Knocklyon boys show they can Hackett
By Hayden Moore
KNOCKLYON held firm against a gritty Dalkey outfit as James Drumm netted twice in the second half to secure them the Under-11 Tony Hackett Cup at the National Sports Campus on Saturday.
A quickfire double from Drumm in the second half after combining with Dama Mulready on both occasions, came after a goalless first half in Abbottstown.
Knocklyon United
Both sides started the game quite tentatively, but once the nerves settled Knocklyon started to find a rhythm with the natural free-flowing playmaker Jacob Bergin threatening the Dalkey backline on several occasions.
The opening attack of the game was produced by Knocklyon when Bergin released Cian Cowley through on goal and he tested Dalkey shotstopper, Conn Kirwan, from range but the ball was turned around the post.
Dalkey’s first attempt came from striker Vincent Grandgeorge, but he pulled his shot wide after coming under pressure from Knocklyon centre-half Ben Hicks.
With minutes left in the half, Knocklyon winger Dylan Hollwood went on a meandering run and beat two defenders before the ball fell to Cillan Hurley, who struck the woodwork with a fine effort from just outside the box.
Both sides came flying out of the blocks in the second-half, with the first attack coming from Dalkey striker Grandgeorge when he took on three Knocklyon defenders and picked out the bottom right corner, only to be denied by goalkeeper Benjamin Dillon.
The opening goal of the game came from Knocklyon midfielder Drumm, after Dama Mulready dispossessed Dalkey wingback, Julie Potter Cogan, in her own half with Mulready releasing Drumm through the middle and he coolly guided the ball past the Dalkey goalkeeper.
But the lead was short lived, as Dalkey responded immediately when Jack Marnell produced a well executed left-foot volley from a Grandgeorge corner kick, to draw the sides level once again.
Shut up shop
Three minutes after scoring their first goal Knocklyon hit another, when Mulready broke down the right wing and switched the play to Drumm, who cut inside passed two Dalkey defenders and released a rocket into the right corner.
With 15 minutes still left in play, Knocklyon shut up shop as Hicks, Dan Fitzgerald, and Cian Downey put in an amazing defensive display to secure the Tom Hackett Cup for Knocklyon in a well-fought victory.
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