CBL GOTW: Satellite Taxis prevail in relegation six pointer

Satellite Taxis 3 – 1 ASH FC

Man of the Match: James Walshe

Satellite Taxis pulled out the three points in an intense and vital CBL Premier Division relegation clash with ASH FC on the Mayfield United Astro, writes Donncha Noonan.

The game was a tense one to start off as both sides knew the importance of the result of the game, with both sides sitting in the drop zone at the time of kick off.  There were few chances in the first half, with the first of which coming in the twenty eighth minute. The ball fell to James Walshe at the edge of the box, who opened up his body and tried to curl it into the top right corner, but the ball just barely flew over the bar.

The deadlock was finally broken on the stroke of half time. A mix up at the back from ASH FC meant a clearance fell to the feet of James Walshe who was wide open in the box and ran in on goal, before tucking it away to give Satellite Taxis the lead. Satellite Taxis went into the break with a one goal lead but the game was very open with both sides struggling to create many clear cut chances

It was the second half where the game opened up, with Satellite Taxis starting the half as the better of the two sides, and doubling their lead in the sixty sixth minute.  A corner was flicked on at the front post by Liam Hewitt, before Jason Meehan arrived at the back stick to power a header home and give his side a two goal advantage. 

It got even better for them three minutes later as they put the game to bed with a third goal. A long drop kick from goalkeeper David O’Sullivan went over the top of the ASH FC defence, where it was latched onto by James Walshe as he slotted it into the bottom left corner to bag his second of the night.

ASH FC got a goal back in the seventy second minute to try to put themselves back in the game. Greg Browne swung a brilliant ball into the box where Scott McCarthy was on hand to leap and send a precise header into the bottom right corner to give his side hope.

ASH FC struggled to get another goal and ended up still two goals down in the dying embers of the game, where they were put a man down. Shaun Teegan was shown two yellow cards for dissent towards the referee deep into additional time to put his team down to ten men, but ultimately it wouldn’t change the course of the match as Satellite Taxis ran out 3-1 winners.

Satellite Taxis’ crucial three points keeps them bottom of the table, but they are now level on points with Healy O’Connor Solicitors and ASH FC above them, with three games in hand on the latter. All three teams are still technically in the drop zone, even though only two can go down as goal difference does not count.

Satellite Taxis: D. O’Sullivan, R. Hayes, G. Browne, J. Meehan, S. Twomey, E. O’Neill, S. Dorgan, P. Cahill, B. McCarthy, L. Hewitt, J. Walshe, A. Cassidy, A. Davidson-Dean, D. Jenkins, V. Adishankar, M. Doody, B. Doody.

ASH FC: J. Austin, S. Dunlea, D. Morrissey, N. Kepple, N. McCarthy, D. O’Sullivan, S. Teegan, A. O’Regan, S. McCarthy, J. Hegarty, L. Horgan, K. Mullane, J. Garvin, N. Keegan, J. O’Keefe