ST MICHAELS Vs NEWMARKET CELTIC
FAI JUNIOR CUP FINAL – ST MICHAELS 1 NEWMARKET CELTIC 1
NEWMARKET WON 5-4 ON PENALTIES
Saints lost the Fai Junior Cup final in the toughest way possible in a penalty shootout at Jackman Park last night. In a tense opening period Aido Walsh did well to come off his line to stop Newmarket’s talisman Eoin Hayes. A last ditch tackle on 14 mins prevented Russell Quirke from shooting at the Newmarket goals..A good pass from Colin Bargary nearly played in Russell Quirke on 18 mins down the right wing. It was dour and tough stuff with either side refusing to yield or give an advantage. Russell was unlucky on 21 mins to lose his balance again from a Colin Bargary pass. David Slattery got his head at the back post to a Joey Mulcahy corner but the ball was gathered by Newmarket custodian Shane Cusack. Aido Walsh did well on 32 mins to punch away a David McCarthy free from the right wing..DJ Cremins got in a clearance on 33mins under pressure from Darragh Leahy. It was obvious an opening goal would be huge in a tight game and Newmarket got their noses in front on 36 mins when the Referee awarded a penalty when Eoin Hayes was fouled in the area and Ashley Cullivan converted it to give first blood to Newmarket. The half time whistle arrived with Cullivan’s penalty separating the sides.
HALF TIME: ST. MICHAELS 0 NEWMARKET CELTIC 1
On 51 mins Ed O’Dwyer flashed a shot just wide of the far post from the left wing. David Slattery got his head to a Sean Murphy cross a minute later but it went well wide of the goal. On 55 mins Saints levelled the game at 1-1 when Joey Mulcahy’s second corner was headed goalwards by Paul Breen and David Slattery reacted fastest to steer the ball home much to the delight of the large Saints support. For the next 15 mins Saints largely dominated the game with Newmarket looking a bit leg weary but were always dangerous on the break and always had an out ball with the pace of Eoin Hayes. DJ Cremins again got a leg in to avert the danger as the game hit the hour mark in Jackman Park.Russell Quirke got on the end of a Paul Breen defensive header on 63 mins but his effort went wide of goal. Ed O’,Dwyer again was narrowly wide on 69 mins from the left wing. Paul Breen got on the end of a David Slattery cross on 70 mins but his effort was gathered by Cusack. Both sides started using their benches as tired limbs were the order of the day in the cauldron of battle. David McCarthy blazed over the bar for Newmarket on 73 mins as did Russell Quirke on 78 mins for Michaels. Shane Ryan went close for Saints from a cross from substitute Ashley Kelliher with ten minutes left to play..Paul Breen was dismissed on 86 mins for a second yellow card when he took down Eoin Hayes just on the 18 yard line and Saints had to reshuffle bringing in Chris Higgins with the prospect of extra time looming largely. In a pulsating finish Stephen Kelly got in a last ditch block on an Ed O’Dwyer effort to clear it out for a corner and a David McCarthy free kick came back off the post and the referee’s final whistle sent the game to extra time in Jackman Park.
FULL TIME: ST. MICHAELS 1 NEWMARKET CELTIC 1
EXTRA TIME:
Chris Higgins missed a defensive header on 91 mins and Darragh Leahy was just wide from the resultant corner. Saints had to go carefully with a man disadvantage and Newmarket had the bulk of possession in extra time. Eoin Hayes got in behind the Saints defence on 96 mins but Chris Higgins was on hand to clear off the line. Shane Ryan went close from the endline on 105 mins and Newmarket had two efforts go over the bar and the whistle brought penalties to a reality in Jackman Park.
PENALTIES:
1.JOEY MULCAHY 1-0
2.SHANE CUSACK 1-1
3.CHRIS HIGGINS. 2-1
4 EOIN HAYES. 2-2
5.SHANE RYAN SAVED 2-2
6.DERMOT LENNON. 2-3
7.ASHLEY KELLIHER. 3-3
8.RONAN MCCORMACK 3-4
9.RUSSELL QUIRKE. 4-4
10.STEPHEN KELLY. 4-5