Sunday 25th February
TSDL Premier Division League Peake Villa 9-0 Glengoole Utd
Scorers: Frank Mckevitt (3) Pippy Carroll (3) Mikey Nally (1) Keith Cahill (1) Jody Harkin (1)
Villa entertained Glengoole United at the Tower Grounds Sunday morning. Conditions for the game were crisp and sunny with a slight breeze that the home side had in the first half. Villa were quick out of the traps, playing some good passing football. Villa took the lead in the 6th minute when Willie Tierney in the Villa goal cleared the ball that went right over the Glengoole defence, who were playing a high line and Frank McKevitt ran on to it and tucked it under the oncoming Glengoole Utd goalie. 1-0. Villa had their tails up now and should have made it 2-0 on 16 minutes when another clearance from Tierney again bet the Glengoole defence and McKevitt could only shoot straight into the keeper’s hands. Villa did go 2-0 ahead when again Tierney provided another telling ball over the top on 18 minutes that fell to Pippy Carroll who lobbed the keeper. Two assists for Tierney in the Villa goal. Mikey Nally made it 3-0 in the 22nd minute with a fine strike from the edge of the box. Villa went 4-0 ahead with a great move. Nally got on the ball in midfield and made a great cross field ball to Mikey Wade who shot across the box and it was tapped in by McKevitt. McKevitt secured his hat-trick in the 38th minute when he was first to react to a goal mouth scramble to make it 5-0 at Half-time.
With the contest over at half time Villa could express themselves on the pitch and were able to do so with some excellent passages of play. Villa went 6-0 ahead in the 62nd minute when McKevitt played in Keith Cahill who made no mistake shooting to the bottom corner. Villa were in cruise control now and well on top all over the field playing some neat football. Villa went 7-0 ahead in the 64th minute when Carroll got his 2nd of the day striking just inside the box to the top corner. Carroll secured his hat-trick in the 67th minute when again Mikey Wade turned provider cutting back from the end line into the path of Carroll who made no mistake, 8-0 Villa. Jody Harkin finished off the scoring for Villa in the 86th minute shooting low from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. Very hard to pick a man of the match with Villa dominant all over the field and clinical with their finishing in front of goal. A very good team and squad performance. Full-time Peake Villa 9 Glengoole Utd 0.
TSSDL Girls u18 Premier League Killenaule Moyglass 2-0 Peake Villa
This match was played on a cold but dry Sunday morning in Killenaule and it was the best performance so far this season by the Villa u18 girls squad. Killenaule knew they had a game on their hands when Villa combined well from the middle of the field with Carla Rodriguez and Eva Noonan combining to set-up Chloe Cummins for a shot on goal that was excellently saved by the Killenaule keeper. Both sets of girls were giving their all and 20 minutes into the first half, Killenaule scored when Villa failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Emer Cleary who made no mistake from 3 yards out. The Villa girls responded well and created a number of chances with Lillan Murray and Ciara Mulcaire both getting close, Latisha Creamer and Carla combined well with a great one two moves, but the final pass was hit to hard and was cleared by the Killenaule centre-back. Villa’s defence of Ellie Maher, Rebecca Birmingham-Jordan and Sinead Campion were not giving the Killenaule attack any room to move and Sophie Long, Villa’s keeper was in the right position to gather safely in her hands any shots on goal. Half-time 0-1.
