CITY CHALLENGE CUP Feb 2006
Hillington 1 Glenvale 3
Glenvale, on the slide for the past few seasons, could well be on the way back. They followed up the previous week’s relegation battle win over Greenmount by scoring an impressive 3-1 away victory over in-form Hillington in the opening round of the Murphy’s Stout City Challenge Cup.
The home side started brightly and took an early lead. But the visitors fought back and scored two cracking goals to lead 2-1 at the break. They missed a couple just afterwards and then found themselves under increasing pressure before Jason Murphy put away the late clincher.
The home side were on top in the opening exchanges and came very close in the 7th minute when a smashing volley by Paul O’Keeffe sped just wide of the far post with keeper Dave Quinn a hopeful spectator.
Hillington hit the front in the 14th minute with a well taken goal. The chance followed good work by Trevor Kelleher up the right. O'Keeffe's shot was blocked in the box but picked up by Graham Horgan who coolly picked his time and spot to make it 1-0.
The home team almost made it 2-0 a couple of minutes later. Then Horgan’s high ball sent skipper Jason Forde clear but Quinn timed his advance perfectly and got down at the feet of the lone raider to make a crucial save.
Gradually, Glenvale worked their way back into it and the 29th minute equaliser had been on the cards for a few minutes. It was a gem. Ray Peelo worked hard to regain the ball after the home defence had half cleared a free and he sent it left to impressive midfielder Dave Cunningham and his flying shot on the turn, from 18 yards, gave keeper Colin Keane no chance.
Hillington were close to going ahead again in the 37th minute. Then Horgan and O’Keeffe combined to free Forde on the right. He drove the ball low and hard across the goal but inches ahead of incoming colleagues.
Glenvale though were having the better of it at this point and the Hillington defence conceded free after free and punishment came in the 43rd minute when Greg Cullinane’s right wing free flew high past keeper Keane and into the net.
The second half started with Quinn making a fine save from Jason Forde but the winners then had two great chances of stretching their lead.
Both fell to Jason Murphy and he should really have scored in the 51st minute. Then a great through ball by Cunningham freed O’Driscoll to cross from the right. He found Murphy unmarked at the far post but his control let him down and the keeper gathered.
Murphy was unlucky three minutes later. Then he stretched to make contact with a long free in by Tony McCarthy but saw his effort go inches wide.
Hillington stepped up the pressure after that and enjoyed majority possession for the next thirty minutes or so. But skipper Adrian O’Driscoll led by example at the heart of a stern Glenvale defence and they countered a rather blunt attack.
The losers lacked coordination and imagination as they went forward and rarely troubled Quinn. The keeper though was lucky enough in the 61st minute when Gary Corcoran deflected a Forde shot just over from seven yards and, 15 minutes later, Quinn made a fine save from the same player after a Hillington free broke loose.
Glenvale made sure of a place in the next round when they scored their third in the 82nd minute. Again Cunningham was the main player in the move. He fought like a tiger to retain possession in the Hillington box and then managed to squeeze in a cross that was met with an overhead Murphy effort that looped over keeper Keane and into the net.
Hillington: Colin Keane, Trevor Kelleher, Harry Dineen, Gary Peglar, Paul Lee, Graham Horgan, Jason Mannix, Paul O’Keeffe, Ken Lee, Gary Corcoran and Jason Forde (captain). Subs used: Donnacha Dalton and John Forde for Mannix and O’Keeffe (both 54th minute) and Glen Cambridge for Dineen (75th).
Glenvale: Dave Quinn, Tony McCarthy, Joe O’Flynn, David Cunningham, Alan O’Driscoll (captain), David Goggin, Ray Peelo, Adrian O’Driscoll, Jimmy Foley, Greg Cullinane and Jason Murphy.
Subs used: John Murphy for O’Flynn (at half-time, injured), Chris O’Callaghan for John Murphy (81st minute) and Graham Punch for Jason Murphy (89th).
Referee: Jim McGrath.
end of story
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