Monday, May 27, 2013

Boyne hoping to build on Salthill game

St. Patrick's Athletic u19 midfielder Gavin Boyne is hoping he did enough in last week's EA Sports Cup game against Salthill Devon to convince Liam Buckley that he is worthy of more first team opportunities this season.

The 18 year old, who hails from Castleknock, started alongside Shane McFaul in the Saints' midfield for the trip to Drom, with the Premier Division league leaders going behind twice and needing extra-time to settle the tie with the First Division's bottom placed team.

Enda Curren had given the Galway side the lead on 51 minutes before Jake Kelly's indirect free-kick - awarded against Salthill goalkeeper James Keane for holding the ball too long inside his penalty area - took a wicked deflection off Cian Fadden to make it 1-1, and this was enough to force the extra 30 minutes.

Liam Buckley's side fell behind again to a Brian Geraghty goal but a tidy finish from Kelly in the 115th minute levelled the scores once more before substitute Peter Durrad - a team-mate of Boyne's at u19 level - bagged the winner with a sweet first time volley on his début to settle the first ever meeting between the two sides.

Boyne had been substituted himself by then, but the runner-up of RTÉ television series Football's Next Star is hoping his performance has given manager Buckley something to think about.


"I think I done alright, I don’t think I looked out of place. Sometimes you see lads make the step up from the 19s and they can’t keep up with the pace of the game, but I was happy enough with the way I played."

"I was surprised to see that they’re bottom of the First Division because they made us work hard for the result and pushed us to extra-time. I think the experience told in the end and Peter Durrad came on, made a difference and got the important goal."


Boyne has been impressed with Pats' start to the season and knows it will be difficult to force his way into the reckoning while the more established players are performing so well. However, he feels that Buckley isn't afraid to give youth its fling and that chances are there for those brave enough to take them.

"
He gives us a lot of encouragement, he’s at every u19s game. He comes in at half time of those games and gives us little talks on how to improve in the second half, and in training he’s always telling the 19s lads to push on and get into the first team."

"Aidan Price has been very good too, he’s spoken to me a few times and given me plenty of advice and encouragement. He has told me to take any opportunity I get to break in as the manager is always looking for somebody to impress in training."

"He’s not afraid to give the younger players a chance, he’s always looking for younger players to come through – he has a great belief in us as well."

Boyne was part of the Republic of Ireland schools side which participated in this year's Centenary Shield alongside fellow Football's Next Star contestant Patrick Fitzgerald, who himself finished third in the competition and is now plying his trade with Waterford United.

Having been on the bench for the 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland in their opening game, Boyne started the remaining three games - victories over Scotland (2-0) and Wales (1-0) and the 2-2 draw with England. Sadly, this wasn't enough to secure the Republic's fifth solo Shield success.

"We needed Wales to beat Northern Ireland and we had to beat England to win the tournament, but we drew 2-2 and Northern Ireland beat Wales, so Northern Ireland won and we came second. I enjoyed the experience, though, and it was good to play alongside Paddy again."

As for his LOI u19 career, Boyne is entering his last year of eligibility at that level and he has his eyes set on breaking the Cork City/Shelbourne hegemony at the top of the Elite Division before saying goodbye.

"I was happy enough with how it went at 19s level last season but I want to push on and have a go at the league title as this will be my last season at that age group. 
If I get some games with the first team in the meantime then all the better."

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