Avondale 4 Fermoy 1

AVONDALE lifted the CSL Dennehys Health and Fitness U15 Division 1 title following a comfortable 4-1 win over Fermoy in their last game of the season at Beaumont Park last Saturday afternoon.

Avondale’s ask was simple: win their final game of the season and become champions and play in the Premier League next season. They went into the game two points behind league leaders Lakewood so needed nothing else other than a win to seal the deal.

It started well for the home side, Harry Walsh forcing Fermoy keeper Barry Dalton into making a save in the first three minutes and a minute later they settled nerves with their first goal of the game when Cian Corkery’s cross was met by Walsh who composed himself in the centre and duly slotted home from 15 yards.

Fermoy attempted to get back into the game, with Scott Doyle’s effort blocked by the Avondale keeper Andrew Luke Maume when he was through on goal, but were confined to their own half for most of the game as the home side continued to press.

However, Avondale extended their lead further in the seventh minute when Danny Higgins’s free-kick from 25 yards was headed back into the centre by an unmarked Finn Hagermark on the far post only for Cian Corkery to head the ball home from eight yards.

Avondale were now well in control, Fermoy keeper Dalton saving well from Barry Collins in the 18th minute and the hosts could have added another in the 24th minute as the ball bounced around in the penalty area from a corner kick which was sent wide of the post.

Chances fell to Avondale’s James Ryan and Harry Walsh which were denied by Dalton, but by the 33rd minute, Avondale had their third when Rory O’Callaghan’s cross found Walsh who dummied the keeper and sent the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Four minutes into the second half, Avondale’s Rory O’Callaghan broke through the Fermoy middle only to be surrounded by four Fermoy players in the penalty area, but a minute later Avondale added another score when Walsh converted a penalty after being brought down in the area for his third of the game.

Fermoy were not done and pressed forward and were duly rewarded with a penalty in the 44th minute for handball which was scored by Scott Doyle and It appeared as if Fermoy were going to make Avondale work hard for their win in the final 20 minutes.

They almost got a second four minutes later when Avondale keeper Maume gathered the ball on the line from a Fermoy corner, but that was as good as it got for the visitors as Avondale ran out the final few minutes by pressing forward with chances falling to O’Callaghan and Walsh which were denied by Dalton or went wide as the home side ran out comfortable winners and worthy champions.

AVONDALE: Andrew Luke Maume, Danny Higgins, Paddy Quill, David Hrihorov, Finn Hagermark, Dave Coughlan, Harry Walsh, Rory O’Callaghan, Ben O’Connell, Cian Corkery, James Ryan, Rory O’Connor, Barry Collins, John Hourihan, David O’Kelly.

FERMOY: Barry Dalton, Mark Cronin, Senan O’Reilly, Aaron McGrath, Leo Lynch, Corin O’Confhadla, Scott Doyle, Daire Carroll, Ryan Slattery, Adam Dennigan, Christopher Ring, Sam Twomey, James McAuliffe.

Referee: Richard Bond