Plenty of exciting action as new ADSL season kicks off

The Athlone District Schoolboy/Girls League kicked off the 2009/2010 season last weekend with games in the under-10, under-12, under-14 and under-16 divisions. There was not a full programme as not all clubs and teams were fully ready for the first weekend. Still, there were a large number of games, plenty of thrills, goals and excitement across the league. Ballinahown stun Ballinasloe In the new under-16 Division, Ballinahown made the biggest headlines on the first weekend with a very impressive 4-1 win over the always strong Ballinasloe Town. In a very good game Ballinahown started strongly and were rewarded with the lead goal. Chris Hermbusche raced onto a good through ball and then cooly slid and ball past the advancing keeper for a deserved lead. Ballinasloe came back into it in the second half and levelled the scores with an early candidate for goal of the season. Cian Dowd picked up the ball some twenty yards plus out and rifled a thunderbolt to the top corner of the net for 1-1. Ballinahown weathered a bit of a storm for a time but came back into the tie and regained the lead when Paddy Sheriff headed a pinpoint Niall Donohoe corner kick to the net for 2-1. Ballinasloe were stunned and soon found themselves two behind when, following another super corner kick delivery from Donohoe, this time to the back post, Aaron Sheerin was on hand to loop a header to the net for 3-1. Ballinahown then rounded off a great start to the first day of the season when Blane Rigney applied a great finish to a good move to open Ballinahown's account with full points. Villa claim first trophy Temple Villa claimed the first trophy of the new season with the last game of the old season in the delayed 2008/2009 season under-14 cup final. This final between Temple Villa and AC Celtic got caught up in the Junior Certificate but it was well worth the wait in what proved a terrific final. It looked that Temple Villa would over-run A.C. Celtic when they raced into a 2-0 first-half lead with two very good goals from the very impressive Andrew O'Sullivan. But A.C. Celtic would not lie down and got a toe-hold in the game with a good goal form Ian Rosney. Into the second half AC Celtic were the better side and worked very hard for an equaliser. However, Evan Roarke in the Villa goal looked unbeatable but with time running out and AC giving it everything they finally made the breakthrough when awarded a penalty kick. Ian Rosney again did the needful and held his nerve to convert the spot kick and it was looking like extra-time. But Temple Villa were not done and swept downfield to exert their own pressure. In a goalmouth scramble the ball fell to Aaron Curley and the Villa skipper did very well to keep his shot down and find the bottom corner of the next to win an excellent final. O'Neill hat-trick seals Villa win Aaron O'Neill and Temple Villa put down an early season marker with a big win in the under-12 Premier Division opener against a fancied St. Francis in Iona Park. Aaron O'Neill was a goal machine for the ADSL in the Welsh Super Cup during the summer and he picked up from there with an opening day hat-trick in a 5-1 win. Temple Villa were very impressive right from the kick-off and just stroked the ball around the lush Iona surface to great effect. Aaron O'Neill fired Villa into a two-goal lead with his second a picture-book goal finishing off a superb passing movement. Billy Berry then got in on the act with a super strike and a great goal to see the Villa take a 3-0 lead into the second half. St. Francis kept going and were having their best spell when O'Neill made it 4-0 completing a fine opening day hat-trick. St. Francis however would not give up and got a goal back with a good strike from Sean McGrane. But Temple Villa had the last word when Conor McCormack applied a close range finish to a very good passing move to round off an impressive statement of intent from Temple Villa. Ford screamer decides thriller The under-12 Division 1 meeting of St. Joseph's and Temple Villa was a five goal thriller decided in the last minute with a wonderful goal from Villa's Robert Ford. David Fleming gave Temple Villa the lead with a well worked goal. A hard-working St. Joseph's side drew level with a fine goal from Keelin Quinn. Temple Villa almost immediately regained the lead when Jack Bradbury Hughes cut in from the right and fired the ball low to the bottom corner for 2-1. St. Joseph's fought back and got a deserved equaliser form Niall Fowler and it seemed the honours would be shared. The ball fell to Robert Ford and he drove the ball to the back of the net for a truly great goal, which also gave Temple Villa full points to start the new season. Four goal Adams In the under-14 Premier Division Laken Adams made a four goal big impression on his ADSL debut as the bit centre-forward helped St. Francis to a 6-1 win over St. Joseph's in Cushla Park on Sunday afternoon. St. Francis threatened to run riot and raced into an early lead with two goals from the powerful Laken Adams. But Joseph's settled into the game and got a goal back with a great strike from Kennedy cup player Shane Pettit from a free-kick. Soon however St. Francis were again two goals to the good. Shane Scally first did very well to save a super shot but another Kennedy Cup player Aidan Mannion reacted quickest to steer the ball into the net for 3-1. In the second half Laken Adams completed his hat-trick for 4-1 and truly announced himself to the ADSL with a fourth goal for 5-1. Declan O'Neill then rounded off the scoring to crown a very impressive first day out for St. Francis.