Blast from the Past.
Keeper Maguire the main man for City
City Wanderers take 2009 Saxone Cup title after shootout win over Kilreen Celtic.
Pics: 11th Apr 2009
Saxone Cup Final 2009.
City Wanderers 0 Kilreen Celtic 0
City won 4-3 on pens.
Keeper Tom Maguire emerged as the hero for City Wanderers as they won the Murphyís Stout Saxone Cup for the first time ever with a 4-3 shootout win over league rivals Kilreen Celtic at Turner's Cross on Saturday night.
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| Kilreen Celtic, pipped in the shootout |
Kilreen had looked the more likely to score for much of the game but Maguire and Man of the Match winner Eric Horgan kept them out right through to the end of extra time. Kilreen keeper Alan Crowley has built up quite a reputation as a shootout ace in recent seasons, regularly saving one or two and then scoring one as well.
But Wanderers had their own ace in Maguire. Still it was Crowley who had the first save, diving to stop a shot from Sean O'Connor in the 4th exchange. But that was instantly matched by Maguire as he dived to the right to deny Paul O'Connor.
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| Heads. City's Derek Peyton and Kilreen's Joe Coffey (right) |
City sub Noel Kennedy then let fly and his shot barely eluded Crowley before crashing in off the bottom of the bar to make it 4-3. Now it was down to Kilreen's outstanding midfielder Glenn O'Connor but Maguire dived to his left to make the stop and City were champions.
Maguire's shootout double brought a happy end to what had been a fairly nervous first visit to the Cross for the Wanderers. The defence, well led by Horgan, had been under pressure regularly but held firm. Derek Peyton and Paul Fuller worked hard and often to good effect in midfield while bustling centre forward Keith Buckley proved quite a handful for the Kilreen defence.
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| Left away. City's Paul Fuller (left) clears his lines. |
Indeed, Buckley was through on goal a couple of minutes into the second period of extra time. Veteran defender Eddie Cotter got in a tackle but Hurley broke away again only to be hauled down. Referee Barry Buckley produced a straight red card and Cotter walked.
Cotter was involved in one of Kilreen's best first half moves, taking a 19th minute free kick from Lee O'Donovan in his own half and sending Shane Foley free on the right. The cross reached the lively Willie McCarthy at the near post but his header was off target. Then a Kilreen corner was half cleared. Glenn O'Connor put it back in but Joe Coffey's volley sped wide of the far post.
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| City skipper David Lynch lifts the Saxone Cup |
City weren't doing much of the attacking but midway through Buckley sent a cross towards Peyton. Keeper Crowley advanced quickly and got down on it. Kilreen, thanks to the pace and combination play of McCarthy, Coffey and Foley, continued to prod and probe the city defence but failed to pierce it and the half ended scoreless.
Crowley made a flying save from an O'Callaghan header as the second half opened on a lively note. In the 54th minute Alan Stone tried his luck from the left hand touchline and the ball sailed over Maguire and bounced back off the top of the far post. Maguire then made a fine save by the post after Foley shot following a Glenn O'Connor cross.
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| Magic Maguire. City keeper Tom Maguire reacts after decisive shootout save. |
At the other end, Crowley saved well from Buckley in the 77th minute but the chances were getting scarce. They remained so right through extra time, though six minutes into the second period, Crowley made a fine save from Roy Hurley.
It wasn't the most memorable of games but City, and Maguire in particular, will have happy memories of the night they made their own piece of history.
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| Man of Match. City's Eric Horgan receives Gary McCarthy Man of Match Award from the AUL's Tom Fitzgerald. |
City Wanderers: Tom Maguire, Brendan OíLeary, Damien Galvin, Brian Mullins, Eric Horgan, Ashley Todd, Derek Peyton (captain), Paul Fuller, Keith Buckley, Roy Hurley and James OíCallaghan. Subs: Steve Nolan (for Todd 66), Sean OíConnor (for OíCallaghan 73), David Lynch, Noel Kennedy (for Galvin 70) and Liam OíDonoghue.
Kilreen Celtic: Alan Crowley, Joe Richmond (captain), Lee OíDonovan, Eddie Cotter, Paul Collins, Alan Stone, Shane Foley, Glenn OíConnor, Colin McKeon, Willie McCarthy and Joe Coffey. Subs: Paul OíConnor for Foley 92), Marco Petrassi, Shane Houlihan (for McKeon 105), James Corcoran and Thomas Corcoran.
Referee: Barry Buckley. Assistants: Tony Thompson and Thomas Lynch.
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| Pre-match (l to r): Thomas Lynch, Wanderers captain Derek Peyton, referee Barry Buckley, Kilreen skipper Joe Richmond and Tony Thompson |
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| Tussle. Colin McKeown (left) and City's Keith Buckley. |
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