Massive thank you to China Garden for sponsoring our new kit for our Under 14 Girls. Its very much appreciated and the girls are now all ready for the 2017 season. If you are feeling hungry tonight you know where to go!
FIFA Live Your Goals – North East Region
Please see the flyer atttached to promote the FIFA Live Your Goals in MDL Grounds, Navan on Saturday 11th March 2016, as mentioned at the AGM on Saturday.
Girls of all ages and abilities from all over the North East are welcome.
Whether they want to come on their own or with a group all girls welcome.
Parents / Guardian / Coach / Teacher etc can register a child for FREE on www.fai.ie/fifalyg
The event will consist of Small Sided Games, Fun activities and coaching zone with WNT / WNL players (schedule permitting)
Amandas Calling
To us this comes as no surprise but today Amanda McQuillan was called up to the Women’s senior team. Congratulations Amanda on another terrific milestones in your football journey.
Bell selects Republic of Ireland WNT squad for Cyprus Cup
Ireland will play against Czech Republic, Hungary and Wales.
Colin Bell has named 20 players in the Republic of Ireland Women’s Senior Team squad for the 2017 Cyprus Cup tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday, March 1.
The tournament will be Bell’s first involvement with the team since being appointed as the new Head Coach. The 55-year-old, who led FFC Frankfurt to UEFA Women’s Champions League glory in 2015, is excited to get started.
“The Cyprus Cup is the ideal start for me. Through its intensity I will have the opportunity to see how the squad react, on and off the pitch, in a difficult situation. Four competitive matches in a week is tough for any team,” said Bell.
“The focus in training can only be of a technical and tactical nature, plus recovery. This means that I will prioritise important elements of my philosophy without overloading the girls with too much information.
“One of these priorities will be team building/interaction between player-player and staff-player. For me, I will be looking to get as much information as I need for my players, and study the other teams during this tournament.
“The Cyprus Cup is from Day One the start of the road to France 2019. That is an important fact that I will be making clear throughout the tournament.”
Depending on results, Ireland could advance from Group C and go all the way to the final. However, they will be in action regardless on the last day of the tournament on Wednesday, March 8 with a number of play-offs being hosted.
Bell’s squad is made up of familiar faces, including Ireland’s most capped women’s senior international in goalkeeper Emma Byrne, who recently left Arsenal Ladies after 17 years to join Brighton & Hove Women.
Also making the cut are three representatives from Continental Tyres Women’s National League champions Shelbourne Ladies in Amanda McQuillan, Roma McLaughlin, and Leanne Kiernan. Overall, there are seven home-based players included in the squad.
The tournament will act as the perfect warm-up to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers which kick off in September. The draw for that qualification campaign will be made in Nyon on Tuesday, April 25.
Ireland are also lining up a number of friendly games, including the visit of Slovakia to Tallaght Stadium on Monday, April 10. But, firstly, all the focus will be on the Cyprus Cup.
Republic of Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Emma Byrne (Brighton & Hove Albion), Amanda McQuillan (Shelbourne Ladies)
Defenders: Sophie Perry (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jetta Berrill (UCD Waves), Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Louise Quinn (Unattached), Megan Campbell (Manchester City Women), Savannah McCarthy (Glasgow City)
Midfielders: Julie-Ann Russell, Karen Duggan (UCD Waves), Katie McCabe (Arsenal Ladies), Denise O’Sullivan (Houston Dash), Roma McLaughlin (Shelbourne Ladies), Ruesha Littlejohn (Celtic FC Women), Megan Connolly (Florida State University)
Forwards: Stephanie Roche (Sunderland Ladies), Aine O’Gorman (UCD Waves), Noelle Murray, Clare Shine (Glasgow City), Leanne Kiernan (Shelbourne Ladies)
Fixtures
Wednesday, March 1: Republic of Ireland v Czech Republic, KO 12:30 (Irish time)
Friday, March 3: Republic of Ireland v Hungary, KO 15:30 (Irish time)
Monday, March 6: Republic of Ireland v Wales, KO 12:30 (Irish time)
Wednesday, March 8: TBC
Johnstown Chop Woodview Down
Johnstown completed an unbeaten January with a fine 6-2 victory over Friday night’s visitors to the MDL, Woodview Celtic.
