Ladies Minors continue to impress

After their great away win V Craobh Chiaran on Monday Syls Girls had to travel yesterday Friday 18th May 2012 across to play Thomas Davis in Kiltipper Road. Thomas Davis have a strong Minor team and were above Syls in the table before the game. Syls are a development team and have no actual U18 minor players this year. Syls traveled with a panel of 17. We had 13, U17 players, 2, U16 players and 2, U15 players.  It was a very dark & wet night and the game was played on the All Weather pitch under lights. Syls Played with the wind which was very strong again in the first half. Syls scored 2-1 early on but then had to put up the shutters for most of the half against a big strong Thomas Davis Team. Eimer Treacy moved back into goals and made some brilliant saves. But the Thomas Davis pressure left them 2-4 to 2-2 up at the break.
It looked as though it might be a salvage exercise in the second half and it was decided to bring Eimer Treacy back out to mid field together with inspirational Captain Ciara Lynch. The omens did not bode well when Thomas Davis immediately scored an absolutely brilliant goal that could grace any football stadium in the world. Levi McGrattan who had taken over in goal could do little about it but I don't think any keeper would have stopped this effort. Levi played very well after this and it was the last goal Syls would let in during the night. The situation did not improve when Thomas Davis followed with another point. Thomas Davis 3-5 Syls 2-2. Things were looking very bad and Syls were playing against a very strong wind 6 points down a couple of minutes into the second half.
It was now that this team showed their guts and spirit by playing the best half of football they have played since they started their first season in 2005. Eimer Treacy and Ciara Lynch took over at mid field and points first and then goals started coming. The girls had to be patient against the wind and use a lot of short passing in order not to lose possession and this is exactly what they did. Emma Lynch (U15) scored 3-1 and caused huge problems for the Tallaght Defense. It was hard to keep the usual track of scores in the heavy rain so we do not have the usual accurate paper record. Eimer Treacy also scored a brace and was called upon to take a penalty when Emma Lynch was taken down in the square. Eimer put the ball in the top corner of the net. The Thomas Davis Keeper who played quite well otherwise had no chance. Eimer is apparently going over to Real Madrid to show Ronaldo and the lads how to take a penalty when they are under pressure.
Thomas Davis however put on the pressure again and came back to within 2 points in the second half making it Thomas Davis 4-6 Syls 5-5. At this stage the Syls girls showed their true character and took the game by the scruff of the neck and outscored the opposition by 0-1 to 2-1 in the last five minutes of the game. Without doubt this was this teams best performance ever especially considering the conditions.
The Syls Minor Development Team originally lined out as follows though changes had to be made as a result of Thomas Davis reduced numbers and injuries.

1. In Goal Eimer Treacy (U17) first half and Levi McGrattan (U17) second half. Eimer already has U16 Leinster medal. An asset to any team.
   
2. Aíne Ní Mhórdha (U17) corner back. She could not start because of an injured foot but came in in the forwards in the second half and contributed to 2 scores.
3. Niamh Harney (U17) full back had an excellent performance as usual. Major contributor to Syls keeping the opposition score down in the second half.
   
4. Aoife O'Flynn (U16) had an outstanding corner back performance on the day.
5. Leah Harrold (U17) Similar to all the other backs 9 times out of 10 first to the ball reducing the huge pressure in the second half.
6. Kim White (U17) She is in her first year with the Dublin Minors and already has a Leinster Medal for Minor & U16. She controls the whole field and stabilizes every thing. She would get on any team.
   
7. Clare Hopkins (U17) first to the ball coming out of defense and helped reduce our problems.
8. Gráine McGinty (U17) Great performance all around and scored a goal. She is just back from America where she was on loan to the Dallas Cowboys. We were lucky to get her back as she was held in the Airport Security due to a dogy explosives checking machine "no joke". No she was not trying to blow up New York.
   
9. Ciara Lynch (U17) An inspirational Captain who keeps the girls on their toes. She is an outstanding player who is hugely loyal to her Minor team.
10. Emma Sullivan (U15) She is still only 15 but is an outstanding forward at (U18) level. She never lets us down and is always worth a score or two.
11. Levi McGrattan (U15) is a very strong versatile player who helps us out in many situations. Outstanding first half outfield and second half in goal.
12. Emma Lynch (U15) is still only 15 but a complete inspiration. She is almost impossible to mark so we either get a score from her or a free. She scored 3-1 playing against much bigger stronger 18 year old girls. A definite future Dubs Star.
    
13. Maura McGrath (U17) has recently come back to the team and is settling in very well.
    
14. Meadbh Reid (U16) is an outstanding forward who also provided cover for us in goal in the past
    
15. Ciara Kinsella (U17) has come back to the panel recently. She scored two points against Craobh Chiaran on Monday and is becoming a great asset to this team.
    
16. Shannon Heffernan (U17) has come to the team recently and has been outstanding when she comes on in games. She is a bright hope for the future.
17. Charlie Glanville (U17) has been involved for the last couple of seasons and is coming along very well. She has played in all the games this season except Thomasa Davis and she is a valuable member of the panel.

Missing yesterday were Rachael Whalley (U17), Rachael Mooney (U17) &  Eilish Meaney (U17) unlivable. Also missing through illness & injury all season are Aisling Gill (U18) & Leah White (U18) the only two actual minor players on the panel.

The win on Monday & Friday has put us in 3rd position in the League Table out of 10 teams. We were in 7th position before the match on Monday.

There has been a difficulty in the past entering Minor Girls Teams into competition. This caused a crisis in relation to the Dublin Minor Team a few years ago. 18 is a difficult age recruiting girls because of exams etc. Ann Uí Mhórdha deserves great credit in relation to the work she has done for Minor Ladies Football in the County & Club. Many of the team managers of U16 for 2011 were not going to enter teams at minor level this year. Ann rang every club and got commitments which eventually led to two divisions of 7 teams in Division 1 and 10 Teams in Division 2. No doubt this helped in Dublin winning the Leinster Minor title for 2012, and hopefully an All Ireland.

Both Declan Hetherton & Ann also deserve a lot of credit for persuading so many girls to come back to play Club Minor for the two year period 2012/2013. The policy has been to try and play all the girls as much as possible and also to select as much as possible on the basis of who attends training. The match practice is bringing all the girls along in relation to their game. Syls Minor girls have 2 home games in Broomfield to end this League season before the Championship in the Autumn. The Games are against O'Dwyers and Clann Mhuire/Man O War. The dates of these games will probably be changed because of our Senior Championship Game on Monday V Ballinteer and the Scoil Iosa Cycle Trip away the following week. Either way best of luck to the girls for the last two games.