Kermode does ‘Well on his soccer return
NEWTOWN Blues football star John Kermode made a memorable return to soccer duty with his local club Newfoundwell when scoring the winning goal in Sunday’s FAI Junior Cup tie.
This clash between two NEFL Premier teams looked to be a tough assignment for the ‘Well as they took on an OMP side who have picked up a number of players from last season’s Navan Cosmos squad - and so it proved.
OMP didn’t pose much of a threat going forward, but they dug in and frustrated Newfoundwell and it wasn’t until the 88th minute that Kermode struck the winner from the penalty spot.
Given the number of chances the hosts created in the first half, it was amazing that the scoreline remained blank for so long, but things just didn’t go right in front of goal for the side managed by Danny Gartland and Paul Crowley.
Perhaps their best scoring opportunity of the first 45 minutes from open play came when Brian Kermode
Newfoundwell OMP United 1 0
attacked down the right flank and teed up Ian Devine, but with the supporting Craig O’Connor well placed for a simple tap-in Devine went for goal himself and the OMP keeper made a comfortable save.
Devine passed up an even better chance, though, when Craig O’Connor dribbled inside of the left wing and was taken down for a penalty. Devine aimed his spot kick to the right top corner, but the OMP keeper made a fine save to turn the ball round the post.
Then, having defended for virtually the entire first half, OMP launched a rare attack from which ‘Well netminder Ronan Brown had to be alert to keep his goal intact.
Newfoundwell continued to dominate on the restart, with the central trio of Alan Murphy, Cormac Reid and Ryan Connor pulling the strings in midfield and the back four looking increasingly comfortable.
However, with no breakthrough by the 55th minute the management team turned to the bench, with John Kermode coming on for the luckless Devine.
And seven days on from winning the Joe Ward Cup with the Blues, it was Kermode who grabbed the winner in the 88th minute.
For the second time in the game Craig O’Connor was brought down in the box, and with Devine now off the field the substitute now took over spot kick duties.
And Kermode won it for his team in fine style, firing to the top right corner to break OMP’s hearts and see Newfoundwell through to the fourth round.
Next Sunday they’re back in league action at home to Muirhevnamor, hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the Premier Division campaign. NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown, Daryl McDonagh, Paddy O’Boyle, Kevin Bull, Alan Murphy, Ryan Connor, Cormac Reid, Brian Kermode (Ross Reid), Adam O’Connor, Craig O’Connor, Ian Devine (John Kermode).