AC do the double with cup triumph

DOMINOS PIZZA RESERVE CUP FINAL (Replay) AC Athletic 2 Classic FC 1

AC Athletic added another piece of silverware to their already overladen mantle-piece when they pulled off the league and cup double at Mounthawk Park on Sunday after being crowned Reserve Cup Champions to add to their Division 1A League title triumph a few weeks ago.

This replay was another good competitive game in which both sides gave their all but it was the Causeway side that came out with their noses ahead at the end. AC scored two first half goals and after this they sat back and defended in the second half and frustrated Classic who simply just could not break them down to the degree they required.

AC started the game strongly and went ahead after nine minutes. A free by Mark Walshe was headed out by Timmy Lynch at the expense of a corner kick.

David Egan floated the ball right into the goal line where Classic keeper Kenneth Leahy tried to push it away but it went all the way to the net

The tide then turned with Classic creating two good chances both of which fell to Shane Fitzgerald his first a bending shot from 20 yards went inches outside the post while his second from close in missed the target

AC hit on the break in the 29th minute with Joseph Diggins making a great run down the left wing. He then linked up with John Mike Dooley who played in Sean Leahy and he applied a great finish to put his side in the driving seat.

Classic got a free kick in the 32nd minute, which was hit by Brendan Sweeney and was taken off the line by Jason Diggins. Then they got another free and Jonathan Loughnane took it short to Brendan Sweeney who fed Ryan O’Carroll who crossed into the box and Shane Fitzgerald just could not get a touch to it to finish it to the net and Conor Diggins came to the rescue for AC.

AC forced four consecutive corners before half time but they yielded nothing. Another set piece at the start of the second half gave Classic another chance with Jonathan Loughnane linking up with Brendan Sweeney and Ryan Carroll who centered to Billy Clifford but he headed it over the top.

Then a free kick on the edge of the box gave Classic a good chance but Jonathan Loughnane’s low shot was well saved by Cyril Dineen in the AC goals. Now Classic began to turn the screw and it was backs to the wall stuff for AC as Classic piled on the pressure.

The breakthrough they had been threatening came in the 64th minute and what a fantastic goal it was.

It was run of the mill stuff as Brendan Sweeney ran on the ball 30 yards out but he let fly with a thunderbolt of a shot, which flew into the left hand corner of the net and now the game was in the boiling pot as Classic brought on subs and kept the relentless pressure on the AC rearguard.

However, player manager Mark Walshe had his defence well organised and they were taking no chances at the back clearing their lines at the hint of any bit of danger.

Classic forced a couple of free kicks and corner kicks but the AC defence were dealing with them comfortably. The AC goals had a charmed existence as the half progressed and when two subs Wayne Murphy and Denis Cosgrove threaded their way past the AC defence Cosgrove was denied by a fine save by the AC goalie Cyril Dineen.

AC could have killed off the game in the 85th minute when John Mike Dooley put Joseph Diggins straight through on goals but he shot over from 10 yards with the goals at his mercy. Classic kept the pressure on right through the six minutes of added time, but the much sought after equaliser failed to materialise and AC were worthy winners.

It has been a marvellous season for AC and they have a chance to win a third piece of silverware before the season is over as they are also in the Tommy Healy Cup Final where they will be hot favourites to defeat Division 2B side Strand Road. AC ATHLETIC: Cyril Dineen, Eamon Fitzgerald, Mark Walshe, Jason Diggins, Sean Leahy, Conor Diggins, Stephen Goggin (Barry Walshe 95), Shane Leahy (Brandon Barrett 70), David Egan, Joseph Diggins, John Mike Dooley CLASSIC FC: Kenneth Leahy, Jonathan Loughnane, Billy Clifford, Martin Sweeney (Wayne Murphy 73), Brendan Smyth, Timmy Lynch (Dominic Houlihan 60), Ryan O’Carroll, Brendan Sweeney, Max Mugabe, Shane Fitzgerald, Joe Duggan (Denis Cosgrove 67) REFEREE: Adrian Quirke