Clontarf Villa 3 OLV35s 1(Phil.Lowndes)

OLV squad ;Mark McCabe ,Anto Kelly ,James McCabe ,Garreth Donovan ,Martin Dunican ,Mick Collins ,Phil Lowndes ,James Coates(c) ,Dave Delgarno ,Mark Matthews ,Jonny Dutton ,Ian Clifford ,Willie Murphy ,Darren Ronan ,Paddy McEvoy.



Manager ;John Lowndes.


This season's opening game didn't give OLV the result they deserved but the scoeline tells a completely different story from how the game unfolded ,a home keeper in fine form,some questionable decions from the referee and bad luck in front of goal .The game started slowly for OLV but after ten minutes or so they got to grip with Clontarf's long ball game and tried to play their own game but a bad pitch and long grass made it more difficult to get the play flowing but they could have took the lead several times as good play throughout the team and some great whipped balls across the face of goal just needed that little touch or bit of luck as numerous times the home keeper got something on the efforts and managed to keep the score level.
            The game got an unlikely goal when the home side took the lead after a mix up in defence allowed a Clontarf forward to score into an empty goal from the edge of the box ,OLV lost Delgarno to a blood injury but replacement Cliffort settled straight in and OLV could have equalized before the break from a corner but once again Villa stood firm and the half ended with the away side dominating the play .


Half-time 1-0



OLV gaffer John Lowndes made just one change during the break that saw Willie Murphy play in a league game for the first time in a year after an injury kept him sidelined ,the half began as the last one ended ,the away side dominating and controlling the game but still OLV didnt get the levelling goal and then we were dealt a double disaster when Clontarf played the ball forward with two players miles off-side somehow the ref didn't blow his whistle which left keeper McCabe exposed and as he bravely tried to defend his goal he suffered  a knee injury and had to leave the pitch as the game tipped off for the re-start after the "legitimate" goal ,the task of getting something out of the game was looking unlikely as the clock ticked down but OLV have a fighting spirit and went on all out attack but with ten minutes left Villa counter attacked and stand-in keeper Dutton was caught in two minds as he faced two Clontarf attackers and was beaten fom just inside the penalty box ,the game ended on a high for OLV as we scored a nice goal after McEvoy swung in a great ball for Phil Lowndes who finished with a quality headed effort .


Full-time 3-1


A dissapointing result to start the season off but with a new format to the Sunday Senior league we still have many more games to play and with the effort applied today from everybody we will do well this year.Well done lads.