Crettyard secure first win of the season as Fiacc's struggle to find their feet against former champions
Gearoid Cuddihy scored his first goal after a two year injury lay off. He's pictured trying to beat Ricky Lawler.
The 2023/2024 Premier Division winners secured their first win of the season, bouncing back from a 2-1 defeat at the hands of rivals, New Oak, as St. Fiacc’s quickly realised that Premier football isn’t going to be a walk in the park after coming in on a high from a 2-0 win against Hanover in their first Premier game in six years last week. Crettyard were impressive, looking more composed and creating more chances. Newly promoted Fiacc’s struggled, never really getting into the game, and they will know that they will have to improve if they are to stay in the Division.
The hosts went close early on as a Gearoid Cuddihy corner from the left was cleared at the near post before the resulting corner from the left was cleared. With 11 minutes on the clock, Dylan Walsh went close to opening the scoring as he fired an effort from the left across the box and wide. Three minutes later, a Crettyard corner from the right was cleared and played back in where it was hit wide on the left. Ryan Byrne went close from the left but put an effort wide under pressure from Craig Doyle in the goal before Anthony FitzPatrick missed a bicycle kick. Riogan Doran hit an effort from distance wide. With 20 minutes gone, John O’Shea hit a free from the right for Fiacc’s but it was missed in the box and Jack Byrne hit it over the bar. The resulting corner from the left was cleared as it was missed by everybody. A corner from Crettyard from the right was hit across the box. An effort from the right was saved before Byrne had an effort saved. Just before the half hour mark, Ricky Lawler fed Byrne from the right but he headed into the ‘keeper.
Crettyard took the lead on 31 minutes as a Gearoid Cuddihy free from the halfway line on the right bounced around the box before Ross FitzGerald knocked it into the path of FitzPatrick who bundled the ball into the back of the net from the right. With seven minutes to go until half-time, Scott Roycroft should have levelled things. The ball was played to him down the left, he got in behind the defence, cut in, got behind John Dunphy in the goal but instead of hitting in, he kept going and took too many touches and eventually Mark Lyons cleared. Four minutes later, a Cuddihy free from the left was collected by Doyle in the goal. An O’Shea corner from the left was cleared. In stoppage time, a Roycroft effort from the right was hit in for Jack Byrne at the back post but he missed the ball completely.
Two minutes into the second half, an O’Shea free from the right was cleared. Two minutes later, Crettyard doubled the lead as Riogan Doran got on the end of a FitzPatrick effort. With nine minutes gone, Jamie Maher went close but his effort was saved by Doyle with his foot. Jack Byrne went close from distance for Fiacc’s but hit it well wide. Crettyard should have put the game to bed when Maher had all the time in the world but blasted his effort over the bar. On the hour mark, RIcky Lawler had an effort from the right, saved. Four minutes later, Byrne down the left fed Mikee Horohan who hit the ball in at the near post as Fiacc’s pulled a goal back to bring themselves back into the game. The lead lasted less than a minute though as FitzPatrick claimed his second goal of the day as he hit in at the near post on the left hand side.
With 15 minutes to go, Gearoid Cuddihy made it 4-1, scoring his first goal since his return from a two year injury lay off. Their joy was short lived though as Luke Murphy pulled a goal back for Fiacc’s from the right hand side. However, less than a minute later, Jamie Maher got on the scoresheet for Crettyard to restore their three goal lead. With four minutes to go, an O’Shea free from the right was deflected wide on the far side by Jack Brady with the resulting corner from the left played short but it was dealt with by the Crettyard defence and cleared.
Speaking after the match, Crettyard manager Cristoir Maher said it was a statement from his side, saying that he was really impressed with his side’s performance.
John Dunphy, Jack Brady, Mikey Byrne, Mark Lyons, Mark FitzGerald, Ross FitzGerald, Gearoid Cuddihy, Jamie Maher, Anthony FitzPatrick, Riogan Doran, Ryan Byrne.
Russell Kealy, Dara Dunne, Patrick Fox, James Love, Jeff Moran, Oisin Kelly.
Craig Doyle, Mikee Horohan, Aidan Bradley, Ricky Lawler, Leo Hurley, Dylan Walsh, Jack Byrne, Bobby Dowling, Scott Roycroft, Harry Walker, John O’Shea.
Jamie Parr, Jake Haughney, Brian Dos Santos, Mark McLoughlin, Luke Murphy, Eoin White, Jake Nolan.
Pat O’Connor assisted by Joe Byrne and Artur Bienko
