The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Under 17 crown for The Park
DOMINOS PIZZA U-17 CUP FINAL
The Park 3 Tralee Dynamos 1
AFTER losing the Under 17 League final to Rattoo Rovers The Park bounced back in style at Mounthawk Park on Tuesday evening when they were crowned Dominos Pizza Under 17 Cup Champions after a stylish win over arch rivals Tralee Dynamos in a good competitive game.
The star performer for the winners was Padraig McCannon who bagged all three of his sides goals to cap a wonderful personal performance. The talented midfielder has pulled out of the Kerry Under 17 squad and his availability for this game was a huge boost for the Tralee side.
Most of the early chances were created by Dynamos with Tennyson Efegbare running the show at midfield and stretching The Park defence with his penetrating runs from midfield.
The Park keeper Conor Hayes was busy early in the game making a couple of important saves and his handling of the ball in the air was impeccable. Codie Dauti had an early chance for Dynamos but his shot was straight at the keeper.
They had a good opportunity in the 12th minute with Codi Dauti setting up Tennyson Efegbare but he put his shot over the top. The Park went close two minutes later when Mervyn Shalemba latched on to a
Colin Walsh free kick and his header was just wide.
Dynamos should have gone ahead in the 21st minute when a super ball from Derek O’Shea put Codi Dauti through on goals but he shot at the keeper when he should have found the net.
Immediately afterewards Colin Hayes delivered a long ball out of defence which was taken down delightfully by Padraig McCannon just outside the box and he turned quickly and delivered a sumptuous shot which flew into the right top hand corner of the net for a goal of sheer class.
Then Dynamos hit on the counter attack with Derek O’Shea making a great run into the box but his shot wound up in the side netting. Dynamos had a good chance to
equalise in the 30th minute when Adi Cenali set up Codi Dauti and he was denied by a great save by The Park goalie Conor Hayes.
The Park doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Padraig McCannon raced on to a Colin Walsh free kick from midfield and his blockbuster of a shot from outside the box took a deflection giving the Dynamos goalie no chance.
Dynamos had a couple of half chances before half time with Codi Dauti sending a glancing header wide while a shot from distance by Adi Cenali was a comfortable save for the Park goalie.
The pace of the game slowed considerably in the second half with The Park protecting their lead while Dynamos tried their utmost to pull a goal back. Pádraig McCannon was only a lick of paint away from his hat trick in the 72nd minute with his thunderbolt of a shot smashing off the crossbar.
Dynamos had a great opportunity to cut the deficit in the 84th minute when Adi Cenali had just the Park keeper to beat, but from six yards he fluffed his shot and a great scoring chance was wasted.
Pádraig McCannon’s hat-trick arrived in the 85th minute after a quick attack from midfield he ran in to find the net from close range. Dynamos did manage a consolation goal late in the game and what a beauty it was.
A foul just outside the box resulted in a free kick. Tony Duggan took it with his left peg and curled it delightfully over the wall in into the back of the net. Over the 90 minutes The Park were the better side but full marks to Dynamos who fought hard all the way and made their opponents work hard for their victory.
THE PARK: Conor Hayes, Darragh Moriarty, Luke Dennehy (Alfie Christie, 46 min), Cian Purcell, Andrew Murphy, Nathan Holden, Leon Shalemba, Padraig McCannon (Liam Magee, 85 min), Mervyn Shalemba, Colin Walsh, Robert Kerins (Nick Izeha 59 min)
TRALEE DYNAMOS: Darragh Reen, David Smith (Patryk Morawski, 59 min), Tony Duggan, Shar Chaudhry, Nemanja Samardzic, Brian O’Dowd (Washington Salomon, 74 min), Derek O’Shea, Tennyson Efegbare (Danny Burke, 78 min), Codi Dauti, Adi Cenali, Samson Ayali (Leon Daly, 80 min)
REFEREE: Tom O’Sullivan