Cawley Cup goes to Merville
THE Robert Cawley Memorial Cup Final took pride of place at the Ray Mac Sharry Complex Sligo in glorious sunshine on a great day for football.
Merville United were pitted against MCR two clubs with massive history in the borough of Sligo. A great crowd turned out to watch two sides both in attacking mode contest the final. MCR were first out of the blocks after two minutes Stephen Hallahan as so often in the past season was on hand to snap home the opener for MCR.
Merville were well in the hunt and on thirty- four minutes a bad call from MCR keeper Tony Clarke gave an opening to Graham Irwin and the talented striker wasted no time in taking his chance to rattle home the equaliser and it was game on.
The second half got under way and Merville United were looking dangerous on the break and fourteen minutes into the second half a brilliant pass from Adam Devaney was fastened onto by Graham Irwin who raced into the danger area, looked up and angled his shot past the advancing Tony Clarke who had no chance in the MCR goals and Merville were in the celebration mood.
The big question was could they hold on and that was answered fourteen minutes from time when a beautiful cross from Stephen Hallahan was met by Joe Cobbe to crack home the equaliser for MCR. Again, celebrations but they were short lived as Conor Cox netted a magnificent third goal for the young guns of Merville United what a cup final this was proving to be.
Next up a penalty kick for Merville and Graham Irwin blasted home from the spot to drive his side into a two- goal lead and claim his hat trick.
Three minutes later and Joe Cobbe pulled a goal back for MCR to leave it a nail biting finish. Merville once again proved the more lethal in front of goal when super sub David Lynch fired home the fifth goal for the Champions elect Merville United a Final that will be remembered for a long time for all the right reasons.
The cup presentation was made by members of the Cawley Family to both the winners and runners- up on a brilliant day for football.
The North- West Hospice Cup and Shield seen the clash of the titans in both competitions. Carbury hosted high flying Boyle Celtic at Sean Fallon Park in their quarter final encounter.
Niall O Donoghue opened the scoring for Boyle Celtic after twenty minutes a lead they held till the hour mark. Once again it was Dylan Edwards who pulled Carbury back into contention and then ten minutes from time Keith Carty struck the all- important winner to book their spot in the semi finals away to Leitrim Kingpins Manor Rangers.
The Manor points insured their spot in the semi- finals with a superb win at home in the Bee Park to St Johns. Manor once again had the goal machine Niall Walsh to thank as he netted all four goals for the Leitrim Boys.
Stephen Armstrong and David Heffernan each scored once for a hard- working St Johns.
Ballisodare United entertained Ballymote Celtic in their game and the home side went ahead on thirty- three minutes with a superb finish from Andrew Patton.
Darragh Healy netted from the penalty spot after 55 minutes with Andrew Patton adding his second four minutes later another penalty six minutes later and Simon Gilmartin dispatched this spot kick and with seven minutes remaining Gavin Phelan rounded of the scoring for the boys from Ballisodare who not await the winners of Aughanagh Celtic and Yeats United on Sunday next that will determine the semi- final games.
In the North- West Hospice Shield MCR once again proved to have the Indian sign over Ballygawley Celtic winning by three goals to one in this quarter final encounter. Joe Cobbe hitting two crackers and Ciaran Harvey adding a third that booked them a home tie semi- finals against either Cliffoney Celtic or Arrow Harps who play on Sunday. The only goal for Ballygawley Celtic was scored by Amateur International Ross Mc Loughlin.
Dromore Villa’s opponents in the other semi- final will be Real Tubber and once again we have a mouth- watering contest as both are young sides with plenty of flair it has all the promise of a great encounter.
North Sligo kingpins Cliffoney Celtic welcomed The Riverstown Boys Arrow Harps to Mullaghmore for their quarter final game in the North- West Hospice Shield.
This game had it all the home side taking the lead on twenty minutes thanks to an own goal a lead they doubled on sixty minutes when Christy Heraughty rifled home the second for Cliffoney Celtic.
Referee Scottie Harte awarded Arrow Harps a penalty kick on seventy minutes that Darragh Hailstones dispatched and gave Harps a life line.
The Riverstown boys stormed back and were rewarded on the stroke of full time when Andy Flynn crashed home a glorious equaliser to bring the game into extra time.
Both sides went all out for that elusive goal but it was not to be and so to the dreaded penalty shoot- out.
Both sides were deadly accurate and it was nip and tuck to the final spot kick and the game rested at te feet of Niall Sheerin, he held his nerve and cracked home the winner for a jubilant Cliffoney Celtic who will now meet MCR in the semi finals.
But spare a though also for the Riverstown Boys they were magnificent even in defeat and this young side will take silverware in the not too distant future.