Report on LFA Youth u18 cup Round 1 game held at Bridgewater Centre Park, Arklow on Saturday 24th September 2011
Arklow Town and Seatown (Dundalk)
Both teams started the game tentatively and on 5 mins. Arklow Town should have opened the scoring when John Delahunt’s strike inside the box went narrowly wide. Tragedy struck on 15 mins. for the Seatown goalkeeper when competing for a cross from the right hand side both the keeper and Town’s John Delahunt clashed heads. With both players lying on the ground awaiting an ambulance, the Seatown goalkeeper was sent to hospital where he received 11 stitches in an eye wound. John Delahunt was cleared to complete the remainder of the game. On 20 mins. Reinis Graboustis ran onto a great pass from Gavin McDevitt and his low strike went narrowly wide. For the remainder of the half, Seatown put Arklow Town under pressure. Half time 0-0
The Town began the second half like a steam train attacking down the right hand side, a great ball into the box by Ciaran O’Reilly and Jonathan Delahunt pounced on the ball and was felled by the Seatown centre half, Cormac Breslin stood up and hammered a penalty home. The Town began to enjoy some possession for the next 20 mins. and had numerous attempts, all wide, of the goal. As the game wore on Seatown grew more into the game and started to apply their own pressure on the Arklow goal and could have scored on numerous occasions but for the great defending of both Kevin Kennedy and Ciaran Burke .