FAI Schools Senior Cup - St Mary’s College, Galway 2 – 1 Salesian College, Celbridge
ST MARY’S College from Galway city captured the FAI Schools Senior Cup title in dramatic fashion when they scored the match/winner in the final minute of extra/time at Flancare Park in Longford yesterday:
The game seemed destined for penalties before striker Tony Ward ran on to a long throw from Shane Maughan, held off two challenges and rounded the goalkeeper before blasting the ball into the roof of the net:
The goal secured the title for St Mary’s for the fourth time and meant a second losing final appearance in three years for the Kildare school:
The Galway school enjoyed the better chances in the opening half but it was scoreless at the break:
St Mary’s struck just 20 seconds after the restart when winger Seán Glynn did superbly to meet a cross from the right by his skipper Barry McEntee and send a downward header into the bottom right corner:
Salesian equalised 15 minutes from the end: Mary’s failed to clear their lines and after an effort from Bryan Bonyo came back off the crossbar, Michael O’Grady was on hand to finish low into the bottom left corner:
It remained scoreless throughout extra/time until Ward struck to seize the title for the Connacht champions:
ST MARY’S COLLEGE: Burke; Gallagher, Walsh, Casserly, Keogh; O’Barra (Lavelle 102), Lomboto, McEntee, Glynn; Maughan, Ward:
SALESIAN COLLEGE: McNamara; Kane, Markey, Boyle, Llunga (Phillips 49); Smyth, Brown, O’Grady, Molloy (Markey 65); Conway, Bonyo:
Referee: Paul Tone (Athlone):