Damien Berrill’s strike wins cup for the Ringside lads
IT look three games to decide the destination of the Youths Cup in the Drogheda and District Schoolboys’ League and it took a goal from Damicn Berrill (pictured) to give Ringside the trophy at the expense of Lourdes Boys’ Club for a 1-0 success.
The first half of Monday’s decisive second replay was very closely fought following the pattern of the tvo previous games, with each side waiting on the other’s mistake for the breakthrough.
Both goalkeepers were kept in action, however with Lourdes Larry Delaney coming smartly off his line to take a Berrill cross and Sean Kelly, at the other end, saving well from a header and then having luck on his side as the ball went over his head but came back off the woodwork.
The deadlock continued, however, until about 15 minutes from time, when, with Ringside getting on top, right-winger Liam Everitt had a shot blocked by a defender but the ball ran loose to Berrill, who cracked home a low drive from close range.
The first reply had resulted in a 2—2 draw, with the concluding stages being played in almost total darkness on Wednesday of last week. This was another closely-contested game.
Ringside, somewhat unluckily, went behind after 30 minutes as a right-wing cross went perilously close and a defender, in attempting to clear, only succeeded in helping the ball to his own net.
But, only minutes later, Ringside struck back well as Kevin Smith latched on to a through ball and, stepping out of a couple of tackles, he crashed a great 25 yards drive all the way to the net for a fine goal.
Ringside pressed in the second half and, with the light fading, Brendan Carroll put them ahead 10 minutes before the end. But. with time running out and the crowd literally “in the dark” about what was happening on the field, Liam O’Neill came out of defence to head the equaliser for Lourdes. It was a fair result on the night’s play.
Ringside : S. Kelly. B. Carroll. B. McKeown. B. Buckley. P. Harte. R.Leech. D. Berrill. M. Traynor, L Everitt, M. Rcilly. J. Murphy, P Murphy, K. Smith (capt.), J. McKenna.
Lourdes : L. Delaney. B. Clarke P. Rossiter, P. McPhillips. L. O’Neill J. Leech, G. Balfe, F. Balfe. J Matthews, D. Carbury (captain), J .Martin. K. Stanley. J Brogan.
After the decisive game, the Drogheda A.F.C. league trophy was presented to Lourdes by Mr. Fintan Kierans. while the Drogheda United Cup was presented to Ringside.
Mr Kierans paid tribute to Lourdes officials, Jimmy Byrne and Liam McCloskey, and to captain Dominic Carbury. He also congratulated Ringside captain. Kevin Smyth, and manager, Joe Gallagher, on their cup win.
Chairman of the league, Mr. Charlie Dcvitt thanked all who helped to make the competitions such a success during the season, including the Stadium committee and Drogheda A.F.C, for giving the use of the Stadium for finals.