North End’s heartbreak
Liffey strike early in both halves for semi win
IT WAS a case of so near, and yet so far, for North End United when their hopes of running out on to the hallowed turf of the Aviva Stadium were cruelly dashed on April 18, 2015.
Playing in Ferrycarrig Park, they were hit with two sucker-punches from impressive Liffey Wanderers striker Aidan Roche in their FAI Junior Cup semi-final clash.
Credit where it’s due, the losers didn’t let their dream die after that setback, and three years later they captured that hard-earned title with a dramatic dismissal of
Pike Rovers from Limerick after a penalty shoot-out.
However, that prospect must have been the last thing on their minds when they trudged disconsolately off the pitch after that loss to Liffey, who went on to beat Sheriff Y.C. in the decider.
Match-winner Roche struck early in both halves to steer the Dubliners through and, although a sublime Shane Dempsey freekick in the 89th minute set up a frantic finish, North End suffered a heartbreaking defeat.
The Wexford champions bossed the game in the possession stakes for long periods, but all too often their final ball let them down.
They were slow to settle too, with just 60 seconds elapsing before Aidan Roche raced on to a long throw-in from Gary Young and slid in to toe-poke the ball past goalkeeper Lee Walker.
Anthony Beary and captain Jason Murphy created a couple of mini-chances before a ferocious half-volley by Shane Dempsey was brilliantly tipped away by the outstretched fingertips of Wanderers netminder Philip O’Connor.
Keith Kearney struck the butt of the post early in the second-half, but more bad news was just around the corner for North End.
Roche earned a penalty and, although Lee Walker did superbly to get down to his right and palm the spot-kick around the post, the corner that followed was headed home by the striker.
North End tried all they knew to get back into contention, with a Declan Downes attempt cleared off the line, and Dempsey’s wonderful 25-yard free-kick did give them hope.
Time wasn’t on their side, though, with Liffey holding on after successfully defending a curling cross from substitute Andy Moore.
The words of manager John
Godkin afterwards were prophetic, bearing in mind what happened three years later.
‘I’m proud of the lads. Liffey lost in the quarter-final last year and were devastated, and now they’re in the final.
‘There’s no reason we can’t do the same. We want a taste of the big time,’ he said.
North End United: Lee Walker, Warren Broaders, Lee Aust, Robin Dempsey, Declan Downes, John Fenlon, Adam Beary, Shane Dempsey, Jason Murphy (capt.), Paul Murphy, Keith Kearney. Subs. - Kyle Dempsey for Broaders, Jason Swords for Fenlon, Andy Moore for J. Murphy.