Strong Clare team advance to last 16 of FAI Futsal Cup

The Clare Futsal team advanced to the last 16 of the FAI Futsal Cup at the University of Limerick on Saturday.

Clare entered two teams in this year’s competition and were represented on the day by a Clare selection and Cratloe Forest. The Clare Dragons will take on Polish outfit Blue Magic from Dublin in the last 16 on February 27. Blue Magic defeated League of Ireland teams Shamrock Rovers and St Pat’s to reach the last 16. The winners of the FAI Futsal Cup will go on to represent Ireland in the UEFA Futsal Cup in July.

Clare Dragons  4   Cratloe Forest  1
In the first match in the competition, the two Clare teams played against one another and this gave both the opportunity to get used to playing in a Futsal competition for the first time before they had to take on strong teams from Cork and Kerry.
The Clare team went in front early in the game with an excellent strike from Trevor Maxwell. Cratloe gave as good as they got in the first half and scored an equaliser from Brian McMillian. Clare upped the pace in the second half and went back in front with another strike from Maxwell. Cratloe pressed hard to get back in the game but further strikes from David McCarthy and Maxwell, to complete his hat-trick, ensured victory for the Clare team.

Clare Dragons  1   Tralee Celtic  1
Clare came up against Tralee Celtic in their second game and turned in an excellent performance. Clare went in front in the first half, with Maxwell continuing his rich vein of scoring form with another strike. Throughout the game, Clare played some very entertaining soccer and their performance deserved more goals. Con Collins and David Russell were superb in defence. The woodwork and some top-class saves from the Tralee keeper kept Tralee in the match. In the last minute, Tralee scored an equaliser, despite a great double save from John Healy.

Cratloe Forest  1   Dunmanway Town  3
Dunmanway Town provided the opposition for Cratloe Forest in their second match. Dunmanway got a great start and were two goals up after five minutes. Cratloe battled hard for the remainder of the half and were unlucky to concede a third goal on the stroke of half time. The second half belonged to Cratloe and Seán Hayes pulled one back early in the half. From here to the finish Cratloe piled on the pressure but they failed to get through for any more scores.

Clare Dragons  3   Dunmanway Town  2
Clare knew that victory in their last match would secure passage to the last 16 of the competition and they turned in a very strong performance to score a deserved win. The first half was scoreless.
David McCarthy scored early in the second half to give Clare a deserved lead after good work down the left from David Russell. Gary Flynn put Clare two up with a great run and shot through the Dunmanway defence. Dunmanway pulled a goal back but Adrian Whyte restored Clare’s two-goal advantage with an excellent finish to the left corner after being put through by Oliver Fitzpatrick. Dunmanway pulled another goal back in the last minute but it was too little too late.

Cratloe Forest  2   Tralee Celtic  4
There was nothing at stake in this last match but Cratloe turned in another good performance before being defeated in the end by a very skillfull Tralee side.
Cratloe took the lead early in the first half when Brian McMillian finished well after being put through by Brian Phelan. Cratloe missed a few chances to increase their lead and as the half wore on, Tralee came more into it. They scored an equaliser with five minutes to go in the half after a mistake at the back.
They kept the pressure on for the remainder of the half and went in front in the last minute with another well-worked passing move through the Cratloe defence.
Tralee increased their lead early in the second half but Cratloe kept battling and pulled a goal back with a Mark Ward strike. Tralee secured the victory in the last minute with a goal on the break.

Clare Dragons: John Healy, (Avenue United); Oliver Fitzpatrick, (Inch Crusaders); David McCarthy, (Avenue United); Con Collins, (Bunratty); David Russell, (Avenue United); Gary Flynn, (Avenue United); Trevor Maxwell, (Bridge United);  Adrian Whyte, (Bridge United).
Cratloe Forest: Seán Hayes, Brian McMillian, Mark Ward, Shane O’Brien, Brian Phelan, Caiman Danagher, Jamie Joyce, Philip Counihan, John O’Halloran, Kane O’Shea.