Bay suffer defeat in first NEFL final

DONACARNEY BAY FC 3 1

ON a perfect afternoon in Navan, Bay appearing in their first final since entering the North East League suffered disappointment on Saturday at the hands of Donacarney who compensated for their penalty shoot-out defeat in the semi-final of the Leinster Junior Shield the previous week by capturing the O’Neill Shield

The Drogheda side appeared to have a greater hunger and were worthy winners in the end.

However, Alfonso Crespo perhaps should have opened the scoring inside the opening minute as a stray pass left him through on goal, but the winger sent his shot straight down the throat of the keeper.

It was a nervy opening 20 minutes or so from both sides as they failed to string any passes together.

Donacarney then should have opened the scoring with 25 minutes gone. A cut- back across the box left their striker with what looked like a routine tap-in but ‘keeper Kevin Mullen pulled off a wonder save to deny him.

Just before half time there was another warning for Bay as Donacarney crashed a powerful header off the crossbar for the half to end scoreless.

Donacarney opened the scoring with ten minutes gone in the second half. A through ball sent their winger scampering through, with the referee and linesman waving away Bays appeals for offside. He was left with a simple square ball to their striker for a tap in.

With ten minutes left Donacarney appeared to have sealed victory with a near carbon copy of their first goal only for Alfonso Crespo to give Bay a lifeline, finishing well from a Mark Larkin cross.

But Donacarney weren’t to be denied, clinching the shield with a third goal in injury time.

BAY: Kevin Mullen, Robbie Rafferty, Brian McCloskey, Angelo Stanley, Mario Kolak (Brendan Nash 80), Gavin Toner (Aaaron Kelly 75), Alfonso Crespo, Johnny Winters (Robbie Murphy 60), Paddy Connor, Quadri Olowu (Marcel Ekwueme 55), Mark Larkin.