Portlaoise AFC through to next round of LFA Youth Cup while U-14 Girls team defeated on the road

LFA Youth Cup 

Portlaoise 6-0 Ashford Rovers 

The Wicklow mountains was the venue for this LFA Youth Cup clash. Horrendous conditions greeted the teams as the torrential rain was blown sideways across the pitch by a gale force wind. The referee reluctantly decided to play the game to the relief of Portlaoise who'd travelled 75 miles for the match.

The first 20 minutes were scrappy with neither team creating any clear cut chances. The weather making any chance of playing nice football an impossibility. 

Portlaoise began to make their physical presence felt. They opened the scoring on the half hour when an Oskar Polawski shot from outside the box was too hot for the keeper to handle. They doubled the lead within 2 minutes when Aaron Keane sent an unstoppable piledriver to the far top corner from 25 yards, an unbelievable strike.

Craig O Loughlin made it 3 before the half with a lovely right footed finish to the bottom corner after great work down the right wing by Polawski. Portlaoise went in three up at the break but knew they were in for a tough second half with the wind in their faces.

Ashford came put quickly at the start of the second half with a couple of free kicks causing concern for the away team. Tierney in the Portlaoise goal was excellent with his handling to take the pressure off. Duffin and McEvoy were snuffing out and attacks with well timed interceptions and tackles. O'Sullivan and Hill were dominant in midfield taking away any hope for the home team.

Portlaoise added a fourth when a good move down the left found Horoszko in space. He slid the ball across the box for Polawski to slot the ball home brilliantly for his second of the game. Oisin scored an unbelievable fifth beating 4 or 5 defenders then rolling the ball nonchalantly into the net,fantastic goal. Horoszko made it 6 soon after when he got the goal he craved and his game deserved slipping the ball under the onrushing keeper with great precision. 

Tomass Golubovskis came close on a couple of occasions and Callum Conroy was unlucky to see his shot go wide after a lovely ball by Danny Farrell. The game finished with Portlaoise 6 to the good,maybe an unfair reflection of Ashfords efforts throughout the game. Portlaoise had excellent performances all over the pitch,the defence was superb,midfield totally dominant and the strikers always dangerous.

Oisin Lalor and Cian Hill were just pipped to man of the match by Oskar Polawski whose 2 goals,work rate and all round game were excellent from start to finish. 

Portlaoise: Cathal Tierney, Oran McEvoy, Eoin Duffin, Aaron Keane, Danny Farrell, Craig O Loughlin, Jack O Sullivan, Cian Hill, Oisin Lalor, Kacper Horoszko, Oskar Polawski, Tomass Golubovskis, Callum Conroy. 

Under 14 Girls League

Hodson Bay Celtic 1-0 Portlaoise AFC 

A new look PAFC U14 Team took to the pitch in Hodson Bay for their first league game of the season, with some girls having moved on and some new team members joining the squad. Three competitive debuts were in store for Roisin Devoy, Kirsten Gannon and Demi Byrne on the day. 

Captain Leah Gibbons lined up in goals looking to be protected by a back four made up of Clodagh Booth, Roisin Devoy, Sarah Vosintar and Katya Buckova. 

Portlaoise started the match playing into the breeze which meant they would have to be on guard right from the kick off.  Both teams settled in, but Hodson Bay edged things in the opening ten minutes as PAFC looked like a team playing their first game of the season. A good attack down the left side of the Portlaoise defence resulted and an excellent ball sent across the goal, but no Hodson Bay player was able to get on the end of it.   

Portlaoise were battling hard and working their way into the game. Where Hodson Bay had the better of things in midfield for the opening ten minutes Moya Ramsbottom and Hannah Scully slowly began to get the upper hand.  Portlaoise started to mount some attacks and getting some more ball into Aoibhe Gina and Faye Cleland.  It was Cleland who looked to open the scoring with a shot from inside the box, but the keeper was able to deal with it. 

