Blast from the Past January 2004. Blackpool slump to 6-1 loss to visitors Coachford.
(pics 11.01.2004)
PREMIER A LEAGUE
Blackpool Celtic 1 Coachford 6
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| Blackpool defender James Cronin (left) and John Hogan eye the dropping ball. |
New signing Stephen Goulding hit a second-half double as Coachford moved up the rankings in Murphy’s Stout AUL Premier A with a comfortable 6-1 away win over lowly Blackpool Celtic.
Celtic played spiritedly and indeed scored the best goal of the game but they tired in the end and the youthful visitors, this season managed by Micky Walsh, scored four in the closing fifteen minutes.
Coachford, despite playing against the strong wind, took the game to their hosts from the off but the early pressure failed to pay off.
Blackpool took the initiative for a while and forced a series of corner about the 15 minute mark but Coachford survived a few scares, including one when keeper Donal Moynihan, in for the injured Peter O'Riordan (collar bone), dropped the ball with Blackpool players, Billy Murphy and Billy Long, in close attendance.
After that, Moynihan played a fine game and showed his class in the very next minute when he made a great stop from the flying Mark Buckley who had broken clear.
In the 20th minute, a major scramble developed in the Blackpool box after a great cross by Ruan Linehan, following a free by Darren O’Brien. And it was O’Brien who prevented a clearance and set up fullback Ken O’Donovan to open the scoring.
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| Coachford defender Sean Twomey breaks up Blackpool's attack and charges upfield. |
O'Brien and Paddy Martin are two experienced players on a very young Coachford side, and they play key roles. O’Brien came close to making it 2-0 in the 36th minute but his drive, after a return pass from Linehan, crashed against the post.
The second half was always going to be difficult for the losers, and that was underlined in the 55th minute when Goulding got in between defender Cliff Howard and keeper Willie Matthews and slotted the ball into the empty net.
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| Coachford's Ruan Linehan wins header. |
Buckley was proving a handful for the Coachford defence including AUL youth representative player Ciaran Lucey. The Blackpool forward was fouled out on the right in the 65th minute and a spectacular free kick by Willie Singleton flew high past keeper Moynihan and in by the far post.
Then Howard broke from defence and put Buckley racing into the Coachford box and it took three defenders to stop him. But that was about the last attack of note by the home side.
Coachford took over, and in the 75th minute, sub Donal Corkery crossed from close to the right-hand corner flag and John Hogan, on the AUL junior panel, crashed a beauty past Matthews.
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| Coachford's Niall Buckley in control. |
Matthews was in trouble again two minutes later, this time the question posed by a mighty wind-driven clearance by opposite number Moynihan. The back-pedalling Blackpool man managed to tip the ball onto the bar, but Goulding was on hand to whack in the rebound and make it 4-1.
And Coachford extended that lead in the 79th minute. Again, Corkery was the supplier, and this time Hogan, unmarked at the far post, headed the cross powerfully past Matthews.
The sixth came with about two minutes to go. Niall Buckley whipped in a cross from way out on the left. It caught the wind and flew past Matthews and in by the far post.
Blackpool Celtic: Willie Matthews, James Cronin, Mark Buckley, Ken O'Sullivan, Billy Murphy, Noel Hawthorn, Steven O’Connor, Paul Cummins, Billy Long, Cliff Howard and Willie Singleton.
Coachford: Daniel Moynihan, Ken O’Donovan, Sean Twomey, Pat Martin, Ciaran Lucey, John Hogan, Ruan Linehan, Darren O’Brien, Niall Buckley, Robert O’Keeffe and Steven Goulding. Subs: Adrian Martin, Noel Looney, Colm Grady, Donal Corkery and Steve Buckley.
Referee: Fred Murray.
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| New Coachford signing Steve Goulding gets between Blackpool defender Cliff Howard and keeper Willie Matthews to score on his debut |
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