Eight Of The Best

Keifer Byrne opens the scoring

Markievicz Park in Ballyfermot was the setting as Inchicore Athletics under-21 team began their season in earnest.  A late change of opponent saw Sallynoggin FC drafted in to their William Sheeran Cup Group H.  Tomo Byrne and Derek Greene were the nervous coaches on the sideline as the first ever Inchicore development team awaited kickoff.

There were no sign of nerves from the youngsters though as they put their more experienced opponents under severe pressure right from the word go.  First blood was drawn by the home team with barely five minutes on the clock.  Keifer Byrne lined up a free kick from the left and drove a low angled shot past the wall and out of the goalkeepers reach to nestle in the bottom left corner of the net.  It was a great start and it got even better soon after as Keifer Byrne doubled his tally with an accurate looping shot over the goalkeeper that went in off the crossbar.

Sallynoggin were rattled and had no answer to the pressure being applied by Gareth Byrne in midfield and Craig Doyle up front.  As half time approached midfield whizz kid Keifer Byrne killed off the game as a contest and claimed the match ball in the process.  This time it was a powerful shot from inside the box beating the goalkeeper at his near post.

Gareth Byrne battles for posession

A more determined visiting team came out for the second stanza but any hopes of an unlikely comeback were put to bed when Sean McGarry proded home a close range header.  Craig Doyle then made it five for the home side before Gareth Byrne found the back of the net with a stinging effort from twenty five yards that left Sallynoggins keeper diving in despair.

Keifer Byrne grabbed his fourth and Craig Doyle made it eight as the game slipped away from Sallynoggin.  The visitors somehow grabbed a consolation goal against the run of play as full time approached.  It was only a minor blip on an otherwise commanding performance however.

It was a great start to their cup campaign that sees them head their group albeit on goal difference.  Ballyfermot, favourites to top the group, scored an 8-2 win over Ballyoulster so Inchicore will have to be on their gaurd for that encounter.  Without a doubt I am certainly looking forward to that game, it should be a cracker.