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| Clash of colours so Wilton switched and their sharp finishing turned Afton inside out |
Farranlea Road Rocks as Wilton United Crush
Afton Villa 5-0
Rewind the clock 20 years! Grab your shell suit and mullet, because we're revisiting a classic Murphy's Stout AUL 1 encounter between Wilton United and Afton Villa. Buckle up for a goal-fest at Farranlea Road!
Afton's Early Bite Fizzles Out
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| High-stepping Haly in great form for Wilton |
Afton Villa started with a bang, nearly silencing the home crowd. They strung together some slick passes, but Derek O'Leary's close-range shot was met with a heroic tackle. Minutes later, Shane Dwyer almost opened the scoring, only to see his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by a desperate Eoin Griffin.
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| Wilton manager Pat Bowdren |
Wilton Hit Back with a Bang!
Wilton weathered the early storm and struck back with a vengeance. A flowing move initiated by Philly Haly culminated in a Brian Murphy thunderbolt from 20 yards that left Afton keeper Brian Goggin with no chance! The home faithful erupted!
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| Wilton defender Noel O'Donovan (centre) heads clear |
Haly Takes Center Stage
John O'Mahony nearly doubled Wilton's lead with a scorching shot that Goggin managed to tip over the bar. The second half began with a whimper for Afton as Wilton capitalised on a defensive lapse. Haly, unmarked in the box, rose highest to nod home a cross from Griffin, putting the game firmly in Wilton's control.
Murphy Doubles Down, Subs Pile on the Misery
Haly continued to torment the Afton defence, setting up Murphy for a chance that agonisingly rolled wide. He wasn't done though! A perfectly weighted through ball split the Afton backline, allowing Murphy to race clear and slot the ball past the despairing Goggin for Wilton's third.
Afton's misery was compounded by substitute Darren Casey, who converted a chance created by John O'Mahony. The final blow came in the dying minutes when Pat Bowdren's Wilton put the icing on the cake with a goal from Hugh Shields.
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| Outstanding Wilton defender Noel O'Donovan slips the ball past opposite number Dan O'Shea (3). Wilton v Afton Villa, AUL 1, Farranlea Road, 24 Aug 2003 - Billy Lyons |
Final Whistle Delight
The final whistle blew, sending the Wilton faithful into raptures. The 5-0 scoreline reflected their dominance, but Afton could hold their heads high for their spirited start. This match was a true snapshot of local football – passionate and full of goals!
Wilton United: Mark Dooley, Eoin Griffin, Brian O'Driscoll, Noel O'Donovan, Seamus Cronin, Phil Haly, Mark Ryan, Fergal Kelleher, Hugh Shields, Brian Murphy and John O'Mahony. Subs used: Darren Casey for O'Driscoll (63rd minute) and Seamus Collins for Griffin (70th).
Afton Villa: Brian Goggin, Paul O'Connell, Dan O'Shea, Tim Cronin, Colin Lenihan, Shane Dwyer, Gary O'Leary, Kevin Kirstein, Derek O'Leary, Barry Ronayne and James Corcoran. Subs used: Finbarr Kirstein for D. O'Leary (51st), Brian O'Leary for Ronayne (58th) and Martin Spillane for Corcoran (72nd).
Referee: Freddie Murray
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