Friendly Report: Cabinteely 2-5 New Zealand
Credit: Al Robinson (ETPhotos)
New Zealand arrived to a sunkissed surface at Stradbrook Road – the best it's looked all campaign.
They might have been used to be playing on the rugby pitch but they took full advantage of the new surface, easing to a 5-2 victory over a game Cabinteely in a game that amounted to no more than a training exercise for the visitors and a bit of fun for the home side.
Only 79 seconds had passed when New Zealand took the lead through Tommy Smith, but just two more had passed before Cabo were back in it through Kieran 'Marty' Waters.
Two Chris Wood strikes were answered with an Evan Galvin penalty on the stroke of half time, before the visitors took control in the second half, adding some gloss to the scoreline via goals from Kosta Barbarouses and Shane Smeltz.
A quick start for the All Whites, in their change kit of all black, saw them hit the post after just 49 seconds through Marco Rojas and, with the follow up sent out for a corner, Rojas fired it into the box and Smith rose highest to head home.
It didn't take long for the home side to equalise, however, with just four minutes on the clock a stunning shot from Waters right into the far left top corner from 12 yards brought Cabo level.
The Southern Hemisphere side began to exert their dominance, holding a significant physical advantage and having the advantage of added preparation time for the game, looking well drilled coming off their 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland on Friday
Cabo themselves were fresh from a 3-3 draw with UCD on Thursday, and some stand-off defending saw Ryan Thomas in midfield enjoy the freedom of Stradbrook.
It was his shot in the 32nd minute that was blocked on the line – but not by a white and green shirt but by his own man, Rojas – and Wood was on hand to fire home into the open net after the confusion.
Two minutes later Kip Colvey intercepted a Kevin Knight pass and a first time cross was met with a first time volley by an unmarked Wood that Cabo goalkeeper Jack Menton didn't even move for.
Wood missed a glorious chance for a hat-trick in the 41st minute after Rojas slipped him in unmarked from 18 yards, but he somehow blasted wide.
With a minute added on after Michael McGlinchey went down, Evan Galvin was brought down by Bill Tuiloma, gifting Cabo a penalty. Galvin stepped up himself and scored, making it 3-2 heading in at the break.
A positive start with the new units came for Cabo in the second half, with Steven Ball regularly finding a lot of luck in space behind All Whites replacement left-back Tom Doyle.
Ball won a free kick and played a cross in that was cleared by Dale Ingham as Cabo looked to threaten early in the first 10 minutes, but on the hour mark New Zealand delivered the killer blow.
After Clayton Lewis was brought down in the box and no penalty was given,the Cabo defence switched off and allowing Barbarouses a free turn in the box. He shot at Dean Mahon from point blank range, and duly converted.
A misplaced pass from Alex Rufer brought Cabo a chance but Ollie Hamzat couldn't convert on the break after holding up the ball too long, and New Zealand made them pay with the final goal in the 74th minute when Smeltz fired home after some lacklustre Cabo defending.
Ball did have a glorious chance, nearly dipping the goalkeeper off a free kick from 55 yards out, but that was as good as it got in the last ten minutes as New Zealand eased to victory ahead of their opening Confederations Cup match against Russia.
Cabinteely: Jack Menton (Dean Mahon 46); Adam Harney (Adam Maher 46), Mark Hanlon (Jordan Andre 84), Sean Fitzpatrick (Victor Ekanem 46), Kevin Knight (Jamie Broderick 46); Jack Watson (Ben Hanrahan 46), Cory Galvin (Steven Ball 46), Aaron Robinson (Christian Lotefa 46), Daire Doyle [Karl Byrne 46 (Ryan Hannon 88)], Evan Galvin (Robert McGee 46); Kieran 'Marty' Waters [Ollie Hamzat 46 (Cian Lynch 88)].
Subs not used: Graham Kelly, Michael Kelly.
Booked: None
New Zealand: Stef Marinovic (Glen Moss 46); Kip Colvey (Storm Roux 46), Michael Boxall (Dane Ingham 46), Andrew Durante (Themi Tzimpoulos 46), Tommy Smith (Sam Brotherton 66), Deklan Wynne (Clayton Lewis 46); Bill Tuiloma, Michael McGlinchey (Alex Rufer 46), Ryan Thomas (Kosta Barbarouses 46), Chris Wood (Shane Smeltz 46), Marco Rojas (Tom Doyle 46).
Subs not used: Tamati Williams.
Booked: None
Referee: Neil Doyle.
Attendance: 600 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Marco Rojas (New Zealand).
