Blast from the Past. Grattan overcome Everton in Youth Cup semi-final
Winners Grattan Utd
Pics: 23.05.2004
MURPHY YOUTH CUP SEMI-FINAL
Everton 1 Grattan United 2
Grattan, more purposeful from the start, deserved a final spot.
Grattan United qualified for Saturday’s final of the Murphy Youth Cup with a deserved 2-1 win over league champions Everton at Turner’s Cross on Sunday morning.
Grattan's Anthony Magee (left) and Colin Fielding clash. Murphy Youth Cup semi-final, Turner's Cross, 23.05.04, Grattan 2 Everton 1. -- Billy Lyons.
Grattan were the more purposeful team from the opening whistle and created more of the clear chances throughout. Everton, thanks mainly to an outstanding performance by Owen Cronin, who led their back-line well, held the Northsiders scoreless in the first half but didn’t have the same luck in the second.
Midfielder John Kearney should perhaps have given Grattan the lead in the 9th minute. Then he raced onto a smashing diagonal ball over the top by Anthony Magee and confronted keeper Shane Sherlock at the far post but the Grattan midfielder blasted wide of the other post.
Outstanding Everton defender Owen Cronin (centre) moves in to block down a shot by John Kearney (8). Murphy Youth Cup semi-final, Turner's Cross, 23.05.04, Grattan 2 Everton 1. -- Billy Lyons.
Another great opportunity for Grattan in the 43rd minute. Then Eric Fleming’s cross found Jonathan Walsh in the box but the ball was punched of his head by Sherlock. The clearance fell to Stephen Walsh but his effort was deflected by the keeper and came back off the bar.
Everton almost netted nine minutes into the second half after the Grattan keeper and defence got their calls mixed up. The uncertain clearance fell to Colin Lyons. His effort sailed over keeper Ricken but was headed off the line by Anthony Peelo.
Grattan's Anthony Magee gets in ahead of his marker. Murphy Youth Cup semi-final, Turner's Cross, 23.05.04, Grattan 2 Everton 1. -- Billy Lyons.
Midway through, Peelo intercepted an Everton pass and broke away and sent a long ball in to Walsh but the striker found keeper Sherlock at his feet and was unable to shoot.
The breakthrough came in the 68th minute when Walsh headed home in a crowded box as a Kearney corner came in. Four minutes later Grattan doubled their advantage, after some uncertainly in the Everton defence. Jonathan Walsh put the pressure on keeper Sherlock after a back-pass and namesake Stephen forced the hurried clearance into the empty net.
Everton fought to the end
That second goal set Everton back but they kept plugging away and got one back in the 84th minute. Then a corner was half cleared and Lyons pounced to smuggle the ball past keeper Ricken.
But that was as good as it got for the losers. It was Grattan who came closest to scoring in the closing minutes but keeper Sherlock made a splendid save with his right leg to deny Kearney. Grattan though had done enough and will feature in the final next Saturday night.
Outnumbered Everton forward David O'Keeffe tries to put the pressure on. Murphy Youth Cup semi-final, Turner's Cross, 23.05.04, Grattan 2 Everton 1. -- Billy Lyons.
Everton: Shane Sherlock, Brian Cahill, Gregory Barry, Gordon Sexton, Owen Cronin, Colin Lyons, Andrew Cotter, David O’Keeffe, Keith Gahan, Colin Fielding and Paul Walsh. Subs: Derek Newman, Ken O'Mahony and Keith Edwards.
Grattan United: John Paul Ricken, Darren Galvin, Colin O'Sullivan, Anthony Peelo, Brian O'Sullivan, Eric Fleming, John Kearney, Timmy O’Mahony, Stephen Walsh, Anthony Magee and Jonathan Walsh. Subs: Padraig Crowley and Michael Joyce.
Referee: Christy Byrne.
*
The other semi-final, Leeds v Blarney, ended in a 3-3 draw and, after a toss, the replay was fixed for Leeds Park last evening.
Leeds scored in the 89th and 90th minutes to force the tie to extra time, Blarney Utd having led 3-1 at the break. Early goals by Alan Vaughan and Dean Foley had Blarney on their way and underage sensation Ross O’Rourke turned and shot their third midway through.
Leeds pulled one back in the 27th minute, following a corner forced by David Hosford following good approach play by Richard Leahy and Martin Higgins. The flag kick came to Hosford and he made no mistake.
Leeds dominated the second half but they took a long time to get the goals. Shane O'Riordan fired in their second on the turn and then Higgins beat his marker as a cross came in from the right to equalise.
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