Blast from the Past. Third time lucky for Rathcoole as they beat Ballincollig in Corinthians Cup final at The Cross

Blast from the Past. 

Third time lucky for Rathcoole as they defeat Ballincollig in Corinthians Cup final at The Cross.

Left to right: Tom McCarthy, Alan Guerin (Rathcoole cap.), Steven O'Connell (referee), Conor Farrell (Ballincollig cap.) and Damien O'Mahony. Corinthians Cup final, Turner's Cross, 15.05.08, Ballincollig 0 Rathcoole Rovers 2, Billy Lyons 

Pics: 15.05.2008

Champions Rathcoole

CORINTHIANS CUP FINAL

Ballincollig 0 Rathcoole Rovers 2

It was third time lucky at Turner's Cross for Rathcoole Rovers last evening as the AUL 1A champions scored a deserved 2-0 win over Ballincollig, the AUL 1 champions, in the final of the Murphy's Stout Corinthians Cup. The North Cork team, beaten in two previous visits to the Cross, came good on this occasion.

Alfie Cooney's victors started well and hit the bar in the first minute before taking a 1-0 half-time lead. Ballincollig battled gamely in the second half but could find no way past a back four well led by Man of the Match Tommy McAuliffe and Rathcoole sealed the victory with a spectacular late strike.

No joy for Ballincollig on this visit to The Cross

ìI'm happy out," said a delighted Alfie, who is helped on the line by James O'Connell afterwards. ìI felt we deserved it. Alan Guerin was tremendous in midfield and McAuliffe led the back four well. It's nice to win, after losing here twice before. And it gives us a good double for the season. We're looking forward to Premier A next season and we'll do alright if we keep them together.

The winners almost came up with first minute goal. Guerin was fouled about 23 yards from goal but John A. Browne's free rattled the bar on its way over.

They put a neat move together in the 7th minute, all three Brownes involved, before skipper Guerin raced clear on the right but, from the end line, he was unable to lift the ball over the keeper to a colleague.

Ballincollig had the ball in the net after a slick multi-pass move in the following minute but Bryan McNulty's shot was ruled out for offside.

Rathcoole's Shane Murphy chases Gary Foulkes (right).

Rathcoole were twice close to a breakthrough around the halfway point. In the 20th minute, Vincent Browne hit a great cross from left to right and put it a few paces ahead of Guerin. He let fly and beat keeper John Moynihan but the shot sped wide of the far post.

Then John A. Browne showed great control on the right before making room to shoot from the angle of the box. Again the shot flew past Moynihan and the far post.

Ballincollig's Dave McCarthy heads past Tim Cleary. 

Ballincollig then had a few chances. Gary Foulkes freed Dave Bowen for a tempting low cross but neither McNulty nor Darren Forde could force it home from close range.

In the 30th minute Foulkes, beginning to merge as a problem for Rathcoole, again combined with Bowen. He passed to McNulty whose low cross was turned just wide of the near post by Forde.

Rathcoole's John A. Browne highest against Dave McCarthy.  Corinthians Cup final, Turner's Cross, 15.05.08, Ballincollig 0 Rathcoole Rovers 2, Billy Lyons 

It was therefore somewhat against the run of play at the time that Rathcoole struck in the 34th minute. Tadhg Browne beat two defenders and got to the end line and crossed low into the six yard where the incoming Guerin slid it home at the far stick.

Ballincollig threatened an equaliser five minutes later from a free kick. Dave McCarthy hit it well past the wall and brought a  good save from keeper Billy O'Connor who would have been expecting a shot to the other post.

Rathcoole captain Alan Guerin receives Corinthians Cup from the AUL's Martin Conlon. Corinthians Cup final, Turner's Cross, 15.05.08, Ballincollig 0 Rathcoole Rovers 2, Billy Lyons 

The losers took the game to Rathcoole for much of the second half but there wasn't enough inventiveness in their play to unhinge McAuliffe and company. 

The subs then started coming on. ìLet's lift it,î said Ballincollig manager Eoin Fehily when he sent on his second sub. But the switches were to benefit Rathcoole more and they scored the clincher in the 85th minute.

Rathcoole's Alan Guerin celebrates their second goal with 
Vincent Brown (6)

It was quite a beauty. Ballincollig were slow to clear from a corner and sub Adrian Nash took full advantage to fire an angled lob high over Moynihan and in by the far post. 

Ballincollig fought on but the AUL 1 champs enjoyed no return on the night. They still have a chance of a double as they are in the last four of the County Cup with a 2-1 advantage going to Hibernians on Sunday for the second leg.

Ballincollig: John Moynihan, Dave Bowen, John Lawlor, Rob Quinn, Conor Farrell captain, Eoghan O'Keeffe, Gary Foulkes (Chris Kelly 85), David McCarthy, Bryan McNulty, Darren Forde (Stewart Collins 65) and Gavin O'Callaghan (Eric Lynch 79). Subs: James Murphy, Conor Cunningham.

Rathcoole Rovers: Billy O'Connor, Tommy McAuliffe, Hugh Sheehan, Tim Cleary (Liam Healy 77), Shane Murphy, Vincent Browne, Alan Guerin captain, John A. Browne, Donal Corkery (Noel O'Riordan 65), Tadhg Browne and Donal O'Connell (Adrian Nash 73). Sub: Liam Healy.

Referee: Steven O'Connell; Assistants: Damien O'Mahony and Tom McCarthy