That was the Season that was!

Well that's it for another season

 

 

Saturday May 28th - Under 14's away to Bandon

Bandon 0 - Villa 1

Well this was the big one, a local derby, a fitting final game to end the season. And what a game. It turned out to be a fine competitive friendly game and I'm even a little disappointed we had to end Bandons fine run for divisional honours; it would have been good to see them win the league or get promotion if we weren't going to.

 

As I write the we're the only team to beat them this season.

 

The game was always finely balanced until half way through the second half; Gerard Rice launched one of his pin point crosses; the ball seemed to float into the penalty area and then seemed to accidentally bounce off Jack Walsh's head as he tripped over a divot; everyone stopped..the ball bounced again, this time off a Bandon defenders shoulder, everyone stood still except for man-of-the-match James O'Regan, who pounced on the ball and slipped it past the wrong footed goalie to score what was to be the winning goal.

 

Bragging rights to the Villa till next time.

 

Saturday March 19th - Under 14 home to Crosshaven

On Saturday the Under 14’s were at home to Crosshaven. We had already beaten them in the cup at their home ground so we were quietly confident, maybe we shouldn’t have been. The game started off well enough for the Tractor Boys and we went a goal up through an excellent toe poke from Liam Dempsey. Adam Moursy played in his usual Under 14 position of left back and soon showed himself to be a danger to the Crosshaven defence by attacking along the left wing. He took one particular ball right to the endline and hit a glorious cross that was unlucky not to be touched into the net. This was turning out to be one of the best passing games played by Villa; some of the passing between the backs and midfield was reminiscent of the Dutch team in the 1974 World Cup. At long last our work in training on passing the ball is beginning to show.

 

As the game went on we began to get a little worried on the sideline. Gerard Rice had a bruised heel that was making it difficult for him the run. Bill Hawkes had just returned from a groin strain and he was having some difficulty in stretching out into a long stride. The referee was Ritchie, the numpty from Bandon who likes to hear his own voice and finishes every sentence with "boy"  even when speaking to adults. Gerard Rice was doing his usual job of refereeing the game and Ritchie wasn’t taking too kindly to it. Then Conor Mac really wound the ref up by asking for a free - it seems you can’t do that in Ritchie’s World.

 

Bill, by now, had taken a blow on the hip and was really beginning to slow up from that and his groin injury. We were just about to take him off for a rest when a speedy Crosshaven forward pounced on a loose ball and equalised. We took Bill off and replaced him with Luke Field. As usual Bill had played a stormer until his injury.

 

Usually when a team scores it gives the confidence a boost and that’s what happened to Crosshaven. They suddenly thought about winning the game and began to pressurise our backline. Shane Nolan pulled off one great save as the Crosshaven number 14 pounded in on him. Number 14 didn’t hold back, neither did Shane and Shane ended up doing a fantastic backward flip somersault landing on his back. Great if it’s in swimming pool but tough on a hard pitch. Never mind, no harm was done and Shane was back to normal in no time.

 

Well when things get tough the tough get going. When that great soccer player in the sky calls for someone to pull up their socks and roll up their sleeves. When the seagull throws the sardine into the sea. Well anyway, we could have been in trouble, it could have been the end, it could have been tattie time, but it wasn’t time for the fat lady to sing. Colm Leehane hadn’t read that script and proceeded to be unbeatable. Colm covered every loose ball that came near the defence and played his best match to date in the Villa shirt. Without a doubt, man of the match - for the second time this season if memory serves me right.

 

A honourable mention must go to Gerard Rice also. After a spell in the lack of form wilderness Gerard came back to his best. Even with a sore heel he had numerous shots at the Crosshaven goal in the second half and if we’d had even a bit of luck we could have won 5-0. It was a great display of shot taking.

 

Never mind, the Villa played great; a draw in the end but it’s safe to say "We Woz Robbed".