwards. On one such occasion Cianan picked the ball up on the left wing and gave an early ball to Messiah who beat his man on the edge of the box and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to give the Park the lead. It may have been somewhat against the run of play but it signalled a period of the game where our lads were in control of proceedings. Our forwards were getting to see more of the ball and created another couple of chances, one a great move when Conor won the ball in the middle of the field, played it to Sean O’Connor who laid it wide to Colin Doody who then beat his man, put in a cross that was a whisker out of Messieh’s range.
Soon after we won a free near the half way line that was taken by Samuel and when the ball broke towards the end of the box to Colin, he controlled it onto his right foot and struck a great shot to the corner, giving the keeper no chance. 0-2 to the Park. We were now good value for the lead but the game was still a tight contest despite the scoreline and it was to get tighter when with very last action of the half we conceded to make the scoreline 1-2.
HT 1-2
It was a disappointing way to finish the first half but we always knew that there was plenty of football left to play. Killorglin again started really positively but Park were showing that with enough ball we were still a big treat up front. On one of these occasions, Colin picked the ball up on the half way line and took off on a long run down the line, beating a number of players before cutting the ball back to the edge of the six yard line to Messieh, who with his back to goal, swivelled and finished to make it 1-3.
From this point on Killorglin picked themselves up and put us under massive pressure for the last 20 minutes of an absorbing game. Their second goal wasn’t long in coming. We lost the ball on the left and the Killorglin player cut in from the right and unleashed a low shot to the bottom corner. 2-3. Our midfield, defence and goalkeeper were under intense pressure but were standing up to it really well. It did look like an equaliser was on the cards though and it came from a long free kick that bobbled around in our box before a Killoqglin player bundled it across the line.
The final ten minutes were hectic with so much going on its all a bit of a blur but our lads did great throwing their bodies on the line in front of shots and chasing everything down. And we nearly snatched it in the end when Messiah found himself one on one with the goalkeeper who got a touch on the ball which went agonisingly past the post. Eventually though the referee blew his final whistle to leave it all at 3-3.
This was a keenly contested match between two very good sides. Even though we led twice by 2 goals I think we will look back on this at the end of the season as a really important point. All 15 of the players that played for the Park were excellent in their attitude and gave everything for each other. Every one of them will learn from this game and will be much better players because of it.
Thanks to all the parents and supporters that cheered on the lads today, it is appreciated.
Squad: Liam Carmody, Jack Kearney, Kieran O’Connor, Sean O’Connell, Ben Hanafin, Samuel Aladesanusi, Conor Kerins, Sean O’Connor, David Feely, Danny Jeffers, Cianan Cooney, Messiah Chirwa, Colin Doody, Adam Wharton, Sean Hill
