Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge 1/0 Confey College, Leixlip
Daragh McHugh (82)
PATRICIAN Secondary School, Newbridge are UMBRO FAI Schools Leinster Senior Boys Cup champions for the first time after a dramatic final victory over Confey College:
A late Daragh McHugh winner at Peamount United FC was enough to give the South Kildare school the narrowest – but most significant – of victories over their north county rivals yesterday (March 5)
Despite having less of the play and opportunities overall, Newbridge kept Confey at bay until McHugh took his chance when the opportunity presented itself on 82 minutes:
Confey goalkeeper Michael Kelly had looked comfortable with the ball at his feet for the entire game, but Ciaran Lyons’ back pass on 82 minutes proved to be one time too many for the stopper to show his composure as McHugh nipped in to win the ball and finish into the empty net:
It was a cruel twist of faith for Confey who had the better of the opportunities in a very closely/fought and tense first half:
Despite a strong start from Patrician, Confey winger Sean Gilbert carved out the first chance of the game when his low cross almost found Darren Moran, but goalkeeper Aaron Masterson cut it out:
Next it was the turn of full back Ian Meehan to get a crucial block on a Shane Ferris shot after Gilbert played him through down the right, before another ball from the left, this time from Steven Reynolds, almost put goal on a plate for Moran:
At the other end, it took until the half/hour mark for Patrician to carve out a good chance, but with a bit of luck Meehan’s snapshot on the charge up field from Ciaran Troy’s cross might have looped under the crossbar, and not over:
Despite the near miss, Confey would have taken a lead into the half/time break but towering defender Con Kavanagh cut out Reynolds as he looked to break away on goal:
The second/half began much the same, with Confey threatening to make the breakthrough, but Masterson rushed off his line to smother Bradley Donnelly’s effort:
Unlike the first half, however, Patrician were hitting back with more punch of their own after Confey attacks and only the backtracking Moran denied Ciaran Troy a certain goal after Ciaran Glynn’s cross to the back post found him free:
Glynn had a goal disallowed for offside just after the hour mark, but the next big incident of the game would prove to be the pivotal one:
There appeared to be no danger as Confey’s back four passed the ball from side to side looking for a way up the pitch, but when Lyons passed backwards to Kelly the goalkeeper hesitated for a split second under pressure from McHugh and it cost him dear:
The striker’s challenge was strong enough to knock the ball from the keeper’s feet and he had the simplest of finishes into the empty net:
PATRICIAN SS: Aaron Masterson; Evan Aldwell, Ian Meehan, Con Kavanagh, Jamie Harte, Adam Burke, Sean Healy (Liam McDermott 89), Michael Logan, Ciaran Troy, Daragh McHugh, Ciaran Glynn (Kieran Morris 67):
Not used: Ben McCormack, Cillian Whelan, Jack Behan:
CONFEY COLLEGE: Michael Kelly; Conor Dennehy, Seadna McGillan, Peter Burke, Ciaran Lyons, Bradley Donnelly (Karim Belhout 85), Shane Ferris, Andrew Doolin, Darren Moran, Steven Reynolds, Sean Gilbert:
Not used: John Collins, Jamie Aherne, Cian McDonnell, James Linehan:
REFEREE: Alan Carey
