Heartbreak as brave St Michael's lose FAI Junior Cup final in penalty shootout

FAI Junior Cup Final

ST MICHAEL’S 1 NEWMARKET CELTIC 1

(after extra-time, Newmarket Celtic win 5-4 on penalties)

There was heartbreak for Tipperary Town side St Michael’s in the FAI Junior Cup final against Newmarket Celtic at Jackman Park, Limerick, this evening, the Saints side going down by 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out.

The two sides couldn’t be separated over the 90 minutes, the game finishing 1-1, with St Michael’s forced to play the full 20 minutes of extra-time with a numerical disadvantage, centre-half Paul Breen dismissed for a second yellow at the end of normal time.

Newmarket Celtic, bidding for their first-ever FAI Junior Cup title, had the better of the first half of extra-time and two goalline clearances were needed to keep the Saints alive. John Cremins’ side did better in the second period but were still backs to the wall as Newmarket Celtic, with junior international Eoin Hayes particularly prominent, trying to force a winner to avoid penalties.

The county Clare side had the better of the first half of the game and went ahead in the 36th minute through a penalty scored by Harvey Cullinan after Hayes had been impeded just inside the area. Recently returned from a contract at Sheffield United, Cullinan held his nerve to plant his left footed effort low into the corner.

With their tails up now Newmarket Celtic applied huge pressure for a second but St Michael’s did well to get to the break at just 1-0 down.

Chances were few and far between for St Michael’s in the opening 45 minutes. 

In the 25th minute Edmond O’Dwyer squeezed a pass through the centre but Colin Bargary just lost his footing on the edge of the box at the vital moment and the opportunity went abegging.

Their best chance arrived just after the half hour mark when the experienced Joey Mulcahy had a real chance from dead centre on the 18 yard line but the experienced midfielder pulled his effort wide of the keeper’s right hand side.

St Michael’s came more into it at the start of the second half with Edmond O’Dwyer just wide in the 50th minute when from the edge of the box he attempted to curl one in at the far post which went agonishingly wide. Two minutes later David Slattery had another half chance for the Tipperary Town outfit but his header went well wide.

But the signs were positive with Jimmy Carr beginning to express himself more down the left wing with some dangerous crosses. Two corners in quick succession for the Saints eventually yielded the goal they deserved. Joey Mulcahy’s second corner bounced in the area and like a flash David Slattery reacted quickest to hook the ball off the ground into the corner beyond Shane Cusack.

Both sides had further half chances in the second period which was much more exciting than the opening 45 minutes. A huge moment in this final came with five minutes to go when Eoin Hayes looked to be through only for Paul Breen to put in a last ditch challenge which denied the strike on goal but the referee adjudged the challenge illegal, and sent Breen off with a second yellow.

St Michael’s had a late chance to snatch it in normal time, Edmond O’Dwyer’s effort superbly saved by the keeper at the expense of a corner.

But Newmarket Celtic were also out of luck with a free kick by David McCarthy coming back off the upright with the very last kick of the 90 minutes.

St Michael’s had sacrificed captain Jimmy Carr when Breen was red carded and with David Slattery also substituted their firepower was greatly reduced. But they stuck at it and bravely, the 10 men in the famed green and white, digging deep into their reserves of experience, to survive until the penalty shoot-out.

That shootout went blow for blow with the first four spot kicks and 2-2 with Joey Mulcahy and Christopher Higgins opening up the account for the Tipperary Town side. Shane Ryan’s effort was then well saved by Shane Cusack giving Newmarket Celtic  the advantage, and despite converted efforts from Ashley Kelliher and Russell Quirke there was to be no way back for St Michael’s and the dream of a fourth title was gone. 

For Newmarket Celtic it was a magnificent first ever win and they now can bring off a super double with the Munster Junior Cup final against Regional of Limerick still to come.

St Michael’s AFC:

Adrian Walsh, Sean Murphy (Adam McGrath, 103), Donagh Hickey, Denis John Cremins, Paul Breen, Joseph Mulcahy, Jimmy Carr (captain, Christopher Higgins, 89), Colin Bargary (Shane Ryan, 73), David Slattery (Ashley Kelliher, 83), Edmond O’Dwyer, Russell Quirke.

Subs: Christopher Higgins, Adam McGrath, Shane Ryan, Ashley Kelliher, Rhys Byron, William O’Dwyer, Robert McGrath.

Manager: John Cremins.

Newmarket Celtic FC:

Shane Cusack, David O’Grady, Conor McDaid, Harvey Cullinan, Ethan Fitzgerald, Jack Kelly, Kevin Hartnett (Doherty, 71), Gearóid O’Brien (Stephen Kelly, 80), Darragh Leahy (Gary Higgins, 108Eoin Hayes (captain), David McCarthy (Ronan McCormack, HT ET).

Subs: Ronan McCormack, David Lennon, Stephen Kelly, Eoin Kelly, Eunan Doherty, Gary Higgins, Dermot Gannon.

Manager: Paddy Purcell.

Referee: Alin Suteu, Asst Ref 1 John Hanney, Asst Ref 2 Paul Shelley, 4th Official John Thornton.