Killybegs Mini-Tournament

Under-18's learn a valuable lesson

Rovers under-18's travelled north to Killybegs to take part in a four team mini-tournament at the weekend. The other teams taking part were a local Killybegs team plus Galway United and Willie Mc Stay's double winning Celtic team. The semi-finals paired Rovers with Galway United and Celtic with Killybegs. Mc Stay's team brushed aside the local challange by a scoreline of 6-0 which left the Connaught rivals playing for an opportunity to take on the Scottish champions. As it turned out the game was evenly matched and at the end of 90 minutes the teams were tied at one each. In extra time Rovers proved to be the fitter and stronger team and went on to win 3-1 with goals from John Gaffney and Ian O'Dowd. This set the bit o' red up nicely for a tilt at Willie Mc Stays team which had just completed the double in Scotland.

In the final Rovers lined out against Celtic and they took the game to their more illustrious rivals. Rovers dominated the first fifteen minutes but they couldn't create the chance which would open up the Celtic defence. Gradually the Celts began to exert their influence on the game and they went in front against the run of play. Once they got their noses in front there was only going to be one winner and with Ross Wallace their most influential player the Celts were four up by the time the referee blew for half time.

The second half was a bit tamer and Rovers came back into the game for long periods. Celtic could only add another goal to the scoreline before Rovers managed to pull a goal back. As the game was heading towards full time Celtic produced the best goal of the tournament. It was started by great work down the left by the very impressive Ross Wallace, definitely one to watch for the future. He skipped past Rovers players at will he pushed the ball back to midfield where their left full went on a run into the box. He cleverly dragged the ball with his left foot on to his right, this movement totally unbalanced the Rovers defence and with his Right he calmly pushed the ball to O' Mally's left totally out of the keeper's reach.

While a 6-1 defeat sounds hard it has to be remembered that Willie Mc Stay has spent almost a decade building this youth structure at Parkhead. The tournament will have given Rovers youngsters a valuable lesson against an excellent Celtic team.

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