The Dundalk side were unlucky not be in front after a dominant opening period, being thwarted a couple of times by Dylan Byrne in the Johnstown nets & a superb last ditch tackle by Jamie Connolly with Woodview through on goal.
Johnstown began to grow into the game & it was not too long until they made Woodview regret their missed opportunities.
A quick fire double from Kacper Żeberek put his side in control just after the half hour.
His first came from a quick corner on Johnstown’s right as Żeberek met Sean Challenger’s far post cross with a superb diving header.
3 minutes later, it was 2-0. The ever influential Challenger released Dylan Bollard with an excellent ball down the right. The Johnstown right back powered in the area and played in Żeberek who slotted home across the keeper.
With a few minutes to play in the first half, Arnold Luco was through on goal. He went down under the challenge of a defender in the box but the referee waved the away loud appeals from the home side.
The hosts came out after the interval, firing on all cylinders once again and within 2 minutes were 3-0 up. Wayne Cahill’s perfectly weighted through ball found Vinny Murphy’s run. As he entered the area, Murphy pulled his left foot shot across the keeper into the bottom corner.
As Johnstown’s dominance grew in this period of the game, they could have been further ahead. Luco was first denied by a combination of keeper & post before Murphy was released in an almost carbon copy move that lead to his goal, but as the keeper stood tall, the Johnstown man could only chip into the waiting keeper’s hands.
Then came the moment that breathed life back into Woodview Celtic’s challenge in the game. With an hour elapsed, their forward tumbled in the box under a challenge from Darren McQuillan. The referee showed no hesitation this time in awarding the penalty. Despite his best efforts, Byrne could do little to keep out the spot kick as his side’s advantage was reduced to 3 goals to 1.
This set back did not deter the home side, and soon after, they restored their 2 goal cushion. Challenger’s vision & execution of pass freed Wayne Cahill who grateful accepted the chance to chip in his 10th league goal of the season.
With 15 minutes left, Woodview came back again. They stole possession high up the field on their right and following a quick interchange of passes laid the ball back for a shot driven home low to Byrne’s right.
The game stood at 4-2, and as the old cliché goes, the next goal would be crucial and it came with 5 minutes left. Kacper Żeberek held off a number of defenders before laying the ball off across the face of goal to the waiting Adam Ivers. The second half substitute tapped into an empty net making it 5-2, securing the points for his side.
In the final minute, Ivers turned provider as he set up Arnold Luco for another tap in finishing off the scoring.
This 6-2 win ensured Johnstown finished January unbeaten with 3 wins & a draw from their 4 games and will fill them with confidence ahead of a return to cup action next week.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, D. Grumley, W. Cahill, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: J. McDermott for Colton, A. Ivers for Murphy, P. Challenger for S. Challenger, P. Dempsey for Cahill.
Good Luck Under 13s
Best of Luck to our Under 13s who travel to Mullingar tomorrow to take part in the SFAI Skeetcher Cup. The team are now one of the last 32 teams to play in this cup.
Black Bull Fight Back to Hold Johnstown
Table toppers Black Bull were the visitors to the MDL on Friday night, where they played out a 2-2 draw with Johnstown.
The opening quarter of an hour saw both sides have their share of possession without either showing any real cutting edge until a fine ball by Dylan Bollard released Vinny Murphy on the right. He cut into the area and fired his shot high over the keeper only to see it thunder back off the crossbar.
Dylan Bollard was instrumental in the next chance created in the game 5 minutes later. This time, however, he was key to keeping his side level as he cleared a Black Bull header from a corner off the line.
