Midleton Tigers v CI Blue in Midleton on Sunday 13/11/22 @ 11:30am

It was a very windy and rainy day for our opening match of the league campaign. The lads were in good spirits prior to the game and were well up for the challenge ahead, despite the weather! Prior to hit off, Charlie Fitzsimmons was named captain for the season, with Callan Twomey his vice. Congratulations to you both lads and best of luck leading the team for the year.

As the match started, the weather rarely abated. An even start, with chances at both ends, before CI scored a goal half way through the 2nd quarter, 1-0.

Into the second quarter now and chances were still being created at both ends. The defence of Kurt WilkensonHayden, Conor Fletcher, Callan Twomey and Arthur Brookes repelled all CI attacks in this quarter thankfully, but we couldn’t find the net either, despite our best efforts. 1-0 at half time.

Coach Conor Creagh, assisted by Aiden, gave their words of wisdom at half time and the lads came back out for the second half ready to give their all and that they did. Charlie Fitzsimmons and Leo Colombet were instrumental in midfield, keeping it simple and beginning to assert their dominance over CI in the middle of the park. The forwards of Jack Kelleher, Izek Ryall, Sam Kane and Marcus O’Loughlin worked tirelessly in an effort to get us back in the game.

But it was CI who scored next from a short early in the 4th quarter. This didn’t deter the lads and they kept pressing in search of a goal for themselves. And that goal duly arrived with 2 minutes to go with Callan Twomey scoring from a short corner. Alas the lads ran out of time whilst pressing for the equaliser, so it finished 2-1 to CI, our congratulations to them on a good win.

Overall the lads played really well and showed great promise for the season ahead. Big thank you to the supporters for braving the weather and to the umpires, Mary and Cuan for umpiring the match so well.