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.