24th October; Glounthaune United 2-0 Everton

Everton’s under 15’s exited the national cup today, mainly because a good footballing display refused to garner the goals required to break down a stubborn Glouthane.
Our lads started sluggishly and were a goal down before they really got going. The signs of things to come then appeared when a good spell of pressure produced only shots wide of the target. And they were made to pay for their inaccuracy when Glounthaune produced a long-range effort that found Colm Keane’s top corner to extend their lead.
From then until half time Everton began to turn the screw but found the home keeper in fine form. Ahmad Saleem in particular was frustrated when his low drive on the turn was parried away.

The second half was one way traffic from start to finish, with the excellent Shane O Brien pulling the strings in midfield. His passing was at the heart of many a good move, and produced a number of good openings, particularly out wide. But fine deliveries from Stanley Notte, Alan O Neill, Craig Roche and Luke Ryan always seemed to find a defender, and Glounthaune’s goal remained intact. Shane himself went close with an edge of the box shot that could well have found the net if not for a deflection, while Rakib Mousse found his shooting boots were not in the best of form. Despite this Everton kept at it to the final whistle, pinning Glounthaune deep in their own half, and making Colm Keane a virtual spectator. But the day was summed up in the final minute when a sweeping move ended with Wayne Forde’s shot being stopped on the line by a scrambling keeper.
Again quite a few had claims for man of the match, but Shane O’ Brien got the nod for his best display of the season.

10th October; Bandon 2-0 Everton

Everton left Town Park with nothing but the frustration of defeat, a couple of poor referee decisions and missed chances to show for another excellent performance today.
This was a game that the away side should have got something from, but didn’t even though Bandon started strongly and Everton had to stand up to their physical approach to get a foothold in the game. But they did just that without giving Bandon any clear cut chances, and then created two great opportunities themselves. Both fell to Ahmad Saleem, but he was denied by an excellent Bandon keeper the first time and his touch left him down when released by Stanley Notte at the end of the best move of the half. Bandon then grabbed the opening goal after a mix up in the Everton defence and had a strong spell of attacking play that pushed Everton the limits. Having survived that spell Everton then spurned two great chances to level before half time. First Rakib Abdoul Saleem failed to slot home from a tight angle after rounding the keeper, and then, following a sweeping move, Saleem couldn’t net after a strong Rory Nagle drive was parried by the keeper.

Everton had a disastrous start to the second half when two refereeing decisions went against them. The award of a free kick against Danial Wallace seemed harsh, but when Bandon netted their second from the resultant cross despite goalkeeper Aaron West being challenged while in the air Everton were livid.
To be fair the lads used their frustration in the best possible way and piled forward to get back in the game. But the Bandon keeper proved a tough nut to crack, and when he was beaten the post denied Rory Nagle. Ryan Browne then dragged a shot wide after an excellent counter attack, before the goal Everton badly needed arrived from Rakib Abdoul Mousse.
Ahmad Saleem then misfired when well placed, before the referee waived away a strong penalty shout when the same player was denied by a pull on his shirt when rounding the keeper.
The final phase was all Everton, and Bandon were hanging on in the final minutes but a deserved equaliser never came, mainly due to the home keepers dominance of his area, and one more good save from a Rakib Mousse free kick.
Man of the match was again a tough call, but Stanley Notte’s performance at left back, particularly when going forward got him the nod on the day.

2nd October; Avondale United 1-2 Everton

A wonderful performance, full of grit, determination and a willingness to express themselves, allowed Everton's under 15 side deservedly defeat second division Avondale in a friendly game this evening.

From the outset Everton looked the better side. The back four were solid, the midfield creative and the front two of Rakib Abdoul Mousee and Ahmad Saleem a constant worry for a home defence that always looked stretched. Having said that the gane held few clear cut chances. Everton squandered all those that came their way in the first half, and went in at half time a goal down to the one clear cut chance Avondale created. Prior to that Colm Keane hadn't really been troubled by a number of long range efforts, and was unlucky that a good hand on this shot couldn't prevent the ball finding the net.

Everton quickly levelled in the second half when a neat move released Ahmad Saleem and he chipped the advancing keeper deliciously, and then went on to dominate the game. But the final ball was never quite right or Avondale's back four found a timely intervention until a sweeping one touch move ended with Shane Mulcahy planting a curling shot in the top corner.
The stunned home side then threw all they had into trying to find an equaliser. But our lads were in no mood to let the lead slip and defended so well Avondale only produced one chance ( a half one) that Colm Keane dealt with comfortably. And in the end only a deliberate foul on Rakib Mousse when he was clean through in the final minute denied our lads a greater margin of victory.
Many, obviously, had claims for Man of the Match, but the winning goal and a sterling defensive performance deserved recognition above all else and the mangement therefore decided on a joint award to Shane Mulcahy and Craig Doyle.