The scoring was opened shortly after as a precise move down their right saw Black Bull cross to their front man free in the area to slot home a low shot across goal.
The hosts had a couple of chances to level things before the break, both falling to full back Jason Colton. The first was an acrobatic effort as he connected with a cross from Vinny Murphy. The second, a header from a Sean Challenger delivery from a free kick. Unfortunately neither effort found the net.
Johnstown’s equaliser came 9 minutes into the second half. A foul on Colton gave Johnstown a free kick 20 yards out on the left of the penalty area. Kacper Zeberek’s shot took a wicked deflection as it passed through a gap on the end of the wall and snuck into the bottom corner at the far post with the keeper completely wrong footed.
Within a minute, Johnstown hit the front. Zeberek’s ball freed Arnold Luco on the left. He held off a number of defenders as he ran across the area before pulling his shot back across goal into the net.
The first red card of the night came on 64 minutes as a deliberate handball in midfield resulted in a second caution for the Black Bull man reducing his side to 10 men.
Worse was to befall the men from Drogheda as 3 minutes later, they were further reduced to 9 men. Luco ran on to a through ball, rounded the keeper and shot from wide. It was destined to make it 3-1 until the timely but illegal intervention of a defender, as he reached out and handled on the line.
The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, and after a further confrontation the area, a red card to the guilty party. On as a second half substitute, Pierce Challenger took the responsibility of taking the penalty. His well struck spot-kick was brilliantly saved by the visiting custodian.
5 minutes after all the drama, Johnstown were made to pay. A ball from deep caught out the Johnstown defence and saw a Black Bull forward steal in ahead and nick the ball over the advancing Byrne in the Johnstown net before hammering home to level matters.
With a 2 man advantage it was no surprise that Johnstown dominated the remainder of the game but they rarely troubled the opposition goal.
As the final whistle sounded, the air of disappointment around the Johnstown camp was palpable as the reality of what was 2 points dropped against the league leaders sunk in.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, D. Grumley, W. Cahill, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: P. Challenger for Grumley, J. McDermott for Colton, A. Mooney for Cahill, A. Ivers for Bollard, M. Grumley for Murphy
Johnstown Overcome Albion Challenge
For the second time in three days, Johnstown secured progression in knockout competitions with a highly competitive 3-2 Tully Cup win over Division 3 side Albion Rovers at the MDL on Friday Night.
With the game just one minute old, Albion broke swiftly down their right and delivered a cross to the back post where the waiting man could not take advantage of his free header. A portent of what was to come.
Just 4 minutes later, a Johnstown pass in midfield was charged down. The ball rebounded to an Albion striker clear of the defence. Despite protestations from the home side, he bore down on goal before giving his side the lead at the second attempt after his initial effort came back off the post.
For much of the opening half hour, Johnstown failed to impose any control over their lower division opponents with Albion looking much the better side.
Then with 32 minutes on the clock, Johnstown began a spell of 3 goals in 9 minutes.
First, Sean Challenger showed great vision to release Arnold Luco down the right. Luco cut infield and across the 18 yard line, passed a number of Albion defenders before pulling his left footed shot back across the keeper and into the net.
Five minutes later, Kacper Zeberek made it 2-1. Taking possession in midfield, Zeberek turned and ran at the defence, beating 3 players before unleashing an unstoppable shot from distance that dipped over the keeper into the net.
On 41 minutes, the combination of Challenger and Luco proved decisive once again for the home side. Challenger’s perfect through ball found Luco cutting in from the right. Despite the keeper’s best efforts, the Johnstown man’s shot found the inside of the far post giving his side a 3-1 lead going into the break.
During a second half dominated by the home side, Johnstown should have put the game to bed. A number of chances went abegging.
With 15 minutes to go, Luco raced clear. He rounded the advancing keeper, but only succeeded in further narrowing his angle. From this tighter position, he watched his attempt ricochet off the foot of the near post and away.
