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Intermediate Cup 3rd Round
FAI Intermediate Cup 3rd round replay.
Ballea Park, 6-01-2008.
Carrigaline Utd. AFC 2 v 1 Newtown Rangers (Tallaght).
Like a good sergeant, ref. Finbarr Murphy tried hard to bring all his platoon home from this battle of an intermediate cup 3rd round replay at Ballea . However a red card to Newtown's Darren Fahey at the end meant a 'man down' and he could have been joined by any one of the six other yellow cards ref. Murphy was forced to dispense during this tough and at times fierce encounter. Under grey sleet filled sky Barry Duggan had barely finished announcing the teams over the tannoy system when Carrig's Luke Noonan had scored a majestic long range goal catching Newtown keeper, Daveron, off his line and gave Carrig. a 1-0 lead inside the 1st minute. Such a surreal start can sometimes work against a team and in this case Carrig's normal physical intensity was missing from their game, at least early on. Right sided player Alan O Duffy was a key figure for Newtown when his surging runs and clever link play unbalanced the Carrig defence. However a
switch by Manager Tony O Regan saw Hugh Sheilds moving to the left and Duffys influence waned. Carrig's defence of Ed. Delaney, Mark O Connell, Roy Coughlan, Calum Jones, Rory O Halloran, found the intensity needed and rose to the visitors challenge. The midfield of Alan 'Dubbie' Hennessy and Luke Noonan gradually gained parity in their midfield battle with Newtown's Madden and Fitzsimons. Up front Carrig's Ken Dennehy and Scott O Regan tireless running and clever play kept the back four busy. Overall Newtown had the better of the first half and deserved at least parity but in goal keeper Peter O Riordan, Carrig. have a peerless net minder. Time and again he stood between Carrig. and a cup exit. The more Newtown threw at him the more he rose to the challenge. Such is the way of soccer that if you do not take your chances then you will get punished. So when on the 45th minute a straight forwarded Ed. Delaney free, launched into the box, saw the Newtown defence push out, the in rushing Luke Noonan got his head to the ball and edged it under the stranded Daveron. This put Carrig 2-0 ahead on the stroke of half time.
In the second half Newtown continued to pressurise the home defence and with 4 minutes gone Alan Duffy thunderous effort rattled the crossbar but rebounded to safety. The gaol when it finally came, on the 70th minute, was a somewhat scrappy affair, knocked in by Fitzsimmons from inside the box through a forest of legs with more than a hint of offside. For everything else Carrig. had 'man of the match' Peter 'Twiggy' O Riordan. The remaining 20 minutes was a full bloodied affair with tackles and challenges very much the norm. Carrig. introduced Paddy Kelleher, Kieran Manley, Glen Bruton for Dennehy, Noonan, and O Regan. Ref. Murphy played 4 minutes added time before blowing the whistle on a hard fought victory for Carrigaline with a score line of 2-1.
Afterwards the management team of Tony O Regan and Mick. Mulcahay praised the Newtown Rangers side who they viewed as much improved since the first game but complimented their own lads for while not playing as well as they can, did enough to win. Away to Drogheda in the next round when hopefully more of the regular players will return from injuries and absences to strengthen this game Carrig. side.
Report by Paudy O Brien | |
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Details of Adult Leagues Section. | |
| INTERMEDIATE CUP 2ND ROUND REPLAY
INTERMEDIATE CUP 2ND ROUND REPLAY.
CARRIGALINE UTD. AFC. 1 MIDLETON AFC. 0
Ballea Park, Sunday 18-11-07
‘Never mind the quality feel the win' best describes Carrigaline's 1-0 victory over Midleton in this intermediate cup 2nd round replay in an overcast and cold Ballea Park.
The sides had finished 0-0 in the first game and again in this game goals were at a premium, with defences on top it was the intense physicality borne of playing at a higher level that proved to be crucial for Carrigaline over the 90 minutes.
It was not a game for the faint hearted bur neither was it a game that was in danger of boiling over as referee Gene St Stephens handled the game with a mature and common sense approach.
Injuries, departures and suspensions have decimated this Carigaline side since the start of this season and within one minute of the start Steve Mangan came off with a reoccurrence of an old knee injury. His replacement Trevor Long was anxious to take up where he left off last week scoring the winner against Mayfield.
Hugh Shields carried a threat up front for Carrigaline and shot over the bar on two minutes after good approach work by Ken Dennehy. But overall it was Midleton that were playing the better football. On 14th minute Duncan Mc Carthy drove a shot just over the bar from 35 yards, one minute later Hogan at right back moved into the edge the Carrig box and let fly with a long drive that had O Riordan in the Carrig goal going down to his right to save well. Duggan and Mahon for Midleton were winning the battles around midfield but it was when they encountered the Carrig back four that they were met with stiff resistance. Calum Jones, Alan Hennessey and Roy Coughlan were in mean mood and gave nothing away. However in Edwin Delaney they have an inspirational leader, someone who can walk the talk, time and again Edwin's booming clearances turned defence into attack. Carrigaline's best chance of the 1st half came from such a clearance.The Midleton keeper advanced at speed to the edge of his box and palmed the ball to the feet of Rory O Halloran, but Roos lob inched just wide of the right hand post. Midleton's best chance of the 1st half fell to Duncan McCarthy who following a corner, swivelled and shot just wide of O' Riordan's post.
Half time the score remain 0-0.
Manager, Tony's O' Regan half time talk did the trick as the lethargic midfield and front men lifted their game in the second half. Cathal O Shea and Kieran Manly came thundering into the game. Hugh Shields rounded the keeper and seemed destined to score however centre half Mark Duggan cleared off the line. With 10 minutes gone in the half an innocuous free kick 40 yards from goal should have been delivered into the box to be competed for between backs and forwards. No one told Edwin Delaney and his powerfully stuck free found the back of the net to give Carrigaline the lead 1-0. Carrigaline were most definitely now on the ‘up' first Manley went close to scoring after beating two men on the left hand side but his right footed shot carried just wide.
Next Calum Jones, played in on the left by a superb ball from Cathal O Shea, rounded the keeper only to have his effort stopped once again by Robert Duncan.Youth player Paddy Kelleher came on for the injured Roy and proved a handful for the Midleton defence. Time was ticking for the visitors and their frustration showed with two yellow cards flashed to Hogan and Mahon for lounges at Manley and O'Shea respectively. But the game was up for Midleton and Carrigaline were in control until the end. Congratulartions to Carrig. and good luck to them as they travel to Dublin on 9th December for the 3rd fixture.
Report by Paudie O Brien. | |
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