My TY by Glenn McEvoy

As part of my TY, Craig O’Reilly and I were chosen by Mr Furlong to coach and manage the under-15 school football team. We applied for the place by filling out a form stating our capabilities. We attended training with the squad and got to know the abilities of the player and there preference to position on the pitch. The team line-up started to form in our mind.

The highlight of our managing so far was the Wexford-Wicklow under 15 cup final. On the 25 of February 2017, our team left our school and headed to Arklow Town’s AstroTurf pitch to face St. Killians secondary school from Bray. We started the match well but St. Killians started better scoring 3 goals in quick succession. Our team kept their heads up and Ryan Milling scored a goal to put us back in the game. Lightning struck twice as Ryan scored again on the brink of half time. Our team were on a high as we talked through the game plan for playing with the wind in the second half. We went into the second half confident even though we were a goal behind. Our team battled hard and Ryan completed his hat trick and equalised 3-3. St. Killians reacted by scoring to put them ahead with 5 minutes left in the game. We kept our heads and John O’Toole launched a throw in towards the box and Mark Atkin flicked it over the keeper with his head with a minute left.

The two half’s of extra time went by without a goal although both teams fought hard to get one. The game ended 4-4 and proceeded to penalties. St. Killian’s started of strong with a goal put past Christopher Chappell. Mark then scored to level up. St Killian’s made it 2-1 with their second penalty. John O’Tooles penalty was the saved by the keeper. Christopher saved the day by saving their next penalty and Cormac Walsh the levelled it up 2-2 Christopher double up as he saved yet another penalty and Dylan McEvoy fired home his penalty making it 3-2. St. Killian’s last penalty taker stepped up and scored making it 3-3. Ryan milling stepped up with all the pressure on him. He kept his cool and slotted home a beautiful penalty making it 4-3, winning the match, and making it 4 goals from the game. The team now are in the Leinster semi-finals and hope to do well in that. The whole team played extremely well but my Man of the Match has to be Ryan Milling for equalising from 3-0 and taking the winning penalty.