JOSHUA BRADLEY’S 23rd minute goal gave the Donegal Schoolboys Under-13 team a narrow win over Sligo/Leitrim this afternoon in the SFAI Inter-League competition.
Donegal Schoolboys Under-13s 1 Sligo/Leitrim Schoolboys Under-13s 0
At the nicely-titled ‘New Camp’ complex, the home of Curragh Athletic, in Killygordon, Bradley pounced for a goal that proved to be the winner on a day when Gerry Crossan’s team had to hold on for dear life in the closing stages.
Donegal made life difficult for themselves in stages of the game. It was far from straightforward, but the hosts did have the edge on things and were deserving victors.
The winner arrived in rather fortunate circumstances, though.
Daniel Gildea sent in a powerful low cross from the right-hand side that Ronan Flynn, the Sligo/Leitrim goalkeeper, didn’t deal with. The ball squirmed beneath the unfortunate netminder. Bradley and Blake McGarvey lurked intently in the box and it was Bradley who forced over the line.
McGarvey had the game’s first chance when he just couldn’t get his angles lined up right having connected to a Gildea cross in the seventh minute.
From another Gildea cross, Bradley whistled a tidy volley narrowly over as Donegal began to assert some control on the game.
But they didn’t have it all their own way and Sligo/Leitrim will have felt they should have taken the lead before Bradley’s strike.
Sean McAteer sent Luke Casserly clear, but he rolled just wide while a flicked header from John Heraghty flew past the far post.
Just before the blow of the half-time whistle, Sligo/Leitrim fashioned a great chance but, after Casserly wormed past Patrick McGarvey, the Donegal ‘keeper, the rearguard cleared the lines.
The second half was a cagey affair and Donegal had to be dogged at times, but there were still moments when they showed flashes of their talents.
McGarvey, with a cool, curling attempt with his left boot from just inside the penalty box, forced a strong two-handed save from Flynn.
Adam Murphy went close with an attempt from distance that just didn’t curl at the right moment before Sligo laid siege in an attempt to salvage something, only for McGarvey and company to stand tall and hold firm.
Donegal Schoolboys Under-13s: Patrick McGarvey; Finnian Coyle, Conor McDaid, Ultan O’Grady, Shane Black; Daniel Gildea, Joel Gorman (Adam Murphy ’53), Rory Pyper, Blake McGarvey; Adam Murphy (Adam Yisea ’39), Joshua Bradley (Josh McCullagh ‘60).
Sligo/Leitrim Schoolboys Under-13s: Ronan Flynn; Dylan Walsh, Peter Maguire, Paul Mahon, Caolan Hunt; Luke Casserly (Kenneth Ogun ’43), Canice Mulligan, Kailan Baslow, John Heraghty (Josh Mulrennan ’22); John Kenny, Sean McAteer.
Referee: Liam McLaughlin.
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