Goals flow for Fane in Clancy Cup semi-final showdown
SOCCER DUNDALK SUMMER LEAGUE
FANE FC COX’S 6 2
FANE booked their place in the first of the season’s knockout competitions with a convincing win in the first of the Clancy Cup semi-finals at Gorman Park, with the league’s top marksman Sean Bailey pointing the way with a four goal haul, including a spectacular acrobatic volley.
Without a win in the league Cox’s received a bye to this stage and were the clear underdogs and trailed by two nil at the break, both goals supplied by Bailey. The first resulted from a move that he started and finished on 12 minutes, and the second was a real gem as he threw himself in the air when unmarked at the back post to smash Martin Murphy’s pinpoint cross to the net after 21 minutes.
Fane were no way flattered by their lead, but then received a quick jolt a minute into the second-half when Niall Kelly reduced the deficit, raising the hope that Cox’s could mount a comeback. However, that was quickly dashed when Murphy who supplied a lot of the arrows for Bailey to fire, cut in from the right wing and was unceremoniously sent tumbling to the ground by Cox’s scorer Kelly.
Bailey sent goalkeeper Dane Harrison the wrong way in the 51st minute, and it just became a stroll for the winners then.
The unfortunate Paul Gartland was helpless as he turned into his own net a powerful low cross by his Fane counter part Brian McGuirk to extend the Fane lead to 4-1 after 63 minutes.
Cillian Lennon went close to reducing the leeway a couple of minutes later when his well struck effort hit the side netting.
But Cox’s fell further behind when Robert O’Hanlon raced into the box
after delivering a delightful cross field pass to Bailey who worked a one two with the impressive Dean O’Connell. O’Hanlon arrived right on cue to hook the resulting cross high into the net on 70 minutes.
Fittingly Bailey completed his side’s tally five minutes later when put clean through into the penalty box by James Green.
Cox’s kept plugging away and were rewarded when they cut open the Fane defence for Conor Murphy all on his own to fire past Murphy when set up by Joey Bellew.
FANE: Kyle Murphy, Brian McGuirk, Alan Lennon, Ger Collins, Gavin Lennon, Dean McConnell, Sean Kellegher, Robert O’Hanlon, Sean Bailey, Martin Murphy, Brendan McKevitt, Caolan Carroll, Mikey O’Callaghan, Keith Clarke, James Green.
COX’S: Dane Harrison, Paul Gartland, Niall Kelly, Martin Kearney, Paul Macken, Keith Harmon, Ryan Carroll, Peter McDermott, Joey Bellew, Cillian Lennon, Liam McShane, Conor Murphy, Conor McGahon, Dickie Grimes.