Limerick Soccer - Polish star leads Newcastle West to final

Frank Nelligan reports on Newcastle West’s 3-0 win over Abbeyfeale Utd in the Limerick Desmond U-17 Cup semi-final last weekend.

Newcastle West will play Breska Rovers in the final.

Man-of-the-match Mateusz Pakulski opened the scoring midway through the first-half, Sean Murphy headed the second in first-half injury-time and Pakulski completed the scoring on the hour mark. The visitors would have scored more but for a defiant display by Abbeyfeale goalkeeper, Peter Collins.

There was no evidence that Newcastle West would record such a comprehensive victory in the opening fifteen minutes, which were quite even. The best chance in this period fell to Abbeyfeale midfielder Jamie O’Connor, whose shot from a very tight angle was turned away for a corner by goalkeeper Andy Brouder. The chance was set up by Alan Doody, who had the composure to pick out a penetrating pass after battling hard to win possession.

Pakulski gave an indication of his potency as a centre-forward in the 22nd minute when he curled a shot against the left-hand post from twenty yards. A minute later, Pakulski broke the deadlock, meeting a Kieran Brouder pass in mid-air and lofting the ball over Collins who was off his line.

Pakulski’s Polish compatriot and striking partner, Luckasz Tanczuk, was Newcastle’s dead ball expert and his free-kick from the left almost led to an own goal in the 36th minute. A minute later, his corner was met by Killian Brouder, whose powerful header was cleared off the line by Michael Keane.

Newcastle’s aerial superiority was clearcut at this stage and it led them to taking a 2-0 lead two minutes into first-half injury-time, Tanczcuk’s corner from the right met with an unstoppable header by Murphy.

The Abbeyfeale management team of Shane O’Connor and Willie Pa O’Connor made some positional changes at half-time, chiefly switching Jonathan Lyons from outside left to centre midfield and moving Jamie O’Connor from the centre of the park to centre-forward.

Lyons did add a forcefulness to the midfield that had been lacking in the first-half but his presence was more than offset by Newcastle’s half-time introduction of Paul Downes, who had arrived late because of playing a rugby match. Downes, son of manager Frank, immediately added quality to the standard of passing which had been no better than ordinary in the first-half.

Presumably because of their greater need, Abbeyfeale had the better of proceedings in the early minutes of the first-half, with O’Connor forcing a leg save from Brouder and Conor Horan heading wide from a cross by Paudie Smith.

It was against the run of play, therefore, when Newcastle West made it 3-0 on the hour. In a sweeping counter-attack, Downes put Pakulski behind the defence and, with supreme confidence, the striker lobbed the advancing Collins.

Newcastle West had a number of chances to add to their tally in the thirty minutes remaining. From a through ball by Downes, Murphy fired wide of the right-hand post; Kieran Brouder hit the side-netting from a free-kick by Downes; Pakulski was denied on three occasions by leg saves from Collins from passes by Downes; and, completing a clean sweep of assists for Downes, Pakulski headed over from a cross by the supersub.

The role of goalkeeper Collins in limiting the damage to three goals is clear but the contribution of Michael Keane should also be mentioned as he was unshirking in his challenges at centre-half.

Abbeyfeale had changed to a 3-4-3 formation for the last half-an-hour but it didn’t make much difference. When they did venture into the attacking third, they were met by a resolute centre-half in Killian Brouder, leading the way in a back four which were kept on their toes by the constant exhortations of goalkeeper Brouder.

The goalkeeper denied Abbeyfeale a consolation goal in the 75th minute when he saved from Horan after referee Pat King had played a good advantage in allowing Pat O’Connor to keep the ball alive after being fouled.

ABBEYFEALE UTD - Peter Collins, Steven Buck, Adrian O’Leary, Michael Keane, John Sheehy, Alan Doody, Thomas Sexton, Jamie O’Connor, Jonathan Lyons, Paudie Smith, Conor Horan. Subs; Daniel Lyons for Doody, inj (33 mins), Pat O’Connor for Sheehy (61 mins), Kieran Foley for J. Lyons (66 mins).

NEWCASTLE WEST - Andy Brouder, Gavin Brown, Kieran Walsh, Jeff Kadima, Killian Brouder, Darragh Breen, Sean Murphy, Kieran Herlihy, Kieran Brouder, Luckasz Tanczuk, Mateusz Pakulski. Subs: Paul Downes for Brown (h-t), Cody Dustin, Jack Forde.

REFEREE - Pat King