Glaschu Gaels 2-8 Dunedin Connolly's 1-5 -----26/3/06
Glaschu Gaels started off their season with a bang beating the reigning Scottish Champions Dunedin Connolly's 2-8 to 1-5.
The first half was a pretty tight affair with point for point being scored by both sides. It was obvious from the start that this game had the hallmarks of a tight tactical battle and this proved the case for the rest of the game. The Gaels took the initiative and attacked from the start.
Sean Huddleston was unlucky with a chance for goal that had rebounded off the post early on in the game. John McCormick, Damo McGovern, Cahal Heron and Frankie Gillen looked to have settled the Gaels with well taken points that put the Gaels ahead. However, Dunedin shot back into the lead with a goal despite the defence having shut out the Dunedin forwards.
Half time - Glaschu Gaels 0-4 Dunedin Connolly's 1-2
The second half started off as tightly as the first with each side engaged in a tactical battle. It was going to take a daring move to win the game and that move soon came when Ian Carry was moved from Goalkeeper to upfront.
The big man's presence clearly unsettled the Dunedin defence and the benefits arrived almost immediately. After a long ball up field, Ian laid the ball off to Ciaran Scullion who, after a bit of a goalmouth scramble, put the ball in the back off the net. This gave the Gaels the boost they needed and they had now gained the momentum.
A second goal soon arrived, again through Ian Carry who, after collecting the ball on the wing, played the ball into Franke Gillen who put it past the Dunedin keeper. The Gaels now had the upper hand and things had clearly swung the way of the Gaels with further points being scored by Damo McGovern securing the game.
All in all, a good start to the season for Gaels and hopefully a good platform for the future.
Man of the match - Ciaran Scullion with honourable mentions to Cormac Bryce and Damo McGovern
Glaschu Gaels 2-5 Sands/McSwinney's 1-5 ------ 6/4/06
Glaschu made heavy weather of beating a below par Sands team in Coatbridge tonight. The first half however saw the best football by the Gaels.
A heavy pitch and blustery conditions made for some unpretty football at times but the Gaels took early control of the game. Frankie Gillen was the main man in the forwards hitting 2-1 by half time and well taken scores by Cathal Heron, Mark Kilkenny and Ciaran Scullion seemed to have put Glaschu in the driving seat.
If truth be told however Glaschu should have had more with some wasteful finishing.
Half-time Glaschu Gaels 2-4 Sands/McSwinneys 2pts
The second half proved to be a very laboured affair, compared to the first, with the Gaels struggling against the conditions and also struggling to consolidate their earlier supremacy in the game.
Sands plugged the defecit in the scores with a few points but overall the defence, led by Cormac Bryce and Eoin O'Neill, dealt more than adequately with the challenges facing them. However, the Gaels were not making much hedway moving the ball forward and this was epitimised by the fact that Frankie Gillen scored the Gaels' only point in the second half.
On the plus side, the new boys all got a run out and will get sharper and fitter as the season progresses. Ultimately the result was all that mattered and the Gaels now face Tir Connail Harps in a Glasgow derby final.
Final Score - Glaschu Gaels 2-5 Sands/McSwinneys 1-5
Man of the Match - Cormac Bryce (Happy now!?!?!) with honourable mentions to Frankie Gillen and Eoin O'Neill