Achill Rovers U10s - Plate Runners-up Pat Moran Blitz Milebush 26/06/2010

Achill Rovers fielded a side in an U10 Blitz tournament held at Mayo League Headquarters at Milebush Park in Castlebar on the 26th June 2010. The 10 players selected from the Rovers U10 squad were cutting their teeth in competition football along with 15 other teams from clubs throughout County Mayo. The format similar to the FIFA World Cup which was in full swing at the time, provided an exciting framework for competition play. It was June the sun was out and all was set for an exciting day of football and there was not a single vuvuzela to be heard.

7-a-side games of 7 minutes each way were played on the excellent Milebush AstroTurf which was divided into 4 pitches, each hosting groups of 4 teams. The top 2 teams in each group would advance to a shield knockout competition, while the bottom 2 would play off in a plate competition. Rovers were drawn in a group stage against Manulla Snugboro and Kilmurry.

The day began badly for Rovers. Despite some fine football which resulted in early leads being taken, Rovers managed to come off their first two group games defeated. This baffled even the organisers when results were reported in by the referees.

The standard of football was excellent and games were as exciting as what was on show in South Africa. However, taking a comfortable lead in a game tends to lead to complacency. Errors can change your fortunes especially with such limited time on the clock. Many a World Cup team has fallen foul of this and have caught an early flight home as a consequence.

So for a team of 9 years olds this was a valuable lesson learnt. If you wish to win medals and honours, being talented is not enough. You also need to be focused before and during games and not daydreaming of "Olé Olé Olé" before the final whistle is blown.

Mistakes are costly, and Rovers found themselves out of the main competition after only 28 minutes of play. The third game in the group had become academic and under normal circumstances Rovers would have already been preparing their way back home to Achill. However the beauty of this blitz format is that all teams get a second crack. Rovers knowing they hadn't given their best yet, were looking hungrily at the plate competition for the afternoon session.

After what seemed like an eternity of a hot sweltering lunch break, Rovers took to playing knockout tournament. Whether the team had found its level or had decided to apply more determination, they found themselves coasting through quarter and semi final wins to reach their first footballing final.

The final of 10 minutes each way was a spirited affair. Rovers had just watched Manulla come through a penalty shoot out, so confidence was high going into the game. Some of the Rovers lads in their excitement were even contemplating a shootout in the final but this was not to be.

In a tight first half few chances fell to ether side. Rovers were not finding it easy to break down the Manulla defence but were also not giving an inch. The game changed with an unfortunate Rovers own goal which would have been difficult to recreate under PlayStation conditions. It was just one of those fluke incidents and no blame could be attached to those involved. However Rovers heads dropped and they found it hard to get back into the game. From that point onwards Manulla having some experience in Blitz competition were not going to let this one go. The eventual 3-0 scoreline was slightly flattering to Manulla, but on balance they were deserving winners and were to be congratulated.

Despite the unfortunate morning session and the disappointment of losing the final, the Rovers squad still came away from Milebush with a lot of credit as well as a medal each as runners-up in the plate tournament. They should be highly proud of their achievement. Had anybody given that outcome at 10.00am that morning we would have probably taken it. Ask anybody who plays football....taking part is nice but winning medals is nicer.

The whole event was an enjoyable and valuable experience for both players & coaches. Credit goes out to all the Achill Rovers players who performed on the day in hot humid conditions which were not ideal for football. Some lovely football was played and everyone in the squad played their part. Special mention goes to those that played at the back; Nathan Ryder, Colman Randle and Mathew McNamara. These are the players on which a successful team is built. Without their rock solid and timely interventions in both the quarter and semis, Rovers would have probably not reached their final appearance.

Peach of the day was a goal from Dean Guthrie who leapt like a salmon to head home a bouncing ball in the box. Josepth English also has to be commended on his fine captain’s speech before the medals were presented ( made in the absence of Harry Gallagher who was whisked away at the final whistle to catch a flight to Portugal ). To say that he has an wise old head on young shoulders would be an understatement as he well and truly summed up the sporting ethos of the day by thanking all around including the opposition players.

Achill Rovers would like to thank the tournament organisers. We hope to return next year and go at least one better. Thanks also goes out to the parents that conveyed the squad members safely to and from Castlebar and gave their support from the touchline.

There were ups and downs throughout the day but that is football. Enduring defeat allows you to enjoy more the sweetness of success. Now that this bunch of raw recruits have tasted both in equal measure in real competition let us hope that they can carry the experience with them and provide plenty more salad days for Achill Rovers in the future. Olé Olé Olé

Achill Rovers Squad – Ruaidhri Cooney, Joseph English , Harry Gallagher , Dean Guthrie , Mathew McNamara, Mark McNulty , Ethan Murray , Colman Randle , Nathan Ryder , Patrick Tallon.