Rathnew beat Peter’s in Wicklow Cup final
RATHNEW produced a tour de force performance to upset St. Peter’s and win the Wicklow Cup in a penalty shoot-out that bookended a dramatic, thrilling finale in Arklow on Sunday afternoon.
Leading 1-0 for much of the game thanks to a fine Mark Doyle strike, Rathnew were shellshocked by a 90th minute Darren Lacey equaliser that brought the game to extra-time. Peter’s then took the lead through Chad Ryan’s 15th of the season, only for Gary Byrne to step up with a stunning volley to force the penalty shoot-out, with Johnny Byrne netting the decisive spot-kick and win the cup.
The pattern of the game was established from the outset, with Peter’s enjoying most of the possession, while Rathnew soaked up the pressure that came with it. This paid dividends in practice. Chad Ryan was shackled by Theo Smith, although did look dangerous when he peeled off onto the left-hand side, while Jake Kane and Danny Byrne were frustrated by Jamie Snell and Jonah Graham, respectively.
With Peter’s struggling to break them down, it was Rathnew who took the lead on nine minutes. A Jody Merrigan free deflected off the wall, only for Mark Doyle to stroke a lovely finish into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area.
Peter’s tried to respond but were so often repelled by their opposition. They were at their most dangerous when Chad Ryan drifted out wide, and it was from this platform that Peter’s almost equalised.
Collecting a pass on the left side, Ryan stepped inside and curled a delightful- inswinging cross low across the face of goal. All it needed was a touch, but neither Darren Lacey nor Jake Kane were able to supply it. Kane then had a shot drift narrowly wide after Killian O’Carroll had robbed Gary Byrne in the Rathnew half.
For all of Peter’s dominance, it was Rathnew who could have doubled their lead. Dean Franey sent a long ball up the pitch which was taken down brilliantly by Jody Merrigan. Merrigan then battled with Noel Stephens right up the right flank, before rounding the full-back and pulling it back to Eddie Doyle on the edge of the box, only for his resulting shot to blaze over.
Stressing the need for his men to up their game in the second-half, Shane Greene introduced Jamie Kelly on 57 minutes.
A minute later, Rathnew once again almost made it 2-0. Paul Merrigan swung a cross towards Jody Merrigan in the box. Merrigan took the ball down on his chest, waited, and then turned outside Noel Stephens, before blaring a shot over the bar right in front of goal.
Tension was building as the game entered its final ten minutes, leading to Jamie Snell and substitute Dan Lacey being shown a red card as a result of a coming together. The tempo intensified from there, ultimately culminating in Peter’s levelling. After Chad Ryan was fouled on the edge, Killian swung the resulting setpiece into the area, where Darren Lacey directed a wonderful header into the corner to force extra-time.
It took just five minutes for Peter’s to complete the turnaround, when a Tony Harris free was flicked towards the box by Darren Lacey to Chad Ryan, who held off the challenge and forced the ball into the back of the net, scoring his 15th goal of the season, although he was subsequently forced off with an injury.
Rathnew, however, were not going to lie down and remarkably made it 2-2 just two minutes later. The ball was played into the path of Merrigan on the edge of the Peter’s box, where he held off Des Kelly before popping the ball up for Gary Byrne, who dispatched a spectacular volley past a helpless Niall Vaughan who couldn’t react to the ferocity of the strike.
And so it was penalties that were required to separate the two well-match outfits. After Killian O’Carroll blasted the ball high and wide, Rathnew took advantage, with Mark Doyle and Michael-Anthony Doyle putting them 2-1 up into the third round. Mark O’Sullivan netted an equaliser before Dean Franey then hit the post. With their fate back in their hands, Daniel McCann could only smash his strike over the bar for Peter’s. Johnny Byrne put Rathnew back in front. Mick Taylor then put his spotkick wide, sealing the Wicklow Cup
for the Village.
RATHNEW: Johnny Byrne; Jonah Graham, Dean Franey, Theo Smith, Jamie Snell; Paul Merrigan, Eddie Doyle, Gary Byrne, JT Hayden; Jody Merrigan, Mark Doyle. Subs: Eoin Doyle for P. Merrigan (75), Michael-Anthony Doyle for J. Hayden (100), Shaun-Paul Dunne for J. Merrigan (103).
ST. PETER’S: Niall Vaughan; Noel Stephens, Dean Fletcher, Mick Taylor, Des Kelly; Tony Harris, Killian O’Carroll; Jake Kane, Darren Lacey, Danny Byrne; Chad Ryan. Subs: Jamie Kelly for J. Kane (57), Dan Lacey for D. Byrne (75), Daniel McCann for N. Stephens (86), Mark O’Sullivan for C. Ryan (97).
REFEREE: Carl Doyle.