Match of the Week – U15 Boys v Park Utd – 16th Nov 2019- Div 1

Match Photos here

This match was a lively encounter from the start with both teams defending well and dangerous up front on the break. Neither team settled for the first 20mins with chances on both sides, the best falling to Park Utd’s Kevin Cotter bringing a fine save from Sam Grundozla in the Bandon goal. From 25 minutes on Park Utd’s keeper was the busier of the two with Bandon piling on the pressure as they settled into their game plan. The break came a few minutes before the end of the half when a throw in from Enda Muldoon on the 18 yard box broke to Darragh Power who turned for goal and was tackled. The loose ball from the tackle fell to Joseph Buttimer who turned and made no mistake in putting the ball beyond the keeper into the far corner. The score remained 1 nil until half time.

At the restart, Bandon started off as they finished the first half and put relentless pressure on the Park Utd defence. The pressure paid off and as Darragh Power played a delightful ball through to Paul Ngoba only to see his shot partially stopped by the keeper, the ball broke to Buttimer and again he made no mistake from 6 yards out for his second of the game. Bandon 2 – 0

Bandon were in full control of the game now and the back line of Jack Murphy, Conor Payne and Rory O’Donovan gave no quarter and were defending courageously. A free kick resulted from a Rory O’Donovan throw in on the half way line to Conor Payne, passed to Darragh Power who ran at the heart of the Park defence and was brought down just outside the 18 yard box directly in front of goal. Power stepped up, placed the ball and coolly slotted the ball low around the wall and into the bottom left hand side of the goal to make it 3 – 0.

Bandon weren’t finished there and with Buttimer and Ngoba running rampant up front and the midfield of Enda Muldoon, Fion Ustanowski, Sean Deasy, Ronan Crowley and Darragh Power in full control they pushed their advantage home.

12 minutes into the half number 4 came from a long perfectly weighted ball by Jack Murphy out of defence down the right hand side for Paul Ngoba to run on to and cut in across the 18 yard box where he gave the keeper no chance as he slotted it into the far corner. Bandon 4 – 0

2 minutes later, Sean Deasy played a perfect pass down the middle to Joseph Buttimer who turned, rounded the centre back and blasted the ball to the back of the net for a well deserved hat trick and Bandon led 5 – 0.

Park who were still a threat on the long ball had a chance from the kick off and their centre forward Anassi Kabundi striking a thunderbolt from outside the 18 yard box brought a fingertip save from San Grundozla just under the crossbar. The resulting corner kick was cleared out over the sideline and Bandon used the break in play to make substitutions with Eoin Geary coming on for Fion Ustanowski, Daniel Holland coming on for Enda Muldoon and Eoin Guaine coming on for Ronan Crowley.

It did not take Daniel Holland long to settle into the game and after some skilful work on the right wing he found Ngoba  with a low pass across the 18 yard box. Ngoba turned and sent a powerful shot through the keepers hands to the back of the net for Bandon’s 6^th of the game and Ngoba’s 2^nd .

However Joseph Buttimer wasn’t finished yet and from a breaking ball after a Park Utd kick out, Darragh Power put him through from the left hand side of the 18 yard box to curl the ball into the far corner of the net for his 4^th and to put Bandon 7 – 0 up.

20 minutes into the half Bandon made their final substitution with Padro Gomez coming on for Darragh Power.

Bandon were in full control now and maintained the pressure up to 2 minutes from the end where Buttimer picking up a ball from midfield, played it through to Ngoba on the right hand side of the 18 yard box who rifled the ball to the roof of the net over the keeper for his hat trick and see Bandon through to the end of the game and run out 7 – 0 winners.

Overall this was a great team effort, with a very equally balanced squad of players. Any of a possible 4-5 players were in contention for Player of the Game award but for his resolute defending from the front when not in possession, overall awareness when on the ball, his assists for 2 of the goals and for scoring 4 goals in the game, this weeks Player of the Game for Match of the Week is Joseph Buttimer. Definitely one to watch out for in the future.