Lakewood advance in the JAKO IRELAND Munster Youth Cup at the expanse of Leeds

Leeds 1 

Lakewood Athletic 4

Lakewood Athletic won their first game of the season when they defeated Leeds 4-1 in the JAKO IRELAND Munster Youth Cup at Leeds Park last Sunday.

It was the visitors Lakewood, who had the better of the opening half, however, both sides went in at the half time with the game scoreless.

Lakewood made the breakthrough in the 58th minute through Cian O’Flynn and added another goal eight minutes later when Yannick Njombe got on the scoresheet with a fine individual effort to make it 2-0.

The home side pulled a goal back to trail 2-1 in the 71st minute when Joshua O’Reilly finished from close range. 

However, Lakewood’s O’Flynn went on to complete his hat-trick by adding two late goals to see his side safety into the next round of the competition.

It was the visitors who started the game on the front foot and Cian O’Reilly had two shots on target in the opening ten minutes, but Leeds keeper Zac Lynch-Healy made two fine saves. 

Lakewood had another glorious opportunity in the 22nd minute when Cathal Murphy played cross field pass to Cillian Barr, however, when Barr whipped in a dangerous cross at the near post, Leeds Rory Horgan made a very timely tackle to nick the ball of the toes of O’Flynn.

The visitors took a deserved 1-0 lead in the 58th minute.

O’Flynn picked up a loose ball outside the box and his powerful effort flashed into the far corner of the net giving Lynch-Healy no chance to save it. 

Lakewood had their tails up now and increased their lead 2-0 in the 66th minute when Yannick Njombe ghosted past two Leeds defenders to power his effort home. 

Leeds reduced the deficit 2-1 five minutes later when Daly's cheeky back-heel found Joshua O’Reilly, and he made no mistake from close range. Leeds came close to an equaliser four minutes later when Ryan Harrington found himself through on goal, however, Lakewood keeper Cian Davis-Heelan raced off his line to make a brave save at his feet. 

A minute later they were 3-1 down and it was totally against the run of play.

O’Flynn received a pass from Murphy and his effort flew past Lynch-Healy. 

O’Flynn grabbed his hat-trick and Lakewood’s fourth goal in the 84th minute and again it was a screamer from outside the box and that was enough to ensure they advanced to the next round.

LEEDS: Zac Lynch-Healy, Cillian O’Callaghan, Rory Horgan, Jay Moloney, Matthew Cripps, Jamie Greaney, Liam Waters, Steven Daly, Adam Mannix, Joshua O’Reilly, Cillian O’Keeffe.

Subs: Charlie O’Riordan for Cripps (54), Ryan Harrington for Mannix (57), Conor Burke for Waters (57), Jamie-Lee Curtin for Greaney (65), Dylan Sheehan for O’Callaghan (74).

LAKEWOOD ATHLETIC: Cian Davis-Heelan, Cillian O’Sullivan, Adam Hennessy, Ethan Murphy, Chidubem Ebili, Cathal Ryan, Cillian Barr, Cillian Murphy, Ebubechukwa Daniel Zeph, Cian O’Flynn, Yannick Njombe.

Subs: Adam Quinlivan for Barr (ht), Charlie O’Reagan for Zeph (61), Scott Richmond for Murphy (79), Charlie Hayes for Njombe (84), Troy Murphy for Ryan (86).

Referee: Timmy Kelleher.