North End are cup kings

Anniversary year capped with eighth success

NORTH END United celebrated their 40th anniversary in style on May 23, 2010, winning the Wexford Cup for the eighth time in their trophy-laden history by overcoming Shamrock Rovers on a 3-0 scoreline in the sweltering heat of Ferrycarrig Park.

The proud Wexford town club had returned to the top flight when they captured the Division 1 title a couple of weeks earlier, and they rounded off their season in style with a professional and gritty display.

Shamrock Rovers enjoyed plenty of possession, but the North End crew were just too streetwise for their opponents.

And with club stalwarts Kieran Kelly, John Foley, Keith Furlong and Stuart Lawlor imperious at the back, they rarely looked in danger of conceding.

The triumph was also the icing on the cake for manager John Godkin, as it came just one week after he led Wexford to the county’s first-ever Oscar Traynor Trophy win, with his victorious troops paraded before the large attendance at half-time.

North End broke the deadlock with some route one football in the 21st minute.

The assured John Foley pumped a free-kick forward from midway inside his own half, and Stuart Lawlor rose with Alan Freeman in the area and got the faintest of touches to glance a header into the net.

There was plenty of debate as to whether Lawlor actually got the final touch or whether it was a Freeman own goal, but the big North End man certainly claimed it.

Four minutes later, North End doubled their advantage from another set-piece, and this time there was no doubt that it was a self-inflicted wound.

Trevor Berry fired in a teasing corner-kick from the left which Kieran Kelly helped on, and the unfortunate Philip Freeman sliced the ball past his own goalkeeper, John Thorpe, in his attempt to clear.

The Enniscorthy men flew out of the blocks at the start of the second-half and came close to pulling a goal back inside two minutes, with Mikey Dempsey shooting over from a narrow angle after neat build-up play.

While the leaders were under some pressure, the introduction of Andy Moore to partner Trevor Berry up front gave them a fresh new outlet, and gradually the siege was lifted.

His header from a Berry corner-kick forced John Thorpe into making a fine save, and he was destined to put the icing on the cake in added time.

Prior to that, Shamrock Rovers threw everything at their rivals in the final 15 minutes, with James Carty firing narrowly wide before a dipping Ricky Fox half-volley from outside the area was tipped over the bar by alert goalkeeper Lee Walker.

Their forward exertions left them exposed at the back, though, and North End availed fully of the extra space to inflict one final crushing blow.

Captain Kieran Kelly fed Andy Moore with a perfectly weighted pass on the halfway line.

The big front man raced in on goal and held his nerve, delicately lifting the ball over goalkeeper Thorpe to seal the win.

North End United: Lee Walker, Colin Bent, Kieran Kelly (capt.), John Foley, Keith Furlong, Stuart Lawlor, Alan Murphy, Craig McGuire, Kyle Dempsey, Trevor Berry, Allen Colgate. Subs. - Andy Moore for McGuire (55), Philip Tubritt for Colegate (66), Conor Doyle for Bent (77).

Shamrock Rovers: John Thorpe, Tony Kenny, Alan Freeman, Seán Wildes, Philip Freeman, Daithí Whelan, Ricky Fox, James Carty, Martin McKeown, Eamonn O’Brien, Mikey Dempsey. Subs. - John Dobbs for A. Freeman (74), Ian Sinnott for Wildes (82).

Referee: Nicky Boland.