WEST MAYO CHAMPIONSHIP Under 14 Quarter Final CLG Acla 7-11 Kilmeena 4-03  After last week's Championship defeat, the U14 lads of Achill turned their attentions to the West Mayo Championship, which commenced this week for many clubs. This quarter-final outing saw the lads renew acquaintances with old adversaries Kilmeena, who have struggled to get the better of this Achill outfit in recent encounters. It was a depleted Achill side that faced up to Kilmeena this evening, Jack Kilbane cutting a lonely figure as he sat alone in the Achill dugout early on. Kilmeena appeared to have as many subs in their dugout as they had players on the pitch. Only time would tell whether this would influence the outcome of the game in any way. The first half was as entertaining a period of football as one could wish for from any age group. Achill opened the scoring with a point from Chris Dever, but this was quickly cancelled out by a Kilmeena goal. Achill did not panic however, keeping things ticking over with over-the-bar contributions from Colin Grealis and the point of the half, which came after a magnificent run from the Achill U14s' answer to Lee Keegan this evening - JP Lavelle. Pure class! Kilmeena then hit a purple patch, blasting 2 goals and a point home to take a 7 point lead. Achill chipped away at the hosts' lead, with Seán McNamara finding the net as the 25 minute mark approached. Chris Dever, not for the first time in this match, displayed great leadership, offloading to Michael Lavelle, who went down to Cork to go up Dublin, in his endeavours to land the ball in the back of the net, a stylish bicycle kick the final piece in this protracted assembly of a goal scene jigsaw. Achill were two points adrift as the teams retired for the break and faced an uphill battle as the second half beckoned. Whatever was said to the Achill lads at the break certainly had the desired effect, the second half not 20 seconds old when Cian Gallagher made it look very easy as he raised the green flag for Achill. This goal signalled the beginning of the Achill resurgence. as in that half they outscored Kilmeena 5-8 to 1-1. Kilmeena did not take things lying down and battled bravely in their attempts to keep Achill at bay. Their task was mammoth however, with Eóin Murphy, Conor English and Fionn Ó Mongáin running the show at midfield and beyond, together with Thomas McNamara, Ciarán Callaghan and a newly introduced Jack Kilbane who were like the Berlin Wall in front of the Achill goal. Between them they left very little to do for Tomás Gallagher who ably deputised for regular 'keeper John McGinty this evening. James O'Hara and Colin Grealis added further goals and points between them for Achill, to see the lads comfortably progress to the West Mayo semi-final, the date of which has not been made known yet. Maith sibh a bhuachaillí! CLG Acla: Tomás Gallagher, Thomas McNamara, Ciarán Callaghan, JP Lavelle (0-1), Seán Lively McNamara (3-4), Conor English, Eóin Murphy, Fionn Ó Mongáin, Colin Grealis (0-4), Michael Lavelle (2-0), James O'Hara (1-1), Cian Gallagher (1-0), Chris Dever (0-1). Sub: Jack Kilbane for Cian Gallagher. |
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