THE MIGHTY QUINN
Arklow edge out Glencormac to win Division 1B title
GLENCORMAC UTD ARKLOW UNITED 0 1
IT wasn’t the prettiest moment but it was a pivotal one as Jonny Quinn scrambled home in the 55th minute to earn Arklow United the Division 1B crown.
The Ferdale Park outfit travelled to Ryder’s Field on Thursday evening knowing that victory would see them pinch the title, whereas defeat would hand it to Glencormac and a draw would leave it in Glencormac’s hands.
Both sides are generally easy on the eye but the nerves and tension at the Kilmac venue - which had three figures in attendance - seemed to play its part on both sets of players.
Glencormac had the upper hand on their Arklow opponents in their divisional cup final clash so Arklow United really weren’t short on motivation as they travelled up the N11.
Fifty five minutes were on the clock when the all-important goal arrived.
The ball was lobbed forward and Glens goalkeeper Ash O’Callaghan raced out to compete for it with Jonny Quinn.
The Arklow attacker got a touch before colliding with O’Callaghan and the ball then broke to him and - whilst sat on the ground - swung a leg at the ball and it rolled over the line.
The hosts had 35 minutes to keep their season alive but it wasn’t to be their evening and they fell to their knees at the final whistle.
With an average age of 22 (27-year old Simon Doyle is three years younger than the next oldest) they will rise again.
Glens’ regular goalkeeper Gabor Radoczy was away on a prebooked holiday so his deputy Ash O’Callaghan was given a chance.
After eight minutes, he cut out a cross and Sam O’Callaghan got it out of the box but Arklow rightback Alan O’Neill almost caught the shot-stopper out with his speculative effort from 30 yards.
There was almost a catastrophe for Arklow in the 13th minute. Under pressure from Glencormac, a defender guided the ball back to Mark Harte and he swiped at it and hit air and watched relieved as it dribbled wide of his exposed goal.
He was grateful again minutes later when Nathan Watters was unable to make contact with Sam O’Callaghan’s excellent free-kick delivery.
Harte then pulled off a very good save when Sam Kerr let rip from the D and the fingertips of the Arklow custodian helped the ball over the crossbar.
Both sides were struggling in the final third and unable to find that penetrative pass although Arklow’s Luke Walker did sting Ash O’Callaghan’s fingertips midway through the first period with a decent effort.
Dean McCormack may be one of the smallest men on the pitch but he proved crucial in defending a 37th minute corner.
Neary delivered the flag kick and Jason Carey dove at it and met it with his head but he was denied the opener as McCormack flung himself at the ball on the line and turned it behind.
Having gone so close to leading, Arklow had the woodwork to thank for keeping their clean sheet intact 60 seconds later.
Glencormac drove forward on the counter and captain Ben O’Callaghan was the man bearing down on goal.
Despite heavy pressure, he got his shot away but it crashed back off the post.
There was one more noteworthy moments in the first period as Ash O’Callaghan raced out to challenge for a long ball but he elected to punch it and it was weak and former Bray Wanderers man David O’Neill’s first-time strike could have embarassed him had it not been off target.
Arklow had a half-chance two minutes after the interval when they seized on Dean McCormack’s sloppy clearance.
David O’Neill showed great feet to juggle past two defenders but the ball got away from him slightly as he tried to pull the trigger and it consequently caused no worries for O’Callaghan.
Jonny Quinn was introduced on 52 minutes and three minutes later he had the final say on the destination of the league title.
Glencormac weren’t about to let all their hard work slip away and Mark Delahunty’s free-kick from the halfway was met by Sam Kerr who, despite being at full stretch, made an excellent contact and the ball was looping in until Harte somehow threw a hand up in the air and flicked it over.
The hosts had another headed opportunity when Sam O’Callaghan’s cross found Cian McGoldrick at the back post.
He probably should have headed it back across goal but instead he tried to squeeze it in at the near corner and failed.
Arklow could have sealed the title in style as a long ball released Jonny Quinn who had beaten the offside trap. He lifted it over O’Callaghan but it kissed the crossbar.
It mattered little however as minutes later, David Jameson’s final whistle confirmed them as champions.