FAI Junior Cup 6th Round (Last 32)
On what was a huge occasion for the club we hosted Cherry Orchard from Dublin in the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup today. Cherry Orchard would be a team whose name is known all over the country and after this result hopefully the name of St Brendans Park FC will start to get the credit it deserves inside and outside the county.
The game started and finished in a frantic pace with us putting Cherry Orchard on the back foot from early on. David Clifford gave us the lead in the 20th minute when he finished well at the back post when the ball broke loose after a goal mouth scramble. Fichra Dunnne was doing great work on the tight wing and but for a fantastic full length save it would have been two up after his long-range effort.
However just before the break it was 2-0 when Fiachra’s shot was spilled and David Clifford was quickest to react, his shot rebounded from the post to the on rushing Antony Murphy who made no mistake with the finish.
The second half saw Cherry Orchard up their performance and force us on the back foot at times, but thanks to our fantastic work ethic we kept our discipline and never let them get within touching distance of us.
Then came David Clifford’s second goal when he tapped home from a corner to make it 3-0 after 67 minutes. This goal seemed to makes us feel as the job was done, how ever in the 74th minute Cherry Orchard pulled one back. That was to be it for them as David Clifford finished a great solo goal with five minutes remaining to make it 4-1.
The final whistle went at the end of five minutes injury time to the great joy to the home support. Jamie Kelly in goals was never really threatened but when called upon was up to everything. The back four of Martin Bowler, Con Barret, Shane Brosnan and Ryan Downey were excellent and never let the opposition get past them and if they did the defending was of such high quality they got them back to rescue the situation. The midfield of Fiachra Dunne, Adrian Quirke, David Magee and David Clifford did everything that was asked from them and ran themselves to a stand still. Mike Conway and Anthony Murphy did more that could ever have been asked from two players up front, chasing and defending from the front line. The three subs that came on Fergal Maunsell, Pa McCarthy and Adam Whitmore took over from those they replaced and continued the work ethic that was required.
Into the last 16 for the first time ever in the clubs history where we will be away to last seasons runners-up Kilbarrack Utd from the Dublin AUL. A great achievement when you consider over 650 teams started last September in this competion. Special thanks also to everyone who came along to support the team today.
