Crosshaven u13s continued to keep their fans and parents at their wit's end

Crosshaven u13s continued to keep their fans and parents at their wit's end with a heart stopping 4-3 win away at Grenagh to become the first club team in many years to reach the last 32 of the FAI National School Boys Cup. As is their way, Crosshaven started strongly and took an early lead courtesy of Oisin Doran Noonan. Brian Lucey, Adam Gumley and Captain Eoin O'Halloran worked hard in a crowded midfield to carve out chances, with Liam Maguire also showing very well from left full back. Brian Lucey's high through ball was clinically finished by poacher extraordinaire Oisin for his second and a 2-0 lead. Things got better still when Shay Murphy latched onto a Rory Deane pass to calmly finish into the bottom corner. However there are no easy games at this stage of the cup and Grenagh got the bit between their teeth after their long range cross got deflected into the Crosser net. Despite the goal, solid defending by Joe Wilson, Ryan Murphy and Evan Canty saw Crosser go in at half time with a very familiar 3-1 lead. The second half then played out in a very familiar fashion to the previous round match with Castleview. Regular followers will know that that meant the game was brought back to even terms at 3-3 despite an outstanding instinctive point blank save by Clinton Moore. With parents looking on through their fingers, Crosser used their very strong bench to good effect with James Murphy, Rory Deane, Fionn Mansfield and Joe Glossop more than matching and even upping the intensity of the game on their arrival. The winner arrived thanks to the dynamic striker partnership of Rhys and Shay, with Shay grabbing the opportunity with both hands to take a deserved 4-3 lead into the last 5 minutes. With tackles flying along with the yellow cards, parents cheering from both sides added to a spectacular finale. Battle hardened after the previous round, Crosshaven withstood a number of late free kicks and scares to hold on for the win and passage into the round of 32 (national) and also as a bonus separately into the quarter finals of the Cork Regional Cup. The squad were cheered off the pitch by their loyal fans with coaches Stephen, Jay, Liam and Ray getting little chance to recover their breath as the magnitude of the team's achievement dawned on us all. Massive result for a great bunch of lads. Well done and big thanks to their families for the support. Bring on the next round.