Newtown are the Jim McLaughlin Cup kings
More silverware for Newtown as they see off Glencormac
NEWTOWN UNITED were crowned Jim McLaughlin Cup champions after they beat a tough Glencormac side at Arklow Credit Union Park on Sunday afternoon.
Both sides were pumped up right from the first whistle as some heavy challenges went in from both sets of players.
There wasn’t much in the game early on as both sides refused to sit back and looked to open the scoring, but neither could test the opposition’s keeper.
Glencormac had a great chance to open the scoring in the 11th minute when Nay Watters went close from inside the penalty area.
Watters nicked the ball from Newtown midfielder Evan Moran on the edge of the penalty area and made a run into the box before firing off a shot, but he blasted it over the bar.
A huge let-off for Newtown early in the first half.
Glencormac were finding space down the left wing as John Treanor’s pace was causing a problem for Newtown defender Barry Davis who couldn’t match the winger for speed.
Treanor combined with striker Luke Reynolds in the 18th minute when he cut inside and played a one-two with Reynolds but lost his footing in the box before he could get a shot off and Newtown got the ball clear.
Striker Nay Watters went close again on the half-hour mark when he pulled off an acrobatic bicycle kick from a Glencormac free but his effort went just wide of the post.
Newtown striker Dean Odlum went close down the other end moments later when he beat two Glencormac defenders just outside the penalty area but couldn’t find the back of the net as his shot clipped the bar and over.
Glencormac were piling on the pressure towards the end of the first half, the Newtown defence were standing firm but feeling the pressure.
Simon Doyle made a great run to beat the Newtown offside trap and looked to have only Turner in goal to beat but Barry Davis made a great recovery to make it back to put in a challenge just before Doyle could pull the trigger.
Just on the stroke of half-time Newtown opened the scoring with a great finish from Aaron Byrne on the 43rd minute.
Defender Ross Davis saw Byrne making a run and cut open the Glencormac defence with a through ball which Byrne slotted into the corner of the net; a great passage of play from the Newtown side to lead at the break.
Newtown controlled the possession early on after play resumed and made it hard for Glencormac who found it difficult to get back in the game.
Midfielder Bobby Grennan was running the game from centre mid, his game awareness to sniff out any danger and organisation of his teammates was driving his side forward.
Dean Odlum almost doubled his side’s lead in the 50th minute when he went on the counter-attack but Glencormac keeper Eoin English tipped Odlum’s effort over the bar.
Nine minutes later Odlum had his goal. The striker went on a great run into his opponent’s penalty area and rode two Glencormac defenders’ challenges and stayed on his feet to slot the ball past English in goal.
Credit to the striker who stayed on his feet and could have won a penalty but rode the challenges to score the second of the game.
Newtown put the final nail in the coffin five minutes from time as winger Simon Fitzsimons picked out midfielder Evan Moran who nestled the ball into the corner of the net past English.
Newtown were cruising to victory with only a few minutes remaining in the game.
Glencormac did threaten late on and may feel unlucky they were not awarded a penalty after John Treanor was brought down in the box by Barry Davis but unfortunately it would have done little to impact the game with little time remaining.
It was Newtown’s sixth time competing in the final in six seasons and they add their fifth cup to their trophy cabinet as they are crowned Jim McLaughlin Cup champions 2020.
NEWTOWN: 1. Ken Turner, 2. Barry Davis,
3. Brandon Feely, 4. Ross Davis, 5. Bobby Grennan, 6. Lorcan Kenna, 7. Sean Heffernan, 8. Evan Moran, 9. Dean Odlum, 10. Aaron Byrne, 11. Mark Fitzsimons. Subs: Stuart Synnott for Mark Fitzsimons (70), Oisin Grennan for Evan Moran (82), Sean Odlum for Dean Odlum (69).
GLENCORMAC: 1. Eoin English, 2. Ben O’ Callaghan, 3. Ian Devlin, 4. Martin Sustouious, 5. Cian Mc Goldrick, 6. Luke Barry, 7. Luke Reynolds, 8. Simon Doyle,
9. Nay Waters, 10. Josh O’ Callaghan, 11. John Treanor. Subs: Ryan Nolan for Ian Devlin (53.