Moran’s goal sends Magpies in the Wicklow Cup final
at Vartry Grounds NEWTOWN UNITED ST PETER’S 1 0
IT won’t go down in the archives as a vintage performance but Newtown United won’t care as they scraped through to their third Wicklow Cup final in a row courtesy of Evan Moran’s 14th minute winner.
But the Magpies have goalkeeper Lee Fizpatrick to thank as he repelled a 46th minute penalty to preserve his side’s lead and from there; they never let it slip.
It was an enthralling tie and St. Peter’s had endless spells of possession but simply could not put the ball in the back of the Newtown net and they ultimately paid the penalty for that.
It was a fine and fitting morning for a Wicklow Cup semi-final at the Vartry Grounds in Roundwood and Jake Kane had the first shot in anger for the Saints after five minutes. Fitzpatrick needed two attempts to tame it but tame it he did.
Saints skipper Jamie Kelly - who had won the last two Wicklow Cups with Wicklow Rovers - was fouled on eight minutes and Killian O’Carroll’s free was smartly pushed away by Fitzpatrick.
Kelly then scooped a pass over the Newtown defence for Chad Ryan but he had to run away from goal to latch onto it and was off-balance when striking it and skied it.
Having soaked up the early pressure, United gave a glimpse of how devastatingly good they can be to play Ryan Cahill in. The Peter’s defence looked momentarily sliced open but Darren McAteer refused to give up and brilliantly took it off Cahill’s toe as he was about to let rip meaning Newtown had to settle for a corner.
Peter’s cleared that flag kick behind but from the resulting corner, United netted. Sean Heffernan whipped it in and Evan Moran was on hand at the near post to turn it in.
The Bray side were screaming for a penalty two minutes later when Chad Ryan and Dillon Carthy tangled in the penalty area. Ryan didn’t get the penalty he wanted but did get a booking from David Jameson for dissent.
Newtown’s usually airtight defence creaked when they seemed to fall asleep from their own throw. The ever hard-working Noely Stephens hustled into the penalty area but Ryan’s strike cleared Fitzpatrick’s crossbar.
United showed signs of life at the other end again on 26 minutes as Ryan Cahill controlled a pass before laying off to Sean Heffernan. He didn’t catch it as sweetly as he would have liked though and it finished harmlessly wide.
A Killian O’Carroll corner was met by a diving header from Tony Harris next but all he got for his troubles were a boot in the face and another corner.
David Jameson had a decision to make three minutes before the interval when Newtown’s legendary defender PJ Dowling’s tackle on McAteer was high. Despite the pleas of the Saints fans, Jameson left the red card in his pocket.
Within 30 seconds of the restart, St. Peter’s had a penalty. Jake Kane bundled his way into the penalty area but looked to have overran it as Fitzpatrick came to collect. The pair collided and Newtown were incensed when Jameson pointed to the spot.
Chad Ryan stepped up and went to Fitzpatrick’s right but the shot-stopper got down low and kept it out.
Kane’s cut-back then found Jamie Kelly two minutes later but the captain blazed over from 14 yards.
Newtown could have earned some breathing space when Glenn Carthy rose highest to meet Heffernan’s corner but his powerful header ended up behind the goal.
A momentary lapse in the Saints defence saw Ryan Cahill pounce and race through but he couldn’t secure a second goal for the Magpies as Eoin Fox denied him with his legs.
Fox was called upon again a minute later when Martin Williams lifted the ball into the middle. Moran burst onto it and it opened up in front of him but his tame shot was easily saved by Fox.
With 23 minutes remaining on the clock, Peter’s switched to a three-man defence but despite all the possession they could dream of, the best they could produce was a series of almost moments.
The best sniff of goal they got arrived on 93 minutes when Kelly was found inside the area. He was encouraged to shoot but instead slipped it to Kane who fired wide.
Eoin Fox; Darren McAteer, Dean Fletcher, Ger Watters, Daniel McCann; Jamie Kelly, Noely Stephens, Killian O’Carroll, Jake Kane; Tony Harris, Chad Ryan. SUBS: Carl Troy for Watters (67); James Verscoyle for McAteer (82). Not used: Ross O’Brien, Dean Troy, Dion McGovern, Kevin McCart, Ryan Wogan.
ST PETER’S:
Lee Fitzpatrick; Ross Davis, Glenn Carthy, PJ Dowling, Neily Martin; Martin Williams, Matthew Kennedy, Sean Heffernan, Evan Moran, Dillon Carthy; Ryan Cahill. SUBS: Mark Fitzsimons for Williams (68); Oisin Greenan for Kennedy (85); Dean Gahan for Cahill (89). Not used: Ken Turner, Stuart Synnott, Dessie Waters, Conor Odlum.
NEWTOWN UNITED: REFEREE: ASSISTANTS:
Redmond.
David Jameson. Mick Kennedy & Jason