Darius eyeing cup glory
SOCCER FAI INTER CUP
GLEBE North, under the management of Drogheda native Darius Kierans, have reached the FAI Intermediate Cup semi-finals for the first time after a 3-0 win away to College Corinthians on Saturday.
Glebe went into the game very much in the underdog category, but goals from former Drogheda Town striker Ollie Hamzat, Reece Weldon and Ciarán Cluskey-Kelly ensured a famous win, while also playing their part on the day were two more locals in Roy Kierans and former League of Ireland star
Killian Brennan.
Glebe will now face Leinster Senior League Senior Sunday outfit Wayside Celtic at home, with the game to be played on the final weekend in March, and they will also be entered into the FAI Senior Cup later this year as a result of their exploits.
For Darius Kierans, appointed as Glebe manager in May 2021, preparation was key to Saturday’s win.
“We travelled down on the Friday, so we were well rested for the game. I had gone down the Saturday before to watch them, we had a fully fit squad and the lads just put in a great effort.”
While Corinthians sit at the summit in the top division in the Munster Senior League and were unbeaten in their nine games, Glebe travelled with confidence.
The Balbriggan outfit have made it to the last four the hard way, with three away games from their four ties, and they have yet to concede a goal along the way.
It has been a real turnaround for Glebe. Last March they topped the Senior Sunday division and then just three months later they were relegated to Division 1.
“We are very unlucky not to be in the top division. We finished last season with 32 points – normally 30 points is the safety mark. We just had a bad run of injuries and the teams at the bottom began picking up points and we were dragged into the relegation battle in the final weekend and went down.”
But now Glebe are very much in the promotion hunt back to the top flight, while they are due to host St Mochta’s in the Charlie Cahill Cup semi-finals in the next few weeks.
“We have a few games in hand now, which isn’t easy. When you’re going well in the cups you’re playing twice a week and that can lead to injuries. But we’ll just get ourselves up for these big games coming up.”
Kierans will relish now welcoming Wayside to Market Green on what will be a massive day for the club and one which should draw