SAINTS MARCH ON
Peter’s have double in their sights after reaching cup final
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ST. PETER’S will meet Rathnew in the Wicklow Cup final this weekend, after second-half goals from Danny Byrne and Chad Ryan gave Shane Greene’s nervy men a 2-0 win over Newtown United on Sunday afternoon.
It took until the second half for the Fassaroe club to pull away from their physical opposition, with Danny Byrne’s diving header and Chad Ryan’s impressive finish from the angle doing enough to seal the deserved victory for the Andy McEvoy Premier Division champions.
Newtown and St. Peter’s travelled down to Wicklow Town for a rematch of their dramatic Jim McLaughlin Cup semi-final, which was won on penalties by the former.
For much of Sunday’s game, however, there was not much in the way of quality football on display.
Newtown, as is their trademark, deployed a back three, with Sean Gregory and Mark Fitzsimons filling the roles of high-pressing wing-backs. The tactic paid dividends, initially, as their rigid, uncompromising system frustrated Peter’s in the first-half.
Aaron Byrne had an early effort saved by Niall Vaughan, before their best chance came on 35 minutes when a Newtown corner was dropped by Vaughan, only for the resulting scuffle to end with the ball being cleared off the line by Mick Taylor.
Peter’s, unable to impose their usual rhythm and personality on the contest, were restricted to half chances and pot-shots, but did come close to scoring with five minutes of the half to go.
Darren Lacey did well to whip a fine cross into the penalty area from the right, where it was met by Chad Ryan who directed a header back across Ken Turner in the Newtown goal.
Turner did phenomenally to keep the scores level, however, as he reacted brilliantly to dive to his right and get a strong hand on the ball, claw it away, and send the sides into the break at 0-0.
The second half was defined by one side’s willingness to adapt to what was going on around them, while the other persisted so devoutly, to their detriment.
Peter’s, who utilised a 4-2-3-1 formation in the first half which left Chad Ryan so often isolated up front, switched to three up front, thus fully occupying the Newtown back three.
Just eight minutes into the second-half, this change in formation led to a change in fortune for the league champions.
Danny Lacey, so often at the epicentre of everything positive Peter’s did, sent a good volleyed cross into the area off the right wing. The ball arrived at Danny
Byrne in the middle, who sent a diving header into the bottom corner.
Newtown were finding it impossible to work the ball in any progressive way, with the midfield being straddled by Jamie Kelly and Tony Harris, and Killian O’Carroll sitting deep and pulling strings.
With nine minutes left to play, Peter’s had their deserved second. A long ball down the right-hand side reached Jamie Kelly, who played the ball back to Chad Ryan.
Ryan conjured his inner-Mateusz Klich by setting the ball up and firing it across Ken Turner and into the bottom right corner to seal the deal with his 14th goal of the season.
ST. PETER’S: Niall Vaughan; Noel Stephens, Dean Fletcher, Mick Taylor, Des Kelly; Tony Harris, Killian O’Carroll; Darren Lacey, Jamie Kelly, Danny Byrne; Chad Ryan. Subs: Jake Adamson for D. Byrne (66), Darren McAteer for C. Ryan (85), Sean McAteer for J. Kelly (90).
Ken Turner; Barry Davis, Brandon Feeney, Ross Davis; Mark Fitzsimons, Sean Heffernan, Bobby Greenan, Evan Moran, Sean Gregory; Aaron Byrne, Dean Odlum. Subs: Dessie Waters for S. Gregory (68), Oisin Greenan for D. Odlum (77).
REFEREE: David Jameson
NEWTOWN UNITED: