Galway United lifted EA SPORTS U14 National League of Ireland title with a 2-0 win over Shamrock Rovers. Strikes in either half from Denis Sirbu and Kyle Fitzgerald secured a first academy title for Galway United in the League of Ireland. There was
Galway United lifted EA SPORTS U14 National League of Ireland title with a 2-0 win over Shamrock Rovers.
Strikes in either half from Denis Sirbu and Kyle Fitzgerald secured a first academy title for Galway United in the League of Ireland.
There was a frantic pace in the first half as both sides traded blows.
Galway United's Donnacha Sammon, who was voted Player of the Match, almost opened the scoring after just two minutes, but his shot across goal was saved by Hoops netminder Jack Ellis.
The Tribesmen did hit the front in the 8th minute and there was a touch of luck about the opener. Denis Sirbu's cross was misjudged by Ellis, and the full-back ended up lobbing the ball over the Rovers goalkeeper to break the deadlock.
Shamrock Rovers responded through Zak Reddy, but the midfielder saw his shot sail narrowly over the upright.
Darragh Marshall went close to levelling for Rovers, but he shot straight at Galway goalkeeper Macdara Scanlon.
Donnacha Sammon threatened again for the Tribesmen, but Jack Ellis did brilliantly to anticipate the danger and advance from his goal to cut out the danger.
Shamrock Rovers had two channels to regain parity but Kian Dignam struck the foot of the post before Ike Orazi was thwarted by Macdara Scanlon in the Galway goal.
The Hoops pushed heavily for an equaliser in the second half - Full-back Dani Mare saw his shot well gathered by Scanlon.
The Hoops spurned three big chances to level - Captain Kian Dignam headed straight at Scanlon from a corner-kick.
Scanlon was the busier of the two keepers in the second half and he was called into action once again when he denied Hoops striker Darragh Marshall after he was played through on goal.
Shamrock Rovers knew it wasn't to be their night when Filip Wasielewski cracked an effort from close range off the post after a scramble in the Galway box.
United grabbed their insurance goal in injury time, and it was a goal fit to grace any game. The ball was slipped to crafty midfielder Kyle Fitzgerald, who advanced before unleashing an unstoppable drive that decided the EA SPORTS FIFA U14 National Final.
Galway United: Scanlon, Sirbu, Lillis, Regan, Vencele, Killeen, Carroll, O'Connor, Fitzgerald, Sammon, Hannon
Substitutes used: Keady, Kelly, Proulx
Shamrock Rovers: Ellis, Mare, Boruc, Gwiazdowski, Roche, Dignam, Britton, Reddy, Marshall, Orazi, Wasilewski
Substitutes used: Bolger, Oluwabiyi
