Dublin AUL Too Powerful For CCFL Youths
Thursday, 1 December 2011
CCFL Youths 0. AUL Youths 3.
THE AUL enjoyed a comfortable win over the CCFL in the FAI Inter-League Youths tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The Dublin side came into the game with a victory against the NDSL behind them while the CCFL were hoping to bounce back from a defeat to the DDSL.
It was a game performance by the Combined Counties youngsters but the extra class of the visitors told in the finish and the AUL deserved the three points.
That said, the AUL only scored once in the first half, a half during which they had whatever advantage was available from a wind which mostly blew across the Villa Park pitch in Roscrea.
It was notable however that the solitary strike of the first 45 minutes was from Tony Grouse, the O'Devaney Dunard clubman who netted twice in the 4-0 win over the North Dublin Youths.
However, much of the credit for the opener at Killavilla's ground on Saturday must go to Craig Burke.
He had shown on a couple of occasions that he is blessed with a decent shot and it was from a third drive, one which swerved in the air before crashing against the CCFL crossbar, that Grouse pounced and gave the Dubliners the lead.
They had earned that lead on merit even though the CCFL fielded with what looked a formidable outfit, with two of the tallest players on the pitched positioned in strategic locations, Clongowes Wood man Bidemi Afolabi up front and Jordan Quinn from Kilcormac United at the heart of the defence.
Despite some impressive probing balls from Derek Duffy, the under pressure CCFL backs survived until half time and harboured hopes of getting back into the game on the turnaround.
Another Kilcormac player, Dylan Murray, came off the home bench for the second half and Paddy Dinnegan from Mullingar Athletic soon followed him.
The introduction of Dinnegan in particular gave the CCFL some momentum but they were lucky in the 64th minute when goalkeeper Shaun Murphy was not penalised for handling outside his box.
In a clear sign that they were confident they had a strong squad, the AUL opted to make a number of changes at 1-0 up, including taking off nippy little striker Ryan Moore who was ultimately replaced by Dane Black, a bigger, bustling front man.
The visitors were fortunate when Killavilla's Daniel Butler shot wide after breaking into the box and opting to stay on his feet when there appeared to be a foul on him in the area, and again they escaped when a Dinnegan effort struck a post.
With Alex Westbrook the pick of the CCFL back four, it was difficult for the AUL to force clearcut openings and when they did it was from breakaway situations.
Such a situation arrived when they cleared a CCFL corner and the ball was driven up the field beyond everyone to another O'Devaney Dunard player Barry Brown and though home keeper Murphy advanced and got a touch, the substitute was still able to roll the ball to the far corner despite the attention of two defenders.
Black then took Murphy on one-on-one but lifted a decent effort over the bar before Ted Conway, the Tullamore Town player who proved a useful substitute for the CCFL, played in Daniel Crowley with his first touch but could not get his head to the return.
Goal number three for the AUL came in the 88th minute when Black got on the end of another swift counter attack and finished expertly.
The CCFL will now hope to get something from their group game against the NDSL while the AUL and the DDSL will battle it out for top spot.
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