MUNSTER SENIOR CUP 04.02.06
St Mary’sx 1 Kinsalex 3
Three subs made the difference as Kinsale, the AUL Premier champions, defeated St Mary’s 3-1 after extra time in a lack-lustre Lucozade Sport Munster Senior Cup encounter at St Mary’s Park on Saturday afternoon.
Kinsale took the lead in the first half through inter-league striker Derek “Scully” McCarthy. Mary’s, living on scraps and their traditional fighting spirit for most of the game, pulled one back in the final quarter before being run out of it by the fresh legs of Sean Prior, Craig McCarthy and Declan Ryan in extra time.
It would be a busy afternoon for Mary’s keeper Keith Lynch but he looked up to the task. First half Kinsale chances fell to defenders Jeremy O’Donovan and Florence Lynch and neither, though well placed in the penalty box, found the target.
Lynch had help from centre-half Dave Keating throughout, notably in the 29th minute. Then a superb pass forward by Kinsale midfielder Colin Kilty put McCarthy through the middle but Keating stayed with him and made a timely tackle to concede a corner.
The opener came in the 32nd minute. Following a foul on Ken Harrington, Coyle hit a terrific 19-yard free kick. Lynch dived to his left but the ball beat him. It came back off the post and then hit his fallen body. The soft rebound might well have crossed the line but McCarthy, always on the alert, ran in ahead of the defence to make sure.
Kinsale were on top for the first ten minutes or so of the second half but didn't have luck on their side. Barry and Harrington combined well and placed McCarthy who beat Lynch but referee Steve O’Connell ruled that the striker was offside and a few minutes later turned down Kinsale appeals for a spotter.
It hadn’t been the most exciting of games and got even quieter for a spell. While Mary's were trying hard, there seemed little real danger to Graham Quinn’s goal. But the Saints enlivened the encounter with an unexpected 72nd minute equaliser. A terrific right wing cross by Steve Hosford was expertly finished off at the far post by the unmarked O’Connor to make it 1-1.
The Kinsale management team, Ger Foran and player Peter Jones, began to bring in their subs but the switches didn't have the desired results until extra time. Scorer McCarthy did have a few shooting chances, a couple from frees, but failed to beat Lynch again in normal time.
Kinsale came very close in the final minute of the first period of extra time when a 25 yard power packed drive from the outstanding Kilty spun wide off the outside of Lynch’s left hand post.
Kinsale, with the trio of subs prominent, took over in the second period. They came very close two minutes in when, following good approach play by Ryan and Harrington, McCarthy had his shot well saved at close quarters by the keeper.
The seasiders went ahead two minutes later, thanks to the three subs. Prior and Craig McCarthy combined and sent Ryan in to the box to blast past the keeper from 14 yards.
Kinsale made it 3-1 with less than two minutes to go. Ryan was denied but the hasty clearance fell to Craig McCarthy and, with the keeper well out of his goal, he tried to lob the ball into the net. It wouldn’t have made it but Derek McCarthy outjumped the last defender to head home and make the final score 3-1.
St Mary’s: Keith Lynch, Anthony O’Callaghan, Ken O’Sullivan, Thomas O’Connor (captain), Dave Keating, Liam King, Noel Barry, Stephen Hosford, James O’Sullivan, Robbie Murphy and Colm Coveney. Subs used: Adrian O’Callaghan for O’Connor (start of extra time) and Leonard Lyons for O’Sullivan (107th minute).
Kinsale: Graham Quinn, Lyndon Kiely, Florence Lynch (captain), Peter Jones, Colin Kilty, Ryan Coyle, Jeremy O’Donovan, Derek McCarthy, Ken Harrington, Dave Barry and Daniel Searls. Subs used: Sean Prior for Searls (57th minute), Craig McCarthy for Coyle (65th) and Declan Ryan for Barry (start of extra time).
Referee: Stephen O’Connell.
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