Blast from the Past.
May 22nd, 2005
Corinthians pip favourites Maymount Celtic in U17 Cup final.
AUL U17 LEAGUE CUP FINAL
College Corinthians 1 Maymount Celtic 1
(Corinthians won 5-3 on penalties, after extra time)
Man of the Match James Green fired in the shootout spotter that condemned hot favourites Maymount Celtic to defeat in the final of the Sports Gear Direct U17 League Cup at Turner’s Cross last evening.
Tom O’Connor, the College Corinthians keeper, had also played a key role in the shootout, making a super stop from U17 international Jamie Meehan as Corinthians took the cup on a 5-3 decision after the game itself had ended at 1-1.
Maymount, who recently won the Munster Youth Cup with this team, had majority possession in the first half but fell behind to a super goal from green, the Blarney Crystal Man of the Match Award winner. The favourites came back with a smashing free kick by midfielder Alan King and it stayed like that until the break.
Possession was much more evenly shared in the second half but there were no further goals. Corinthians lost influential striker Darren Fogarty through injury in the 76th minute. Ian Nolan almost won it for the underdogs in the very last minute but things seemed to be going Maymount's way when Corinthians had a man sent off in extra time.
The losers dominated the opening quarter but never really threatened O’Connor’s goal. They did come close in the 19th minute. Then Johnny Barrett slipped a neat ball through to Howard Coakley but he hit the side-netting.
Corinthians almost scored with their first decent attack, in the 21st minute. Wayne Hogan hit a superb ball in and Darren Kirwan knocked it on for Green whose shot was well saved by Jamie Clerkin.
Green had better luck in the next minute. Again his first shot was blocked and he had his back to goal as the rebound flew out over his head. No bother. Up he jumped and a cracking overhead kick flew past the stranded Clerkin and into the back of the net.
It was a stunning goal but Maymount weren't fazed and equalised four minutes later when King beat the diving O’Connor with a brilliant 30 yard free kick effort that flew across the keeper and in low by his left hand post.
Darren O’Regan then got Barrett clear into the Corinthians box but O’Connor saved well. Then King played a corner short to Lloyd Crowley, took the return and, from the edge of the box, let fly, his effort flashing low across the goals and just wide.
Maymount though failed to worry O’Connor again and the first half ended all square. Corinthians made a couple of important changes at the break and the team was much improved for the second half.
There was little or no goalmouth action in the third quarter as the teams cancelled each other out. Corinthians did come close in the 53rd minute when a well judged lob by the influential Steve Buckley worried keeper Clerkin before going just over.
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| Darren it! Darren Fogarty (left) and Darren Kirwan harry Maymount's John O'Sullivan. |
Corinthians close again in the 75th minute after good work by Shane Horgan on the right. He set busy sub Dean Grainger up for a cross. Fogarty, who had a fine game for the winners, headed just wide.
The injured Fogarty soon left the action but Corinthians, driven on by O’Connell and Buckley in midfield and with Grainger doing well on the right wing, continued to make the better chances.
But Green’s 79th minute effort owed little to teamwork. He jinked his way through the middle, his close control a feature as he made room for a 16-yard shot that wasn't too far off.
With six minutes to go, Clerkin dropped a long free in but Maymount survived. And Clerkin redeemed that error in the final minute of normal time when he made a superb stop when Ian Nolan let fly from 13 yards or so.
Corinthians keeper O’Connor was called into action in the opening minute of extra time, making a fine catch after Coakley got his head to a Barrett cross. Corinthians had Buckley sent off in the eight minute of the first period but they survived and took the cup in the shootout where Nolan, Drennan and subs Daly and Grainger, all scored before Green sent Maymount packing.
College Corinthians: Tom O’Connor, Shane Horgan, Wayne Hogan, Shane Fitzgerald, Chris Drennan, Steven Buckley, Ian Nolan, Terry O’Connell, James Green, Darren Fogarty and Darren Kirwin. Subs: David Kilcommons, Keith Donnellan for Fogarty (76th minute, injured), Brendan Daly for Hogan (at half-time), Alan Barry for O’Connell (105th minute, injured) and Dean Grainger for Kirwan (at half-time).
Maymount Celtic: Jamie Clerkin, Darren O’Regan, Lloyd Crowley, Ian Cullinane, John O’Sullivan, John Barrett, Alan King, Micky Bullman, Jamie Meehan, Daniel Duggan and Howard Coakley, Subs: Karl Brierley and Graham O’Loughlin.
Referee: John Linehan. Assistants: Sean Barry, Stuart Joyce.
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