Boys U16 (2010) Major 1 - Clane
MATCH REPORT - CLANE vs NAAS 28-FEB-26
We travelled away to Clane on Saturday, and while the 6-2 scoreline is a wide gap, it doesn't tell the full story of the football the lads played. For large parts of the game, we were composed, creative, and showed exactly the kind of progress we’ve been building in training. As we always say, the scoreline is secondary to being proud of the effort and performance.
The work we did on Monday and Thursday on our shape and being calm on the ball was clear to see. Once again, the lads showed they're becoming much more comfortable in possession, scanning for passes and communicating well throughout the match. They focused on using the width of the pitch, with our left and right mids running to the edge to stay in space and provide options. We saw them continue to play with composure, recycling the ball sideways or backwards when the forward route was blocked to keep hold of possession.
Our first goal came from that pressure, where a low, hard cross forced a Clane defender into an own goal while he was facing his own net. The second was a brilliant team goal started by Fionn, who distributed the ball to Oscar on the left. Oscar worked his socks off, driving from the halfway line to the corner flag before delivering a clinical low cross for Cameron Fitzpatrick to finish. This was a perfect example of the play out wide we’ve been practising.
Ollie, Cameron, and Conor were a constant threat up front, forming good pairings and putting the defence under pressure. Conor Black was unlucky to rattle the upright with a cracking effort, and Ollie Lawlor was in the perfect position for the rebound, though his follow-up shot just cleared the crossbar. Oscar also delivered a great free-kick from our own half, showing excellent curl and height to find our forwards.
The centre-mid positions are the heartbeat of teams, and Luke, Emmanuel, and Ben worked extremely hard, pressing the opposition and distributing the ball out to the wings. We created plenty of chances, though many of our through balls had just a bit too much weight on them, making it easy for their keeper to collect. We've discussed this in training. When a ball's played too straight and hard, it's the keeper's ball, whereas playing it to the sides gives our pacey forwards a better chance to get there first.
At the back, our defence was good for long periods, with Kyle Byrne captaining the side with massive heart. He timed his headers well, and his aggression on our own attacking corners showed real leadership. However, we lost a bit of confidence after some goals went in. Conceding three goals from corners was a reminder that we need to sharpen up our set-piece defending, as we hadn't conceded from one since practising them after the Arlington game.
The pre-match warm-up was one of the best we've seen, with the lads turning up on time to socialise and prepare together. Seeing them support the U14s from the sideline and then forming a self-led huddle showed a level of maturity and togetherness that was fantastic to see. While 100% effort was given for most of the match, we did see some negative talk creep in toward the end as fatigue set in.
We also looked a bit physically bullied at times, similar to the Kildare game. The message moving forward is to not let our heads drop, and not get frustrated. When we have possession and pass the ball, we have the pace and skill to get around anyone. In a 4-4-2, the left and right mid positions, held by Oscar, Jamie Beresford, Ryan Parletti, and Rohit, are the toughest on the pitch.
As the game wore on, the tracking back dipped, which allowed Clane to find space. We’ll address this in training, along with our corners and kick-offs. Overall, it was a very even game in open play, and the lads should be proud of the football they produced. One parent even noted how much more comfortable they look on the ball now.