29th September; Everton 2-0 Carrigaline Hibernians

Everton secured a third straight league victory with another good performance at home to a physically strong Carrigaline Hibernians today.
In truth the winning margin should have been greater such was the home side’s dominance but chances came and went regularly and it wasn't until fifteen minutes from time that an Ahmad Saleem strike secured the victory.
Prior to that an entertaining first half ended with Everton one up through a Darragh Comyns headed goal that came at the end of an excellent move. That move was typical of the home side, and more than once good service to the front two threatened to breach the Hibs defence. But the away keeper was in good form, and when Daniel Wallace did beat him the bar intervened. Daniel was involved at the other end too, showing keen awareness to clear of the line when keeper Colm Keane had been lobbed from the away side’s only real chance.

The second half saw Everton dominate from the start, but fail to find the net. Rakib Abdoul Mousse went closest when he had a shot saved by the keeper’s legs, before a foul on the lively Ryan Browne gave Everton a penalty. That chance, too, though slipped away when Stanley Notte’s well hit effort struck the base of the post and Darragh Comyn's follow up strike was disallowed.

The key moment in the game came five minutes later when Colm Keane produced a magnificent one handed save to tip a venomous shot on to the post, and then scrambled to his feet to prevent the ball spinning over the line. Having survived that scare Everton pushed on and Ahmad Saleem had an effort just wide, and a header over the bar when brilliantly positioned, before he netted the second goal the home side deserved.

More chances were created in the closing stages, and Keith Sweeney in particular was unfortunate not to grab a goal when he slipped a shot past the keeper only to see a defender produce a great goal line clearance.
Many had claims for Man of the Match afterwards, and while the patience and passing on show was great to see manager Stanley Notte pointed to Colm Keane's save as the vital contribution on the day, and so gave him the nod and the captain’s armband for the next game.

13th September; Riverstown A 1-10 Everton

Everton's under 15 side brushed aside venue confusion and a late kick off to record a comfortable victory at Riverstown this afternoon.
The home side were never really in the game as Everton were quickly into their stride, and once again produced an excellent passing display. Rory Nagle and Rakib Mousse were lively from the start up front and either could have opened the scoring in the first ten minutes. But after Rory had a goal harshly ruled out for not using a name when beating colleague Ryan Browne to a through ball, Rakib netted twice to put Everton in the driving seat. A poor defensive error then allowed Riverstown to pull one back from a free kick, but any talk of a comeback was quickly snuffed out by an Ian Sisk double. At this point Everton were rampant. Craig Roche and Rory Nagle went close, while Ryan Browne and Stanley Notte dominated their side of the park and the back four and midfield controlled possesion with aplomb. That confidence provided Rakib with his hat-trick goal before half time, and Everton with a comfortable 5-1 lead.

Half time changes for Everton didn't alter the course of the game as Rakib netted a fourth from a Danial Wallace cross within minutes, and then Shane O Brien ended a flowing move at the far post just a minute later. Rory Nagle then got the goal his performance deserved, before Ahmad Saleem and Keith Sweeney completed the scoring.
On a day when all played well a man of the match award was always going to be a difficult decision.But with four goals and an assist in the bag it was impossible to ignore the claim of Rakib, despite several other strong showings.

29th August; Everton 6-0 Strand United

Everton's under 15's began their 09/10 campaign with a home tie against Strand utd, the same side who provided the opposition on the last day of last season. The result today, however, was very different from the 1-1 draw played out in June.
Today Everton were better in every department, with the most pleasing aspect seeing the coaching come to fruition on match day. Everton passed, and passed (and passed) from start to finish.
First half goals from Rakib Abdoul Mousse, who opened the scoring after a fast break; Stanley Notte who finished a fine flowing move (and atoned for an earlier penalty miss); and debutant Darragh Comyns, who took the man of the match award later, had Everton in control at the break. And by the time Rakib netted his second from the spot midway through the second period Strand were hanging on for dear life.
Further goals came when Shane Mulcahy ended a good move with a neat finish, and Danial Wallace hammered home following a corner, while in between Everton's slick passing created chances for substitutes Keith Sweeney and Aaron Rawley; corners provided Rakib with two headed opportunites for a hat-trick, and Stanley Notte had an effort scrambled of the line.
But the move of the game came in the final minute when Everton moved the ball from their own box to Strand's six yard area with six passes, the last of which found Keith Sweeney who was denied an early contender for goal of the season by a last ditch tackle.
So a great start for the lads. And with all four subs doing well, and other players absent on the day competition for places in the next game is, to say the least, tough.