Our 2B squad got their inaugural season underway on Saturday last with a home game versus St. Saviours. Due to the recent inclement weather, the game was moved to The RSC to safeguard the surface at Whitfield Park for the weeks ahead, and the Kilbarry venue was treated to a feast of football with both teams giving 110% in their first games of the new season.
Manager Kevin Murphy had a near full-strength panel to work with, and the new 2025 season kit also got its first outing. The gaffer kept the opposition guessing by strategically delaying the naming his starting XI until just before kick off (with rumours of an inability to work the FAI app wide of the mark)!
As one pitchside know-it-all remarked afterwards, this was a classic game of three halves. In front of a large crowd, the Crusaders settled into their rhythm straight from the kick off, with Odhran O’Donnell, David Cheasty and Sean Halpin pulling the strings in midfield, the ever-willing Zak O’Connor making the hard yards up front, and Jordan Wall and Captain Cian O’Neill snuffing out any hint of danger at the back. With several chances coming their way, it was only a matter of time before the Whitfield men got on the scoresheet, and this duly happened after 21 minutes when a well worked move from back-to-front was expertly dispatched by Ben Brophy, served up to him on a plate by Zak.
On 35 minutes, the game shifted from a free-flowing feast of football to a battle royale, with 2 yellow cards flashed, one for each side. The visitors were coming back into the game at this stage, as the ball moved from the surface to the sky. Halftime came and went, but St. Saviours continued the 2nd half where they’d finished the 1st and got their equaliser on 48 minutes.
Crusaders rallied after this, regaining control of the ball and dictating the pace. Up to this point, fullbacks Jim Brennan and Devin Enright had been the busiest players on the field, repelling each wave of attack successfully. David Cheasty was giving his opposition number a lesson in how to play the game, and Eoin Daly was running wild on the right wing. Paddy O’Neill on goal was also having a great game, but this came to a premature end on 59 minutes when both he and the opposition striker had a coming-together in the box; a red card each duly followed forcing the manager to rely on his pre-match planning as he reshuffled, bringing Joe Barry and Donagh O’Connor into the game.
The noise levels faded in the away dugout as they tired on and off the pitch, with the Crusaders’ legs benefitting from rainy evenings spent sprinting up Train Hill. Luke McCarthy and Jordan Daniels came into the game in tactical changes as Murphy shored up the defence and watched his charges reclaim control of the game for the last 15 minutes. Chances for Zak, Sean and Odhran went close but ultimately at 1-1, the draw was a fair result.
Next up for the 2B team is another home game, 15th March @ 2pm versus De La Salle.
Crusaders AFC 
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