CSL: Jack Ryan the hero for Wilton against Lakewood in U14 National Cup

Wilton 3 Lakewood 2

THREE goals from Jack Ryan secured Wilton’s passage into the next round of the U14 National Cup.

They defeated CSL rivals Lakewood 3-2 at Pat Bowdren Park, with a goal in the dying seconds.

Wilton had led 2-0 at half time, but Lakewood fought back and equalised with just two minutes remaining, only for Ryan to break the visitors’ hearts at the death.

It took the home side just seven minutes to open their account when Ryan received a pass from the centre and duly sent the ball past Lakewood goalie Matthew Strand, from 15 yards.

Wilton, buoyed by their start, almost had a second minutes later, only for Michael Rainey’s 22-yard effort to sail over the crossbar, while chances also fell to Alex Collins, whose best effort was well saved by Matthew Strand on the goal line.

Lakewood pressed forward, with Jack O’Connell running down the left wing, only to be tackled at the point of shooting towards goal. By the 26th minute, Wilton had doubled their lead, when Collins’s pass into the area was met by Ryan, whose first touch from 12 yards ended in the back of the net.

Lakewood attempted to get back into the game and pressed forward in the closing stages of the first half, with Wilton keeper Danny Jim O’Donnchartha saving well from Isaac Mullins and Jack O’Connell before half time.

Lakewood came back into the game within seconds of the restart when David O’Connell’s effort from the kick-off was blocked by O’Donnchartha from close range.

Wilton pressed forward, with Collins and Ryan causing problems for the Lakewood defence, but by the 53rd minute, the visitors had pulled one back, when Mullins’s 30-yard free was parried into the path of Ben Egan, who converted from eight yards.

The pace upped considerably, with Lakewood believing that they could steal the game and spent some considerable time in the Wilton half as the home side soaked up the pressure.

However, by the 68th minute, Lakewood had drawn level, when Dylan Moynihan’s pass found Jack O’Connell, whose low shot, from 12 yards, went past the Wilton keeper and into the back of the net.

It appeared as if extra time would have to be played, with less than two minutes remaining, until a minute later when Ryan ran through the centre and slotted the ball past Matthew Strand from just inside the area to restore Wilton’s lead.

Wilton almost added another, moments later, only to be denied by the Lakewood keeper as the home side progressed into the next round.

WILTON: Danny Jim O’Donnchartha, Ronan Galvin, Paudie Glavin, Zein Al Musawi, Jake Dalton, Eddie Dooley, Adam Daly, Callan Clarke, Alex Collins, Michael Rainey, Matthew Lynch, Jack Ryan, James O’Regan.

LAKEWOOD: Matthew Strand, Dylan Keane, Isaac Mullins, David O’Connell, Darragh Strand, Stephen Young, Luke Brett, Jack O’Connell, Dylan Moynihan, Leo Miller, Oran Carter, Ben Egan, Eoin Costelloe, Dylan Kelly, Colmhin Egan.

Referee: Razvan Neidoni.