Match Review: Gaelic Lions FC vs FC Nippon

• DF Liam McGinley
• DF Paddy Bourke
• DF Hans Van Den Hoogen
• MD Dom Marwood
• MD Mikey Peace
• MD Ilyasin Zayan
• MD Adam Smith
• ST Daiki Ishino
• ST Xavier Sproule
• ST Zac Whitehouse
• -- Shailer Thomas

• DF Josh Smith
• DF Tom O'Donnell
• MD Petesy O'Brien

Jägerlatein

Yes. Jagerlatein. You heard me right. Jagerlatein. Parish to parish, throughout the wind swept Emerald Isle, every Sunday, Jagerlatein is etched into our subconscious...and conscious really. The Artane Boys' Band. Michael Lyster's cardigans. Pat Spillane and 'touches of the elbow'. Well it was a Jagerlatein for the returning multi Asian Gaelic Games All-Star, Petesy O'Brien. And like a brave Ginger Drogba of yester year, heroes emerge from the darkness. Heroes transcend adversity. There were plenty of Gaelic Lions heroes on Sunday. That was a tough one in spite of the final scoreline. Nippon easily had 70 percent possession and pinned us back for most of the game. We defended resolutely and Nippon didn't have any clear chance despite the pressure they exerted n the first half. It was our own pressure and haressing that led to Xav finishing calming after we hunted in a pack when Nippon tried to play out from a tight position in the corner. Great team goal really. And Xav almost grabbed a second from a similar scrap...we were living on scraps in that first half. 1-0. We sort of accepted Nippon's dominance and changed it up to deal with it better, just tucking in and looking to break. Was looking like we could manage it until Nippon struck from a set play. The way they'd been playing you would've expected them to kick on and continue to dominant. No chance. Immediate response. Captain Smithie one-two off Xav with a cheeky back heeler and Smithie slotted it home. Within 60 seconds, Zac was racing through and tangled up with the defender. He took the penalty himself...3-1. Talk about taking your moments. We had a lot more steel in the second half. And then Petesy after a long, long way back from an ACL, charged down a clearance and one on one slotted in number 4. Welcome back! Then again. No time to breath. 60 second later Zac was putting Xav through and it was 5-1. Water break. Wow. Nippon threw everything forward as we rolled on subs and even Shailer got in the act with two great saves. And then a penalty for a hand ball. 5-2. Only for Petesy to go on a run and find himself in the same position, last kick of the game, grabs his second. Brothers' Grimm at the German School. Jagerlatein fittingly enough.