RaLET vs Swords
Although Swords had won the first leg 5-0, we felt we had played very well but just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. When we faced off for our rematch, Swords were top of the table and were undefeated so far. We needed a win to get through to the quarter finals.
Swords started off very well with an early goal. Then we started to defend well but Swords were still on top. Then we started getting a few passes together. Out of nowhere, Jack took a long range shot that caught the goalkeeper off guard and then it was 1-1! Then it was halftime and it was anyone’s game.
Once the second half started we were on top. It was attack after attack after attack but we couldn’t score. Then a few minutes later we got a free kick. Cian played a perfect ball over the defenders and Aiden ran onto it with a perfect shot lobbing the goalkeeper. 2-1 to RaLET! We defended very well for the rest of the game and got through to the Quarter Finals!!!
Quarter final: RALET vs Scoil Cholmchille Ballybrack
Our boy’s soccer team played very well all year to reach the quarter-final. We travelled to Ballybrack to play against Scoil Cholmchille. The game was played on astroturf on a very windy day. They started stronger but we defended well, with one or two half chances ourselves.
Gradually, we grew into the game and nearly took the lead at the end of the half with a narrow miss from a free-kick from Cian that went just over the bar. An exciting first half ended scoreless.
The second half started well, with both sides having a few chances. However after about fifteen minutes into the second half, Sean poked a ball through to Tadhg who struck low and hard into the bottom corner. RALET had taken the lead!
The last five minutes were hectic with us having chances to put the game to bed, but with just three minutes to go, they hammered the ball past Oran, who had been excellent in goals all afternoon. The match ended 1-1 and so went to penalties.
After some fantastic penalties we lost a thrilling penalty shoot-out. A disappointing end to a fantastic year which in RALET’s first season having a football team saw us reach the quarter-finals.
Report by Tadhg Gaffney, 5th Class