Grezyco seals Rathnew win
Village see off Greystones
RATHNEW AFC GREYSTONES UTD B
LAST Saturday, the seven cup finals up for decision at Celtic Park were played in sweltering heat in Arklow. The first of these finals, between Rathnew and Greystones, was what all cup finals should be: a close battle between two great sides.
The game started off quite tight, with both sides looking nervous when they were on the ball. Rathnew then started to settle themselves down.
The Villagers managed to manufacture themselves a free kick after some nice build up play. Rathnew striker and captain Jamie Moorehouse Hayden took control of the situation.
His strike from the free outside the box deflected against the edge of the wall and made its way into the bottom corner of the Greystones net.
The next section of the game went by with very little incident with Rathnew still slightly on top but not being able to make many penetrating moves.
With the fact it was so warm, the teams were allowed a water break half way through the first half.
Whatever was said to the young Greystones boys at the break helped them as they started to get more of the ball and this resulted in a great chance just after the break when midfielder Charlie McKenna got hold of the ball in a dangerous position, but just couldn’t keep his shot down as it flew over the bar.
In response, Rathnew’s industrious winger Lennon McGettigan Byrne got half a chance but his shot from a narrow angle just went wide of the post.
As the game was edging towards half-time, Greystones midfielder Luke Smyth got control of the ball and with a Maradona-esque slalom run he got straight through the defence and finished the ball into the back of the net, leaving the game level at the break
The second half started off very much like the first with both teams containing each other well until after some fine build up led to a chance for Greystones Jamie Kavanagh whose effort was saved well by Rathnew keeper Scott Doyle.
The game started to open up now with Rathnew starting to dominate. This led to two quickfire chances; the first for striker Hayden which was well saved by James O’Dowd in the Greystones goal. From the resulting corner, O’Dowd made another fantastic save to keep his side in the game.
As it looked like the game was heading towards extra-time, Rathnew delivered a sucker punch from a corner. O’Dowd made a good initial save but with the ball rolling around the box, Rathnew poacher Patrick Grezyco managed to get his foot to the ball to put it in the net to give the Village side a great cup final win.
1. Scott Doyle, 2. Izzy Richardson, 3. Darragh Lacey, 4. Emmett Ronan, 5. Tynan Read, 6. Lennon McGettigan Byrne, 8. John Hunter, 9. Jamie Moorehouse Hayden,10. Patrick Grezyco. Subs: 11. Leo Read for Izzy Richardson, 7. Bill Moorehouse for Lennon McGettigan Byrne, Lennon for Tynan Read.
1. James O’Dowd, 2. Cian Divilly, 12. Cathal Byrne, 8. Dary Smith, 5. Luke Smyth, 6. Charlie McKenna. 7. Jamie Kavanagh,
10. Noah Ryan, 11. Sean Barry. Subs:
9. Thomas Large for Jamie Kavanagh,
4. Sebastian Moore for Sean Barry, 13. Joe Creed for Charlie McKenna, 3. Sean O Nualain for Sean Barry. AVONMORE and Coolboy met in the second final of the Jako Cup final day and it was a pairing the produced some very open and attacking football.
Coolboy came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders and they nearly took the lead from a corner inside the first couple of minutes. Unfortunately for them, the header from Killian O’Keeffe flew over the bar.
There was a carbon copy chance two minutes later but unfortunately the effort from the corner blazed over the bar as well.
Avonmore striker Mark O’Reilly almost managed to get in behind the Coolboy defence but the defender stood his ground and Mark could only watch as his effort whizzed over the crossbar.
Coolboy were in almost complete control of the game when midfielder Lee Doyle got the ball, but after getting past a couple of