It took 25 minutes for Portlaoise to create their best chance of the half. An excellent passing move down the left hand side, with a number of players linking up well.  Aoibhe Ging and Faye Cleland worked to get a cross to the back post. Demi Byrne took a touch at the back post, but her shot just slipped past the post and hit the side netting. 

Portlaoise started to work some opportunities down their right flank with Sarah Mousley on the wing and Clodagh Booth being given free reign to get forward from full back.  The Portlaoise attacks brought a couple of well worked corner kicks, but they were unable to create a clear shooting chance. 

Unfortunately, a Hodson Bay attack down the other resulted in a corner kick, despite the shouts of “Offside” from the Portlaoise coaching staff.  Hodson Bay took the corner short and worked into the near post.  A hesitation in defence allowed an attacker to square the ball across the 6-yard box for a simple tap in. 

The goal was against the run of play, gave Hodson Bay a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. With Kirsten Gannon now playing on the wing Portlaoise immediately looked to bounce back, but were unable to create any clear cut chances before half time.  Aoibhe Ging and Faye Cleland both looked like they had broken through on a couple of occasions, but well time tackles and hard work from the Hodson Bay defence kept them out. 

Portlaoise took to the pitch for the second half with the wind in their backs.  However, like the first half, it took PAFC about 10 minutes to settle down after a very scrappy start to the half.  But, like the first half they started to work their way into the game with tireless work from the midfield four. 

Hodson Bay still posed a threat going forward and when attempting to tidy up one attack Leah Gibbons picked up the loose ball only for a indirect free kick to be given in the penalty box.  The Portlaoise line could only form on the goal line, so it was a great opportunity for Hodson Bay.  The Portlaoise girls rush the attackers as soon as the first touch was taken and manged to force the shot high onto the cross bar.  The ball rebounded into play and was scrambled clear. 

The second half was stop start with a couple of long injury delays which were luckily not serious.  Portlaoise were starting to dominate the ball and territory with Hodson Bay trying to hit on the break.  Leah Gibbons made some excellent clearances, coming well outside her penalty box to clear long balls that were coming through.  She was also called up to make a good save from a free kick to keep Portlaoise in the game. 

As Portlaoise mounted more and more pressure on Hodson Bay Clodagh Booth came more and more into the game. Her attacking runs down the right flank gave excellent support to Demi Byrne on the wing.  She managed to the past the last defender on a couple of occasions, but her crossed just went wide.  Moya Ramsbottom was now being support by Katya Buckova in midfield and drove Portlaoise forward with great attacking energy.  Ramsbottom put in a few excellent balls that caused confusion in the Hodson Bay defence, but none ever seemed to drop to a Portlaoise player. 

With a lot of added time Portlaoise were dominant, with Hodson Bay pinned back in their own half.  However, despite half chances for Aoibhe Ging, Katya Buckova and Faye Cleland Portlaoise could not find a way through.   

This was an excellent first outing for the PAFC Girls. They passed the ball well, made their tackles and worked really well as a unit. Hannah Scully had an excellent game in midfield and filled in at left back when called upon.  Leah Gibbons showed real maturity in goals with excellent positioning and decision making. 

The new centre back pairing of Roisin Devoy and Sarah Vostinar were steady throughout.  However, at right full back Clodagh Booth was the outstanding player on the pitch.  Her attacking runs down the right wing cause problems for Hodson Bay all afternoon. On top of that her work rate to get back and do the nitty gritty of defending was excellent.  So, a lot of positives despite the result.   

POM – Clodagh Booth 

PAFC U14 Girls: Leah Gibbons, Clodagh Booth, Moya Ramsbottom, Roisin Devoy, Sarah Mousley, Hannah Scully, Demi Byrne, Lucy Keenan, Faye Cleland, Aoibhe Ging, Katya Buckova, Kirsten Gannon, Demi Byrne, Charlotte Lalor