Park U-17s win seven-goal thriller to claim Cup title
DOMINOS PIZZA UNDER-17 CUP FINAL
St Brendan’s Park 4 Killarney Celtic 3
THE Park’s great underage structure reaped rich dividends last Wednesday evening at Mounthawk Park when they were crowned Dominos Pizza Under 17 Cup Champions after a very impressive win over Killarney Celtic.
When the sides met in the league Killarney won twice but on this occasion The Park were the better side and ran out deserving winners at the end of a good competitive game.
In a lethargic first half The Park were on top and they went ahead after 14 minutes in a sweeping attack Conor O Brien put in Jack O Donoghue and he applied a great finish from 10 yards.
Killarney Celtic then put a good passage of football together in the 25th minute and Lee Downing created a chance for Evan Jones but he was denied by a good save by The Park goalie Jack Rogers.
The Park took a major stranglehold on the game just before half time with two goals in the space of 3 minutes.
The first came in the 41st minute when the excellent Culan Sweeney worked hard to win possession just outside the box and he cut inside and rifled a thunderous shot to the net.
Just on the stroke of half time they struck again after a free kick when Jack O Donoghue robbed a defender and slipped the ball to Conor O Brien’s and his shot from an angle just inside the box went in off a defender.
The Park looked very comfortable at half time and Celtic knew they had to buck up their game if they were to make any kind of a comeback.
They showed much more urgency an a greater appetite for the game from the start of the second half and they pulled a goal back in the 51st minute.
It came after a Liam Curran free kick and Daragh Fleming applied a great finish.
The game was thrown wide open in the 72nd minute when Aaron Ward brought down Lee Downing inside the box after he was put through on goals by Evan Lyne and referee Eddie O Mahony pointed to the spot.
Lee Downing drilled the ball low and it went in just out of the reach of the The Park keeper Jack Rogers.
Now the game was delicately poised and both sides began to us etheir bench.
As the game entered the concluding stages Celtic went all out in seach of an equaliser they were leaving themselves exposed at the back.
The Park made sure of victory in added time with a sublime goal that came from a free kick.
In the 92nd minute David Oba got in behind the Celtic defence and he was pulled back by Celtic goalie Adam Carey and as it deprived him of a scoring chance the keeper got a straight red card and The Park had a free kick on the verge of the box.
David Oba hit the free kick delightfully bending it around the defensive wall and into the bottom corner for a goal of sheer class that Lionel Messi would be proud of.
Celtic were not finished yet though and in another surge downfield Darragh Fleming made it 4 – 3 but it was too little too late and The Park ran out worthy winners.
It was a great performance by the Tralee side and many of this team should feature prominently at senior level in the not too distant future.
There was a great reception for the captain of The Park side Aaron Ward as he was presented with the cup by the Chairman of the KDL Sean O Keeffe.
He commended both sides in providing a great game and the match offciials for handling the game so well.