Blast from the Past. Late O'Connor strike sees Blackstone pip underdogs Wilton United in City Challenge Cup final. 2008

Blast from the Past. 

Late O'Connor strike sees Blackstone pip underdogs Wilton United in 2008 City Challenge Cup final.

Pics: 31.05.2008

CITY CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

Blackstone Rovers 1 Wilton Utd 0

An 85th minute strike by substitute Dave O'Connor earned second division Blackstone Rovers a 1-0 victory over a battling third division Wilton United in the final of the Murphy's Stout City Challenge Cup at Turner's Cross on Saturday night.

Wilton had made the better start and, without reaching their sparkling best, shared the first half honours. But it was a different story after the break and particularly after the 56th minute introduction of O'Connor. He caused havoc in the Wilton backline and lifted his colleagues and earned himself the Garry McCarthy Trophies Man of the Match Award.

The third division lads took the game to Blackstone in the opening minutes and came close to a goal in the 4th minute. Then Stephen Duffy freed Andrew O'Connell for a cross from the right hand corner. The defence seemed to panic and the ball ran loose but skipper Ger O'Brien was on hand to tidy it all up.

Wilton forced two more corners and did most to the pressing in the opening 15 minutes. The third corner, whipped over by Lee O'Donovan, was headed on at the near post by O'Connell but no colleague could get a touch as it sped through the six yard box.

Blackstone came more into it in the middle period but rarely threatened and the next big chance fell to Wilton in the 39th minute. Following neat passing between Denis Young and Duffy, Piotr Sekula was set up for a shot but, from outside the box, he tried to curl it into the corner of the net but was well off the mark.

Warren Forde, top scorer with Blackstone, then figured twice. His 40th minute shot was deflected for a corner and then a good cross was cut out before the incoming Danny Long could capitalise. Wilton broke immediately and O'Connell outfoxed a lone defender in the box but Jamie Boland saved at close quarters and the incoming Eddie Quirke poked the rebound just wide. It was their last decent chance of the game.

Blackstone went on to dominate the second half and, thanks to the introduction of O'Connor, had much the better of the closing thirty minutes. In the 63rd minute, one of his crosses was just too far ahead of Michael Geaney at the far post.

In the 70th minute, the lively Brian O'Driscoll broke through a couple of tackles in the middle, he got lucky with the rebounds but his shot curled away from goal.

The pressure continued to mount. In the 74th minute, keeper Dooley did well to take an O'Connor cross. Then Long and Forde combined and O'Connor let fly and was only a few feet off target.

With six to go, Wilton had a rare second half chance but Quirke screwed wide after a penalty box knockdown. Blackstone were soon back on the attack and Long blasted wide after a cross came in from the left.

Blackstone's Pierse Carmody goes high. 

There was to be no let off for Wilton. In the 87th minute, midfielder Geaney played the ball forward to Long. He found Michael Twohig racing ahead and Twohig in turn played it to the right hand side of the box where O'Connor smashed a terrific shot past keeper Dooley at his near post.

It was a knockout blow for the gallant third division outfit that had knocked many a higher ranked side out on their way to The Cross. They had too little time to come back and the more experienced Blackstone, champions in 2B, held on and were soon celebrating a great double.

Blackstone's Derek O'Driscoll heads past Denis Young (left)

Blackstone Rovers: Jamie Boland, Derek O'Driscoll, Michael Twohig, Paul Murphy, Michael Geaney, Ger O'Brien captain, Brian O'Driscoll (Owen O'Brien 82), Danny Long, Warren Forde, Colin O'Leary (Dave O'Connor 56) and Pierse Carmody (Colin Hourigan 89). Subs: Francis Cooney, Stephen Wall, Colin Bevan, Keith McCarthy and Andrew O'Brien.

Wilton United: Mark Dooley, Davy Walsh, Richard Bhandarkar, John Paul O'Riordan captain, Daniel Lynch, Piotr Sekula, Lee O'Donovan (Alan O'Gorman 68), Stephen Duffy (Albert Hobbs 89), Eddie Quirke, Denis Young and Andrew O'Connell (Eamon Shields 57). Subs: Cian Anderson and Pat Kenneally.

Referee: Ted Callanan. Assistants: Mark O'Flynn and Jim Haines.

Wilton's Steven Duffy (left) and Danny Long.

THE MANAGERS

Blackstone manager Tony Dunlea paid tribute to the beaten finalists: "Wilton gave us a great fight, in fairness to them. I think you’ll see a lot more of them in seasons to come.

We are very pleased of course. We started out with the league as priority and we won that title. And it was great to finish off the season by coming to Turner's Cross. And, thanks to Dave O'Connor popping up with another vital goal, we came away as winners on our first visit.

Congratulations to Wilton for putting up a great show but my lads dug deep, kept going for the ninety minutes and I think we deserved it in the end. I’d hope to get back to the Cross again in the future.”

Outnumbered. Blackstone's Danny Long goes overhead against Piotr Sekula (left)

Wilton manager John O'Donovan and his assistant Pat Calnan were rightly proud of their side. O'Donovan: ”It was a great run by us and I’m proud of the whole lot of them. We’ll be back next year and the priority will be the league.”

“We gave it a good shot tonight for a third division outfit against a team champions in the Second Division. We could have scored there in the first half and could well have sneaked it. We got a good start but Blackstone had the better of the second half. Steve Duffy was perhaps our best on the night.”

Blackstone's Ger O'Brien receives trophy from the AUL's Denis Lyne.

“As regards the way the game went, I thought they were that bit fitter than us. Surprisingly, we looked a bit flat, a bit stale, despite the fact that we had had a bit of a rest. I thought they stayed the pace better than us and they also had an edge in experience.”

“And that was some sub they had in the lad that got the winner. He made a big difference when he came on and his running troubled us on the right and they were pressing up their left as well. His introduction was probably the turning point.”

Blackstone's Ger O'Brien (left) tackles Eamonn Shiels.

CITY CUP Previous winners

1982-83: Greenmount Rgs   (Glenvale); 1983-84: Western Rovers  (Tramore Ath); 1984-85: Mayfield Utd (Castleview Utd); 1985-86: Barrack Rovers (Ballyvolane); 1986-87: Tramore Ath (AOH); 1987-88: Tramore Ath (Grattan Utd); 1988-89: Grattan Utd (Portview); 1989-90: Ballyphehane (Grattan Utd); 1990-91: Ballyphehane (Crescent Ath); 

1991-92: Mayfield Utd (Albert Rvs); 1992-93: Albert Rovers   (Grangevale); 1993-94: Village Utd (Temple Utd); 1994-95: Knocknaheeny Cel (North End); 1995-96: Togher Rvs (Corinthians Ath); 1996-97: Castleview (Evergreen); 1997-98: Ballyvolane (Grangevale); 1998-99: Ballyvolane (Temple Utd); 1999/2000: Temple Utd (Pearse Celtic); 2000/2001: not played; 2001/2002: Glencairn Celtic (Villa Utd); 2002/2003: Knocknaheeny Celtic (Blarney Street Athletic); 2003/4: Mayfield Utd (Ballyvolane B); 2004/2005: Mayfield Utd (Wilton Utd); 2005/2006: Ballyvolane (Douglas Hall); 2006/07: Ballyvolane (Glen Celtic).

End of story