In the second half Villa had the wind at their backs and played some great passing football down both wings with Lillian Murray and Eva Noonan getting in some great crosses across the box, but the front two of Chloe Cummins and Ciara Mulcaire could not get pass Alice in the Killenaule goal. Villa were unlucky not to score when Emma McCormack (sub for Sinead) broke down the left side, passed to Eva who hit a first-time ball over the Killenaule defence, but Ciara just narrowly failed to get a touch on the ball which was cleared by the out rushing Killenaule keeper. A few minutes later a quick corner by Ciara to Ellie who hit a great first-time cross into the box was met by Carla on the six-yard box, but her shot was straight at the keeper. Villa were hit by a sucker punch with 10 minutes left to go, when a clearance from defence hit the back of a Killenaule girl onto the path of Emer the Killenaule striker who finished a low hard shot into the left corner, 0-2 to Killenaule. The Villa girls kept trying to get that elusive score and Ciara was unlucky when she rounded the keeper only to see her shot cleared off the line by the back-rushing Killenaule defender to deny Villa. Villa had one last chance from the corner but the shot on goal was well saved once again by Alice. Full-Time 0-2. This was an excellent performance by the improving squad, who gave their all on a cold Sunday morning.
Saturday 24th February
TSSDL u15 Premier Peake Villa u15A 3-2 St. Kevin's A
Scorers: Danny Treacy (1) Liam McCormack (1) Cathal McElgunn (1)
Our U15A's moved one step closer to the League title with a hard fought win against local rivals St. Kevin's. The first half was mostly Villa but they couldn't breakdown a stubborn St.Kevin's defence despite having most of the play in the first half and coming close on several occasions from Liam McCormack, Cathal Mcelgunn, Tony Galvin and Shane Turner to name a few. St. Kevin's were resolute in defence and could have actually took the lead when they did venture forward hitting the Villa post. 0-0 Half-time.
Villa finally broke down the stubborn St. Kevin's defence 10 minutes into the 2nd half when Danny Treacy put Villa 1-0 ahead. The game started to open up now and Kevin's made it 1-1 fifteen minutes into the half with a fine strike. Villa despite not playing at their best went 2-1 ahead 25 minutes into the half when in form Liam McCormack scored. They couldn't shake off the visitors though and with 8 minutes to go Kevin's scored again to make it 2-2. It looked like Villa were going to have to settle for a draw but they wanted all 3 points and got them when Tom Reilly's strike was spilled by the keeper and Cathal McElgunn was on hand to score the winner with 2 minutes to play. Far from a good performance from the boy's but they stuck at it until the very end and grinded out the result.
We look forward now to Wednesday's U15 SFAI Cup Quarter final draw with anticipation.
TSSDL u15 Championship Peake Villa u15B won 2-1 v Moyglass United A
Scorers: Jekabs Rusins (1) Sean Fogarty (1)
Villa travelled to Moyglass for the final day of the league on Saturday. In horrendous playing conditions both teams acquitted themselves well and an exciting game ensued. Villa started the brighter, keeping possession well and creating a number of chances down the left side through Brandon Mills and Oskar. However, as the chances came and went Moyglass gained a foothold and despite some composed defending by Aaron Hickey and Dylan Nevin, Moyglass took the lead from a long-range shot. Half-time 1-0 Moyglass.
In the second half Villa created a number of chances and within minutes of the restart Jacobs sailed down the wing and cut inside to drill the ball into the bottom corner. Villa took control from then on with Corey Moore breaking up any Moyglass forward play. Mid-way through the second half Villa were rewarded for their dominance when Sean Fogarty stepped up to rifle a free kick into the top corner and snatch the lead. Moyglass never recovered and in the end the boys ran out comfortable 2-1 winners. A great end to the league campaign for the Villa.
TSSDL u13 Championship Peake Villa u13A lost 1-2 v Clonmel Celtic A
Scorer: Cian Cleary (1)
Peake Villa started this game with 5 regulars missing so this was going to be a hard day, but credit to the players who fought hard to keep the score line tight. Clonmel Celtic led 1 nil at half time and scored their second with 10 minutes to go. Villa threw caution to the wind and scored with 5 minutes to go through Cian Cleary. Villa kept pressing but to no avail. Final Score 1-2 to Clonmel Celtic who deserved their win.
TSSDL u13 Division 1 Peake Villa u13B lost 1-4 v Bansha Celtic B
Scorer: Sam Cooney-Shorley (1)