Tamara Penston

Clifden win Unidare Cup 2002

(Report from AUL website)

Clifden Celtic beat Ringcommon Rangers in dramatic penalty shootout.

Clifden Celtic : 3 ( 8 Pens )

Ringcommon Rangers : 3 ( 7 Pens )

This cup final had everything, four goals in normal time two in extra time and eighteen penalties in the shootout. Clifden from Ballyfermot had just finished runners up in their division 3 Saturday league while Ringcommon finished mid table in their Sunday division. The pitch was in excellent conditition and the crowd enjoyed an action packed game. Clifden had the first chance of the game when Derek Murphy found himself free but his shot went wide. Ringcommon hit back through Stephen Gorman after he headed over after a fine cross from Damien Maxwell. The boys from North County Dublin were enjoying a good spell and full back Graham Baker went close. Baker found himself free on the left with all the time in the world but he somehow managed to fire over the bar from just outside the area. Clifden came back strongly and both Brendan Mooney and Maxwell went close. Half time came without any goals but that was all to change very quickly once the game had restarted. Ringcommon went ahead after fifty five minutes, a corner was floated over by Baker up rose Gorman and his flick on was met by Paul O’Brien who slammed the ball past Andrew Cunningham and into the net. Clifden were level within ten minutes Ringcommon centre half Colin Fox was adjudged to have pushed centre forward Paul Hennessey over in the box and referee Ben Finlay had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Mark Bayly stepped up and coolly slotted the ball under goalkeeper Fergal Finnigan. Both teams had chances but the next goal did not arrive unitl four minutes from the end and what a howler it was for the Clifden keeper Cunningham. Another free was floated over by Anthony McMahon and Ringcommon forward Anto Murphy  got his head to it, the header looked harmless but somehow Cunningham got under the ball too much and it floated over his head and into the net. Cunningham was distraught but his despair only lasted sixty seconds. From the tip off Derek Murphy raced through and struck a superb equaliser. Clifden should have wrapped it up on the ninty minute mark when Hennessey broke the off side trap and with only the keeper to beat he shot over. Extra time followed and once again Ringcommon went ahead for the third time in the game, the linesman Declan McDonald spotted an off the ball incident in the box and Finlay once again pointed to the spot. This time Gorman slid the ball into the corner of the net past the despairing dive of Cunningham. Clifden came back once again and centre half Peter Cunningham stayed up after one attack and found himself unmarked in the area and when the came to him he scored a splendid goal. Then came the dreaded penalty shootout. Fair play to both keepers they both made vital saves in the shootout and with sixteen penalties taken poor Ross McGhee saw his spot kick saved by Cunningham in the Clifden goal. Substitute Jason Byrne stepped up for Clifden and he calmly placed the ball into the corner of the net for the winning penalty. Unbelievable scenes of joy followed after what was a remarkable cup final and one that will be remembered for a long time in the A.U.L.

Training takes place at CIE Club artificial pitches on Coldcut Road (Opp. Liffey Valley) on Mondays at 7pm sharp and Thursdays at 7pm at Drumfinn (opp. Ballyfermot Garda Station)

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