Email this to a friend Shels Under 14s in Italy
Torneo Internazionale
Giovanissimi Italy
21-24 March
Shelbourne Under 14s went to Italy with high expectations from our team as our season has been going really well to date. We are just off top spot in the league, in the semi final of the Dublin cup, and are in the quarter finals of the All Ireland cup, so we hoped to do well.
When we saw the teams in the programme, I thought physically we would struggle as some of these teams where, and looked very strong. The calibre of teams in the competition was fantastic. Five National squads where represented (Russia, Belarus, Romania, U.S.A. and Lithuania.
Eight Academy teams from Europe (Grasshoppers Zurich Swiss)(Koge Denmark)(Rapid Vienna Austria)(Honka Finland)(Trellborg Sweden)(Dinamo Zagreb Croatia)(Flora Tallin Estonia)(Nijmegan Holland) as well as academy teams from Italy (Atlanta,Treviso, Empoli, Venezia and Triestina).
We where grouped with Brugnera a local selection which included Honka from Finland, who are in the Finnish 1st Division and F.V.G. - a stronger Italian squad (like a Kennedy cup squad).
We played Brugnera in the first game at 10.30 local time the games where 20 mins each way. Because the pitches where in little stadiums with balls all around the pitch, the game hardly stopped, so the intensity and pace was really high.We started really well and missed a couple of chances with Karl Moody and Chris Lyons going close. Brugnera where dangerous on the break, but Mick Barker and Mark Campbell where on top form.We scored just on half time from a great move with Mark Dunleavy linking with Christopher Reilly who burst into the box and hit a shot that the Brugnera keeper couldn’t keep out to put us one up. The second Half started the same as the first, with Shels applying all the pressure, with 5 mins to go John Holland passed a great ball out to Christopher Reilly who hit a fantastic shot into the top right corner of the net to put Shels 2 up. The players where now in full flow and right on the stroke of full time Shels got a third when Graham Horan finished off a great move involving Gitso Reilly and Mark Dunleavy to score with a Header into the bottom corner of the net. This was a great start for us but we watched the second game and knew the following two games where going to be far more difficult.
Our second game was against Honka from Finland - technically very skilful and quick. We again started at a high tempo but missed a couple of chances to go ahead. It also has to be said Honka set up a couple of good situations themselves, but Craig Hanlon in goal really had one real save to make as the half wore on. Just on half time Ryan Markey beat the right back got to the end line and put a great ball in where all 3ft 6 of Gitso Reilly was waiting at the far post to head us in front – 1 Nil at half time. The second half was a great game of football, with both sides going for it. We started to get on top of things and controlled the game, but with the last kick of the game in fact 4 mins into injury time Honka scored the ref didn’t even restart the game , the lads where really down as we played very well against a good side and should have won it.
Ironically 2 of the Finnish lads where Irish, living in Finland for the last 14 yrs and are coming over soon for trials with the Irish under 15 squad this was a really good game.
The last game of the group was against F.V.G. a team from the regions like our Kennedy cup squad. This was a big strong physical team that also liked to play. They played a 3-5-3 formation and we knew they could cause us problems if we did not match them.The way the group had ended up we only needed a draw to go through.the Italians had to beat us.We came out of the blocks and really put it up to them, tackles where going in thick and fast, but we stuck to our plan of moving the ball early and wide with Stephen Jewel and John Holland winning their battles in the midfield area. Christopher Reilly was on fire, and he was tormenting the left back the lads at the back where doing a great job as they had two decent front men who where strong and pacy. But again we deservedly went in front. Chris Lyons got through to finish a great shot to the net to put us 1 up at half time. We calmed things down at half time knowing if we could keep things tight we where through.We took control of the game and with time running out 7 mins to go the big front man for F.V.G. cut into the box took it past Mark Campbell, and buried a great shot past Craig to put them level, you would think they had won the world cup but our lads kept their composure and finished out the game we where through.
We where then up against a very good but negative Danish team called Koge in the quarter finals, we had changed the team to try and rest players but it backfired on us, as we conceded early and just didn’t turn up for the first half. We then changed things at half time, brought Michael Barker into midfield with Stephen Jewel and John Holland put Chris Reilly on the right, Chris Lyons up front, Declan Farrell at left back and Mark Dunleavy at right back the team was transformed, and to me showed what having bottle was all about. We where terrific and got a great equaliser with 10 mins to go. Their manager was shouting what is going on to his players he could not believe what was happening I think they had underestimated us and we missed 2 great chances to win it but ended up 1.1 and straight to pens.
Gitso was 1st up and put the keeper the wrong way, and then the honey monster Craig Hanlon produced a wonder save to put us 1 up. Declan Farrell then hit a class pen right up in the top corner. Koge then scored theirs, Mick Barker then knocked in our third, Koge scored theirs. Mark Dunleavy then showed why he is the capt with a great fourth, and then the honey monster struck again diving to his left to make a great save we had beaten a class team. I have to say it was my proudest moment with this team they never gave in when things where against them and gave everything and more to win the game the scenes after the last pen where just brilliant while we felt for our opponents as we had lost shoot outs before it was a great achievement to get to the semi final.
Our opponents in the semi finals where Liventinagorghense; another representative team from the Treviso area. They where a big strong side but we played them off the park for the first 20 mins Michael Barker missed a great chance from a set piece to put us one up but he put his header wide.We went in 0.0 at half time but Alan and myself where confident we could take them in the second half.The half went on with nothing happening until 3 mins from time John Holland won a tackle but showed his studs the ref gave a free in our right full position, the ball was whipped in and the Livertino capt beat the Shels defender to the ball to score with a glancing header.We then got a corner in the last minute big Craig went up but the ball was cleared and we where out. It was hard to take as a lot of our players had given everything and they knew we had played tougher opposition earlier in the competition.
The Italians had nothing left for the final as we had worked them so hard earlier but we still cheered them on as they where nice lads and very sporting, but they where never in it against a very good National Russian team who had sailed through their games and rested players on the way.
We finished 4th as Empoli, all of whose players are on contracts (Dermot take note),
Scored and we didn’t. It was a fantastic achievement and Alan, Brian and I where so proud of the players, to cap it all off we where having our picture taken on the pitch when they announced we had won the fair play trophy. This summed up my players for me they where a credit to their parents, to Alan and myself, and most of all they left a tremendous impression of what Shelbourne F.C. is about. They made friends everywhere they went and most of all conducted themselves wherever they went to represent the club.The tournament was a great experience for them and hopefully Malcolm will be invited back next season to keep the red flag flying.