Two minutes later, Albion pulled a goal back as they finished across Dylan Byrne in the Johnstown net to set up a nervy end to the game.
The Louth side finished off the game with 2 excellent chances to get back on level terms. However they were thwarted on both occasions by Byrne.
With Albion constantly probing for the equaliser, the final whistle was greeted with more sighs of relief than outright celebration as Johnstown avoided a cup shock and moved onto the next round.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), D. Grumley, W. Cahill, S. Ivers, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: A. Ivers for Murphy, A, Sirb for Cahill, J. Caffery for Challenger
Johnstown Prove Too Strong For Rock Celtic
After a disappointing end to 2016, in which they lost their last 4 games, Johnstown bounced back with a perfect start to the New Year with a superb 4-2 win over Premier side Rock Celtic in the LMFM Kilmessan Shield on at the MDL Tuesday night.
It took the hosts less than 5 minutes to open the scoring. Vinny Murphy received the ball in space and beat 2 Rock Celtic defenders before unleashing a shot from 25 yards which sailed into the net high above the keeper.
Murphy almost doubled his side’s lead a little over 10 minutes later with an almost carbon copy effort, only to see his wickedly swerving shot thunder back off the crossbar.
With 5 minutes left in the first half, this season’s top goal scorer, Wayne Cahill scored Johnstown’s 2nd of the evening. Having timed his run to perfection, Cahill found himself clear of the defence just inside the area, where he met Kacper Zeberek’s pass with little dink over the keeper.
Rock Celtic began the 2nd half the strongest and, but for a couple of smart saves from Dylan Byrne, they could have pulled one back before, on 54 minutes, a cross from Celtic’s left went through Byrne’s hands and dropped into net.
60 seconds later, the Louth side missed a chance to equalise as they could only send their effort wide.
Johnstown’s next attack was started by Mark Grumley as he played a fantastic ball down Johnstown’s left. Arnold Luco’s powerful run allowed him to reach the goal-line inside the area, from where he pulled the back setting up Zeberek who fired home Johnstown’s 3rd, leaving the visitors to rue their earlier missed opportunity.
With 10 minutes left to play, Zeberek was again on hand to score Johnstown’s 4th. Sean Challenger’s through ball released him into space and into a 1-on-1 with the Celtic keeper, who came off the stronger following Zeberek’s first effort but could do nothing as the Johnstown man finished at the second time of asking.
With the game deep in injury time, Rock Celtic pulled a second goal back, as their player chipped Byrne, amidst appeals for offside, completing the scoring on night, and seeing Johnstown progress the next round by 4 goals to 2.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, J. McDermott, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, W. Cahill, D. Grumley, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: M. Grumley for McDermott, D. Bollard for Murphy, S. Ivers for Luco, J. Gaffney for Cahill, E. Donnelly for Zeberek.
Happy New Year 2017
We would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and all the best for 2017
Under 13 Match Report 12th November 2016
U13 Premier Johnstown 1 – 2 Kells Blackwater
Top of the table clash last Saturday morning in the MDL attracted a decent size crowd to see the leagues two form teams battle it out. Adam Murphy continued his impressive scoring run with a strong run and powerful finish to put JFC 1 up , the game was contested mostly in midfield with very little to choose between the two sides. JFC looked to be going in at half time with the lead when a Kells free kick took an unlucky deflection off a JFC player past the excellent Oisin in goal, 1-1 at half time.
The second half continued in the same vein a close tense game and looked to be heading for what possibly would of been a fair drawn result. Five minutes to play and Kells took the lead somewhat against the run of play as JFC pushed forward to get the winner that would of taken them top of the table. A great effort on Saturday and every member of the squad can be proud of their efforts in the game. Some nice words of encouragement from opposition manager to our lads at the end. The lads left the pitch disappointed but certainly going in the right direction in terms of their football week in week out now.
