After 10 and a half months of hard work, the season ended for Devon u-14s in a heart wrenching penalty shoot. similar fashion to the Irish Cup exit.

Salthill Devon had a full squad to choose from with the notable exception of Joe Gaughan who is in hospital recovering from surgery and his tenaciousness, craft and guile were the elements missing from the Devon performance. Devon started the game at a high tempo and had Tuam Celtic on the back foot early on. Tuam to their credit were lively on the counter attack and the game was played in a manner in which Devon had possession but all too often failed to create any real scoring opportunity. Tuam Celtic on the other hand were very direct and had a real physical presence about them.

Devon opened the scoring midway through the first half and once again their hardwork on set pieces came to fruition and it was that man again, Garbhann Malone, who was on hand at the back post to leap superbly and direct a bullet header to the net, 1-0 to Devon. A few half chances for Devon before the break and there were a few situations where they could and should have shot at goal. At the break it was 1-0 to Salthill Devon.

Shane Connaughton replaced Niall Murray at the start of the second half and he made an immediate impression on the game. Devon played their best football of the game over the next 15 minutes and indeed they had two golden opportunities where they really should have scored, the first was Eoghan Stenson at the back post where he struck the ball just over the bar and the second was a goal mouth scramble from a corner where Alex Byrne and Diramuid Fadden had opportunities to hit the goals.

Midway through the second half, Devon lost possession and Tuam celtic counter attacked in a sweeping fashion which resulted in a late tackle from Conor Shaughnessy and a penalty for Tuam. They converted to level the game. Tuam Celtic had their best period of the game therafter but the game finished after 70 minutes level.

Extra Time was dominated by Devon but again they failed to make the breakthrough. Aaron Kane came in for Conor Shaughnessy and he did well at centre half.

The dreaded penalty shoot out, we can now empathise with those English squads who were beaten in World Cups on penalties. Alex Byrne and Eoghan Stenson were the unlucky players to miss but they showed character in being willing to stand up and take one. Tuam to their credit dispatched their penalties and won the Premier Cup.

Alas, the season comes to an end, it has been a progressive season for Devon, Connaught and Galway District League winners, Premier Cup runners up on penalties and lost in the last 16 of the SFAI Cup again on penalties. It is fair credit to the squad that no team that they played against managed to defeat them in 70 minutes of football.

They scored 112 goals in 28 matches which works out an average of 4 per game. This defeat will be used as a catalyst to spur them on for next season. 4 squad members have received National Trials at differing points throughout the season and indeed Alex Byrne, Joe Gaughan and Dillon Murphy have just received news that they are invited to trials for the Irish Emerging Talent squad which will compete in the Galway Umbro Cup. We wish all 3 success with their trials. Shane Connaughton, Conor Shaughs, Aaron Murtagh and Colm Hughes all dual stars are part of the Galway and District Kennedy Cup squad and we wish them well in that too.

Salthill Devon Squad: Chris Healy, Aaron Kane, Colin Hanbury, Sean Lally, Diarmuid Fadden, Shane Garvey, Garbhann Malone, Alex Byrne, Conor Shaughnessy, Joe Gaughan, Ben Murphy, Niall Murray, Shane Connaughton, Aaron Murtagh, Eric Ohlstom, Dillon Murphy, Eoghan Stenson & Colm Hughes.