Southend sparkle to book a place in the last 32
Southend United team that beat Bansha Celtic in the SFAI Under 13 Cup at Southend Park on Saturday last. Photos: Paul Elliott
Southend United advanced to Round 6 of the SFAI U13 Cup after hitting six against the visitors, Bansha Celtic of Tipperary. Southend winger Fareed Albai was the star of the show as he scored twice and had a hand in every goal Southend scored.
Celtic battled hard, but the home side had too much pace and power, scoring six, and only for some fine saves by Celtic keeper Seamus Dalton would the scoreline have been much higher.
The home side went on the attack straight from the opening whistle and took the lead on eight minutes. Jack Roche played a first-time out wide to Fareed Albai, the Southend winger took off, and he skipped past a number of defenders before firing a low right-foot drive past the diving Seamus Dalton and into the far corner of the net.
They doubled their lead on 12 minutes. Fareed Alabi took on the Celtic defence, and he whipped in a low cross to the far post, and Ryan Egan arrived on cue to fire a right-foot shot in off the near post.
Southend continued to attack, and the Celtic defence was under severe pressure, and goalkeeper Seamus Dalton was called to make some excellent saves from Michael Edward O’Reilly and Mason O’Neill.
The hosts ended the game as a contest in the 20th minute, adding a third goal. Fareed Alabi saw his goal-bound shot cleared off the line by Jay Morrissey; the rebound fell kindly to Luke Casey, who finished in style with a shot that flew into the far corner of the net.
It was four-nil on the stroke of half-time, Fareed Alabi took a pass from Emily O’Reilly and the Southend winger cut in from the right and raced past three defenders before shooting low and hard past the advancing keeper.
Southend rang the changes at half-time, and this gave the visitors a chance to get into the game. In the 33rd minute, Celtic keeper Dalton was called into action as he pulled off a remarkable double save to keep out efforts from Danny and Mikey Connors. However, it was the home team that scored again on 42 minutes. Michael Edward O’Reilly weaved his way into the box and slipped a clever pass into the path of Danny Connors, who scored from close range.
Bansha Celtic then put a couple of attacking moves together, but Emily O’Regan was a rock at the heart of the Southend defence, and along with goalkeeper Jack Allen, Southend kept a clean sheet.
The home team scored goal number six five minutes from time. Darragh Long picked out Michael Edward O’Reilly with a first-time pass, the striker took on the Celtic defence before slipping the ball into the net beyond the diving Dalton.
Jack Allen, Jack Roche, Luke Casey, Emily O’Regan, Gabriel Korzeniowski, Mason O’Neill, Alfie O’Brien, Ryan Egan, Darragh Wyse, Michael Edward O’Reilly, Fareed Alabi, Danny Connors, Mikey Connors, Toby Fitzgerald, Holly Roche Murphy, Darragh Long.
Seamus Dalton, Jay Morrissey, Hudson Scanlon, Bill Crowe, Lara Fahey, Ria Grace, Bill Gleeson, Noah Kennedy, James Morrissey, Jack Bergin, Fletcher Scanlon, Conor Tobin, Carl Conan, Jake O’Gorman.
Stuart Kennedy.
