After last weeks penalty heroics against Dynamos in the Cup semi-final we had a six day turn around before the Final against Killarney Celtic in Mounthawk Park & the week started badly with the news that one of our most valuable players Adam Ward would miss the game after picking up an injury after a bad tackle in the semi-final win.
We did a bit of positional & formation changes to help counter Adams loss in the run up to Wednesdays game & with everyone else flying fit & raring to go we headed into the final optimistic against Celtic.
After starting the brighter with lots of pressing & good passing we were awarded a free out wide on the left after good work by Culan Sweeney. Conor O Brien put the resulting free deep to the back post & after David Oba had just failed to connect with his header, up stepped Jack Donohue to fire us into the lead with an unstoppable shot. This seemed to rattle the Killarney boys & we continued to keep them pegged in their own half for much of the remainder of the first forty-five. As we entered the final five minutes of the half Culan Sweeney cut in from the left & dodged two tackles before scoring the goal of the game into the top right hand corner. Before Celtic could compose themselves & get in for the half time talk we scored our third with Conor O Brien involved in another goal, shooting from just inside the end-line & the ball crossing the line before David Oba’s touch could claim the goal. He still tried to claim it though, hard luck D-Man !! Three up at half-time & no more than we deserved after a fantastic first half from all eleven players. The back four of Mike Lacey, Jack Donohue, Leon Shalemba & Dean Scanlon had been superb in the half, while Kevin Browne had worked tirelessly in midfield. Our Captain Aaron Ward was keeping one of Celtics full-backs on the edge of his own box & tracking back when needed, while Conor Higgins was doing his best ‘Iniesta’ display of passing just behind David Oba, who as always is a real hand-full to contain. In goals Jack Rodgers was composed & made his saves look easy when called upon.
As much as we knew Celtic were reeling from the first half, we also knew they would come out fighting in the second as any team that only concedes nine goals in the league were not going to lie down & let us win, especially a team as well coached as they are & with the talent they have in the squad. And fight they did, for every ball & on fifty one minutes they scored after a bit of ball watching by us & a lovely pass over our defence. Game on again & now it was the Killarney lads who had the momentum. Both teams made changes with JR Tshikota replacing the injured Conor Higgins & Alfie Christie for the injured Culan Sweeney. It was all defending now for Park as the jitters kicked in & on seventy two minutes Celtic were awarded a peno which they scored from, despite Jack once again guessing the right way, his seventh penalty that week that he had done it…..is he psychic ??? We had now weathered the Celtic storm & as they pushed forward looking for the equaliser both David & JR had chances to finish the game off, with David very unlucky with his trademark bicycle-kick. As time ran out for Celtic David got a touch on the ball to put it past their centre back & with only the keeper to beat he was pulled back & the resultant free saw the keeper sent-off & David rifle his free into the net to give us a four – two lead in stoppage time. Once again Celtic refused to be beaten & a free out on the right found its way into our net deep in time added on. At last the whistle went & this dedicated group of lads were Cup winners after two years of disappointment in finals.
Team: J Rodgers, M Lacey, J Donohue, L Shalemba, D Scanlon, Aaron Ward Captain, K Browne, C Sweeney, C O Brien, C Higgins, D Oba, Yuya Abe, JR Tshikota, M Xhemaili, D Ianko, N Holden, A Christie, Adam Ward injured.
Everyone of the 18 players that lined out played a part in this win, either in the semi final or final & they proved that hard work on the training pitches pays off in the end. Thanks to all the lads for being so dedicated over the winter months & believing !!! Thanks also to George Dineen for forty seven years of service to the game, enjoy retirement & watching it as a supporter for a change & relax ! To Jim O Driscoll also happy retirement from coaching & putting up with me for the last three years, its been a rollercoaster Jim !
Bon Voyage to Yuya as he heads back to Japan with a Cup medal in his pocket & plenty of memories of his time in Tralee, especially his header out in Killorglin !
Training Monday nights boys 7 – 8 for the summer & best of luck to those doing exams.
Match report by Dave Scanlon .
