Villa celebrate their U14’A’ cup final win over Tramore.
Tramore – 2
Graun Park was the venue for the Pen and Brush Cup decider, the last Schoolboy League cup final of the season and the two teams produced a classic encounter for the large shirt-sleeved crowd who basked in the glorious sunshine.
Following the thrilling 70 minutes of play it was the Villa who took home the silverware and in doing so they completed the league and cup double.
Ben Curham went close for the city side after seven minutes but his curling effort from just outside the box went narrowly wide.
Five minutes later Sean Cleary in the Villa goal did well to keep out a fine low shot from Tramore’s Jack Larkin.
The opening goal fell to Tramore on 19 minutes. Regix Madika found a little bit of space 20 yards from goal before firing in a well struck effort. Sean Cleary did get his hands to the ball but it carried too much power for the Villa custodian.
Two goals for the Villa just before the interval turned the game on its head. Callum Russell sent over a fine cross from the right and when Darragh Wall made contact his shot slipped under the body of Tramore goalkeeper Dan Morrissey.
That 34th minute goal was followed by another Villa goal 60 seconds later.
Once again it was Callum Russell who created the goal. He took a pass from Adam Conway before firing over another right wing cross and this time it was Brian Cooke who scored by running to the back post to head home.
Five minutes into the second half it looked like curtains for the home side when Callum Russell turned goalscorer with a brilliant strike. James Kennedy floated over a cross from the left and Russell found the net with a sublime volley from just inside the right side of the penalty area.
Tramore fought back manfully and three minutes after Russell’s wonder strike, Ragix Madika had a fierce strike saved by Sean Cleary who somehow managed to turn the ball on to an upright. Tramore were awarded a penalty on 51 minutes when Greg Waters was forced to take down Regix Madika and Jack Larkin made no mistake with a well taken spot-kick.
The Villa players were living on their nerves at this stage because the Tramore outfit had taken control of proceedings and the host club were dreadfully unlucky on 65 minutes when a piledriver by Jack Larkin came crashing back off Sean Cleary’s crossbar and in stoppage time Darryl Walsh headed over the crossbar after rising high to meet a left wing cross from Regix Madika.
It certainly was nail-biting stuff and a thrilling end to cup final football for this season.
VILLA: Sean Cleary, Cormac Power, Cameron Power, Adam Conway, Lee O’Connor, Greg Waters, Callum Russell, James Kennedy (Timi Subowdale `61) Brian Cooke, Darragh Wall, Ben Curham. Rest of squad. Matthew Ugoghuin, Scott Dunphy.
TRAMORE: Dan Morrissey, Ben Daly, Luke O’Neill (Michael Brennan `39) David Daniels (David Flynn `46) Darryl Walsh, Tom Carney, Jack Larkin, Lee Kavanagh, Luni Kanuai, Regix Madika, Conor Butler. Rest of squad. Jamie Stone, Fran Hayes, Zach O’Connor.
REFEREE: Pat Fitzgerald. Assistants. Marky Lucas, Adrian Scanlon.
