Stradbally and Emo Rangers share the points in league opener

A youthful Stradbally second team kicked off their season with the short trip to Emo on Sunday morning and a most entertaining game was watched by a good crowd despite the rain.

Emo FC 3-3 Stradbally Town B

Stradbally took an early lead when Liam Clancy fired home a good strike on 13 minutes. The away side were 2-0 up on 23 minutes when Charlie O’Brien struck the sweetest of free-kicks to the top corner of the Emo Net from all of 22 yards and this has his side in the driving seat for the remainder of the half leaving it 0-2 at HT.

Emo were always going to come out fighting in the second half and pulled a goal back on 53 minutes. The home side had a bit of a purple patch then but Stradbally defended well and even went 3-1 ahead on 65 minutes when substitute Aaron Foley headed home a superb Blake Kemmy cross from close range for a goal on his senior debut.

Once again Emo came back and pulled another goal back on 79 minutes ensuring a frantic last 10 minutes. The away side thought they had weathered the storm but as the game entered stoppage time a ball floated into the back post was headed home, Stradbally were sure an offside decision was coming with a number of Emo attackers looking a couple of yards off but the goal stood leaving a share of the spoils at the end.

Stradbally will be a little disappointed having been ahead throughout but will be delighted with their work rate and football they played in this game which also seen a number of youth players debut and play senior level football for the first time.

Richie Carolan, Colm Clancy, Liam Clancy and John Hayden stood out for the men in green.

Team: DJ Byrne, Colm Clancy, Richard Carolan, John Hayden, Tristan Kelly, Blake Kenny, Liam Clancy, Charlie O’Brien, Jack Langton, Jake Byrne and Colm Fitzpatrick. SUBS- Mickey Harrison for DJ Byrne, Conor Kavanagh for Kelly, Aaron Foley for Fitzpatrick, Noah Delaney for Langton. Gavin Langton, Mark Gannon and Dan Bowe.