Tramore 2 Dungarvan United 3
Graun Park was the venue on Thursday night for what proved to be a really thrilling U16 League game.
Dungarvan had lost their two previous games against Villa and Bohemians and when they fell behind after 11 minutes things were looking rather bleak for them but they scored an equaliser almost immediately.
Tramore did regain their advantage only for Dungarvan to level matters once again. It was a remarkable first half and the teams went in on level terms at the interval.
The second period did not produce the fireworks of the opening 40 minutes, but nevertheless it did have its moments on what was a damp and windy night.
The Old Borough boys scored the winning goal in the second half and it would have to be said they fully deserved their victory. Ryan Donnelly scored two goals for Dungarvan and his alertness certainly paid rich dividends for the visitors.
The early indications were clear that Dungarvan were going all out to win the match and they cut the Tramore defence open on six minutes when Ryan Norris set up Michael Omeglio; however he was denied by a brilliant diving save from seaside netminder Killian Burns.
When Eoin Nolan turned provider for Shane McNulty less than two minutes later, it was the turn of the Dungarvan goalkeeper Adam Keane to come to his sides rescue when he made a brave save to deny McNulty’s goal bound effort.
After their bright start to the contest, the visitors fell a goal behind on 11 minutes when Eamon Power played a superb pass out wide right for Eoin Nolan and after bursting into the penalty area, he slipped a low right-footed effort past the advancing Adam Keane.
But the lead lasted less than 24 seconds as Sean Heslop, who had a fine game for the victors, set up Ryan Donnelly with a neat pass and with the Tramore players still celebrating their goal, he took advantage of slack defending to fire past keeper Burns.
It took the home side less than 60 seconds to regain their lead when Eoin Nolan got free down the right and after Adam Keane could only parry his edge of the area shot, Shane McNulty was on hand to blast home from close range.
Brendan Sullivan came to the rescue for Tramore on 16 minutes when he did superbly well to clear a header from Richard Walsh following a Sean Heslop cross off the line before Evan Connolly was just inches wide with a 25-yard strike less than five minutes later.
A thrilling first half produced a fourth goal and an equalising one from a Dungarvan point of view on 34 minutes when Conor Sheridan’s long ball picked out Ryan Norris, who knocked the ball into the path of Sean Heslop and his acrobatic left-footed finish gave Tramore netminder Killian Burns no chance whatsoever.
The second half was a rather one sided affair as the Kilrush Park outfit were much the better side and they could have gone in front for the first time on 46 minutes when Heslop set up Richard Walsh but he was brilliantly denied by a fantastic Killian Burns save.
At the other end, Shane McNulty turned provider for Conor McGough less than two minutes later but this time it was the turn of the Dungarvan goalkeeper Adam Keane to make an excellent save and from the breakaway, the visitors scored what turned out to be the winning goal.
The ball found its way into the penalty area after a Conor Sheridan clearance and it was Ryan Donnelly that kept his head to fire past the helpless Killian Burns and once this goal went in, Tramore never looked like finding an equaliser.
It was left to Burns to somehow tip a cracking effort from Sean Heslop onto the crossbar on 68 minutes and as the seaside outfit failed to get their big players like Evan Connolly, Conor McGough, Eamon Power and Shane McNulty into the contest, there was no denying Dungarvan victory.
Tramore squad: Killian Burns, Brendan Sullivan, Eoin Kiely, Conor Byrne, Evan Connolly, Sean O’Farrell, Eoin Nolan, Conor McGough, Shane McNulty, Barry Arnold, Eamon Power, Loughlan Carney, John Harris, David Smith, Adam Dunne, John Heffernan and Stephen Coffey
Dungarvan United squad: Adam Keane, John Flynn, Thomas Harty, Sam Keohan, Conor Sheridan, Richard Walsh, Sean Heslop, Ryan Donnelly, Ryan Norris, Michael Ameglio, Mark Phelan, Ian Walsh, Conor Walsh and Thomas White.
Ryan Donnelly scores for Dungarvan as team mate Sean Murphy turns to celebrate.
Referee: John Mason.
