Cork U12B inter league side crash out to Kilkenny on penalties

Cork B 1 

Kilkenny 1 (AET)

(Kilkenny won 3-0 on penalties) 

THE Cork SL side bowed out of the SFAI Subway U12 Inter league on 3-0 penalties after they tied 1-1 with Kilkenny in the national quarter finals which were played in ideal conditions in Ballea Park in Carrigaline over the weekend.

Cork started well, forcing a couple of corners in the opening minutes and took the lead in the 7th minute from their third corner kick of the game with Harry Ledwich heading in Tom Mulconry’s kick to give Cork an early lead.

Buoyed by their score, Cork pressed forward again with the Kilkenny keeper Jamie Kavanagh doing well to cover from Bobby Harrington’s effort who had another chance on goal which went over the bar from 25 yards.

The game was played at a very lively pace, with some excellent football being played, the Cork players being surrounded by Kilkenny players as soon as they got anywhere near the penalty area restricting Cork to taking shots from outside the area as both teams looked to dominate.

Ben Senga’s header from a free kick went over the bar while moments later Harry Ledwich’s 20 yard free kick went wide as Cork were piling on the pressure.

Kilkenny attempted to get back into the game with Sam Antonesa’s effort going over and won their first corner of the game in the 21st minute which flashed right across the Cork goalmouth.

Cork pressed forward again looking to double their advantage with Tom Mulconry’s 30 yard free kick being well held by the Kilkenny keeper who also did well to cover efforts from Ledwich and Mulconry as the half drew to a close.

Kilkenny pressurised Cork from the restart with Darragh Kavanagh’s free kick going over although at the other end of the pitch Cork’s Bobby Harrington’s effort from 20 yards was well held by the Kilkenny keeper Jamie Kavanagh.

By the 39th minute Kilkenny had equalised courtesy of Sam Antonesa who bundled a corner kick into the near post with less than 20 minutes remaining.

Play was now going from end to end with chances falling to Cork’s Mulconry and Ebuka Obuji whose effort was cleared off the line and to Kilkenny’s MJ Carroll as both teams were looking for the all important second score as time was ticking on.

Cork had a chance in the final minute of time only to see their corner kick go right across the Kilkenny six yard box as extra time had to be played.

It was Cork who were doing most of the running and chances during the extra 20 minutes with chances coming to Harry Ledwich, Ebuka Obuji, Tom Mulconry and Cian Duke while Cork keeper Bodhi Yelverton did well to block Sam Antonesa’s effort with less than a minute remaining.

However, nothing could separate the teams after 80 minutes of play including extra time so penalties had to determine who advanced into the semi finals with Kilkenny progressing thanks to a 3-0 scoreline.

Cork B: Bodhi Yelverton, Kierian Stack, Ben Senga, Jaidee Foley, Fionn O’Flaherty, Harry Ledwich, Bobby Harrington, Tom Mulconry, Sean Hogan, Luca O’Rourke, Daniel Hall, Jamie O’Donovan, Cian Duke, Conor Barry, Ebuka Obuji, Lorcan Evans, Ronan O’Rourke, Peter White.

Kilkenny: Jamie Kavanagh, Michael Fitzgerlad, Donie Cohaill, Sam Norton, Peter Quinn, Harry Trehy, Ciaran Treacy, Daragh Kavanagh, MJ Carroll, Sam Antonesa, Darragh O’Callaghan, Jamie Foley, Michael Breagan 

Referee: Dave O’Mahony