Dundalk FC U15 1-1 Cabinteely FC U15
EA Sports U15 National Underage League Shield Group A
Dundalk U15s played out an enthralling 1-1 draw on Sunday evening when they hosted Cabinteely at Oriel Park.
Having drawn their previous match with Cavan-Monaghan last week, the Lilywhites came into the game hopeful of returning to winning ways, and they managed to get off to the perfect start when they took the lead just two minutes in through Dino Costin’s free kick.
Dundalk maintained their good start in the early minutes, and they should’ve been awarded a penalty on the eight minute mark, when Sam Case was pulled down in the box after skipping past a Cabinteely defender, but the referee waved it away.
Cabinteely grew into the game after the penalty shout, and had a chance to equalise on 12 minutes, when a free kick whistled wide of the post.
They continued to create chances on the counter attack and were soon rewarded for their efforts as they drew level in the 20th minute. A loose pass in the Dundalk backline gifted the ball to Darragh Harris, who took on Tom McLoughlin before burying his effort in the bottom corner.
The visitors took control of the game after equalising, with Dundalk struggling to maintain possession for prolonged periods, and struggling with physicality in the midfield area in particular.
Honours were even at the break, with both sides having quality spells in possession.
Cabinteely had the better start to the second period, and they had the ball in the net ten minutes into the second half, but the referee waved for offside, a decision which left the opposition manager enraged on the sideline.
Head coach Conor Woods made a quadruple change with 20 minutes to go in an attempt to regain control of the ball, and the changes were a success as the Lilywhites began to retain possession and create gaps in the Cabinteely defence.
Despite their dominance in the last 15 minutes of the game, Dundalk struggled to create many clear-cut chances, with the best of the opportunities falling the way of Sam Case with three minutes to go, when he headed narrowly wide from a corner.
It ended all square at Oriel Park, which seemed a fair result for both sides, who produced very good performances.
DUNDALK FC: Thomas Brady, Luke Povall, Ben Miller, Tom McLoughlin, Kevin Teather, Damien Balsic, Jack O’Flaherty, Cathal Corcoran, Jake Hough, Sam Case, Dino Costin. Subs: Daniel Inveschenko, Kuba Layton, Ryan Kelly, Luke Alison, Jack O’Neill, Adam Mullins.
