Smash-and-grab goals deny Mullingar Athletic U19 side

St Peter's U19s 4, Mullingar Athletci U19s 1

By Paul Hughes

Athlone side St Peter’s pulled away in the second half to consign Mullingar Athletic to a fourth defeat in six games in this CCFL U19 Premier Division clash in a chilly Gainstown last Saturday afternoon.

Athletic, playing some attractive possession-based football in the first half, were nevertheless hit by two smash-and-grab goals by the visitors but pulled one back before half time.

The hosts hoped to push on from there but a goal from St Peter’s centre-half Patrick Collins came as a demoralising blow and the Hoops dominated their deflated Mullingar opponents from there.

Stephen Devlin finished the game with a brace for the Saints, and as Athletic struggled to generate opportunities, the winners could have tacked on a few more, with Sean Keegan, Louie Shine and sub Anthony Carroll all impressing up front.

Meanwhile, goalscorer Ethan Meisonnave and Beau Greene played well for the hosts but in general, Athletic were well policed by an organised St Peter’s rearguard and heavily dependent on hopeful shots outside the area. When chances presented in the final quarter, St Peter’s kept them at bay.

Athletic bossed the opening exchanges but with eight minutes gone, against the run of play, St Peter’s took the lead when Rian Fallon latched onto a free from Sean Keegan, turned and slotted low to the net.

Mullingar went close with shots from Meisonnave and Connaughton and looked likely to eke out an equaliser, until the 26th minute, when Sean McGorisk picked out the inrushing Stephen Devlin with an inch-perfect ball to the right corner. Devlin beat his marker and fired to the net.

A timely interception from Hugh O’Gara stopped Keegan from nabbing a third before Athletic themselves found the net with 37 minutes gone, Ethan Meisonnave finishing with a low, angled drive after a one-two with Beau Greene.

Connaughton went close with another shot from the edge of the area but Sean Martin’s Mullingar outfit had to settle for a 2-1 deficit at the break.

With the breeze on their backs, St Peter’s emerged in confident fashion after the restart, Jaiden Earl-McConnell hitting the crossbar with a dipping shot 90 seconds in, with Athletic ‘keeper Seamus O’Brien getting a touch.

Mullingar, now playing with three at the back, still looked vulnerable from set pieces and the resultant corner was headed to the net by St Peter’s defender Patrick Collins.

This was one setback too many for the hosts and they were a shadow of their first-half selves for the remainder of the half, as St Peter’s turned the screw.

Louie Shine went wide for Mark McConnell’s troops with a side-footed effort on 50 minutes, and the Athlone men had other chances through Shine and Keegan. The latter had the ball in the net after 64 minutes but it was ruled offside.

A minute earlier, Mullingar Athletic had their best chance of the half when a beautifully flighted ball to the far post met a sweet and powerful volley from Ethan Meisonnave, but it barely missed the target. A few inches to the right and it would have been a spectacular and possibly momentum-altering goal.

However, on 69 minutes, St Peter’s effectively made sure of the win with a fourth goal. With sub Anthony Carroll tormenting Athletic down the right flank, his cross-cum-shot was parried only for the ball to recycle to Sean Keegan, who teed up Stephen Devlin for a powerful shot to net – his second goal.

The visitors nearly had a fifth moments later when Devlin set Carroll through on goal, but he blasted over.

With 15 minutes to go, Athletic urgently needed goals. In a rare purple patch, they had three gilt-edged chances in five minutes. Meisonnave and Greene combined again for the former to hit the side netting before Brian Gil-Dillon had a point-blank effort stopped by St Peter’s goalkeeper Thomas Egan.

Then, on 79 minutes, Meisonnave had the vision to pick out Abdul Odusoga in the six-yard box and while he connected from close range, the sub didn’t get enough on the finish and Egan saved.

From there, St Peter’s controlled the closing exchanges. Keegan, Carroll and Conor Casey all had chances, with Keegan hesitating after finding himself clean through and Athletic’s Seamus O’Brien doing well to prevent what looked like a certain fifth goal.

Scorers - St Peter’s U19s 4 (R Fallon 8, S Devlin 26, 69, P Collins 47). Mullingar Athletic U19s 1 (E Meisonnave 37).

St Peter’s U19s: Thomas Egan; Conor Lough, Adam McKenna, Rian Fallon, Patrick Collins, Sean McGorisk, Stephen Devlin, Conor Casey, Jaiden Earl-McConnell, Sean Keegan, Louie Shine. Subs used: Anthony Carroll for Earl-McConnell (61), Sean Gorry for Lough (inj., 67), Ryan Cooley for Devlin (84), Brandon Moyo for Keegan (84).

Mullingar Athletic U19s: Seamus O’Brien; Nathan Massey, Lee Colgan, Hugh O’Gara, Declan Newman, James Ruisinger, Ethan Meisonnave, Sam Connaughton, Brian Gil-Dillon, Beau Greene, Nico Haluska. Subs used: Abdul Odusoga for Haluska (53), Ryley Hennessy for Newman (67), Patrick Carolan for Gil-Dillon (79).

Ref: Kevin Jones.