FAI Schools John Murphy Senior ‘B’ National Cup Final (Under 19, Small Schools)
Thursday, February 8, 2024
St. Peter’s CS, Passage West 5-2 Glenamaddy Community School
Liam Quinn (48, 83), Rema Mbakwe (56, 74, 90+4 pen) Eoin Morgan (73), John O’Brien (89)
ST. PETER’S COMMUNITY SCHOOL, PASSAGE WEST put in a sensational second half performance to see past Glenamaddy Community School in Athlone Town AFC on Tuesday last (February 6).
It was twenty years since Glenamaddy secured the John Murphy Cup in 2004 defeating the same opposition. Their most recent National crown was in 2018 when they netted a brace against PCC Falcarraigh to take the Junior ‘B’ Cup home.
In comparison, St. Peter’s had etched their names into the history books by snatching the John Murphy Cup title in 2015 when they came from behind twice to take the silverware in extra-time winning out 4-3 to Belmullet crew Our Lady’s SS.
Another equally entertaining encounter was played out in the Midlands venue with a seven-goal thriller.
Cork’s Darragh McCarthy pulled up in the warm-up with a calf strain so was replaced in the starting line up by Eoghan McInerney while the talented Kyle Connaughton was ruled out for Glenamaddy during the week as Tomás Lee was slotted in for cover.
All seven goals came in the second half as both Ross Hegarty and Eduardo Bessone were in superb form to keep a clean sheet in the first forty-five.
The breakthrough came three minutes into the second half as Kristian O’Callaghan played in Liam QUINN to slot home a peach of an opener.
Their tally was doubled six minutes later when Darragh Lehane played a super ball for Kristian O’Callaghan to head on target, but Hegarty saved well however it dropped perfectly for Rema MBAKWE to smash in.
Glenamaddy responded with a quarter of an hour left when Eoin Collins forced Bessone into a wonderful stop, but Eoin MORGAN was on hand to grab a vital goal to bring the game to 2-1.
Seconds later, Passage West extended their two-goal cushion as O’Callaghan fed Rema Mbakwe on the edge of the box. The talisman was exceptionally quick on his feet to round the defender and finally beat the diving keeper for MBAKWE’s second and St. Peter’s third. A real sucker punch for the Galway side.
A fourth was added for St. Peter’s with seven minutes remaining as initial shots from Mbakwe and Farrell were saved brilliantly by Hegarty, but the ball came out to Liam QUINN who drove it to the back of the net for his second of the day.
Glenamaddy were awarded a corner in the 89th minute with substitute John O’BRIEN nodding in to bring it to 4-2.
However, Passage West were to go five up when Rema MBAKWE was fouled in the box and dispatched the subsequent penalty to secure his hat-trick.
A fantastic outing with both teams playing some excellent football throughout the ninety plus minutes.
St. Peter’s were worthy winners with the territory battle won. The Glenamaddy youngsters turn their focus onto their Junior Cup campaign.
ST. PETER’S COMMUNITY SCHOOL, PASSAGE WEST | Eduardo Bessone, Liam Quinn, Darragh Lehane, Scott Moynihan, , Hugo Recio, Mark Lester ©, Eoghan McInerney, Brian Linehan, Eoghan Farrell, Rema Mbakwe, Kristian O’ Callaghan
SUBS USED | Jamie Nduwuba for Recio (83), Josh Horan for O’Callaghan (90)
SUBS NOT USED | John Deasy (GK), Tomas Hanlon, Golding Nduwuba, Ryan Dalton
EXTENDED SQUAD | Seán Coughlan, Jake Walsh (Darragh McCarthy – injured)
TEACHER | Kit O’Keeffe
GLENAMADDY COMMUNITY SCHOOL | Ross Hegarty, Enda Keane, Joe Mullin, Alan Conroy, Darragh O’Dowd, Iarlaith O’Toole, Eoin Morgan, Eoin Collins ©, Dylan Joyce, Tomás Lee, Conor Kennedy
SUBS USED | Michael Giblin for Lee (54), Dean Reilly for O’Toole (83), John O’Brien for Keane (83), Conal Divilly for O’Dowd (83), Michael O’Hagan for Mullin (90)
SUBS NOT USED | Eoin Brennan, Bryan Lambe
EXTENDED SQUAD | Killian Gregg Haugh, Mervyn Burke, Shayne Gordon, Rian Mahon, Luke Walsh, Colin Griffin, Eoin Thornton, Thomas Griffin, Dara Lee Clarke, Kaylum Divilly (Kyle Connaughton – injured)
TEACHERS | James Francis, Michael Heavey COACH | John Kennedy, Kevin Morgan
MATCH OFFICIAL | Dean Stenson (Midlands)
