When you win a cup called after a legend from your own club, it’s special. When you have the man whom your club ground is called after watch you win the cup, it’s special. When your chairman is stuck for words in the dressing room after a cup final, it’s special.
What about when you score a hat trick in the cup final? Messiah, is special. And we love him. Who wouldn’t? Three brilliant goals from one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.Another from one of the most talented you could ever meet and a fantastic team performance. It must have been a stroll in the Park (pardon the pun), wasn’t it?
Unfortunately a gallant Killarney Athletic team didn’t adhere to the script and wouldn’t lie down, so a stroll in the Park it wasn’t but what a Cup final they made of it.
With ten minutes gone this writer was making notes of missed chances from the Park, a near miss from a fantastic header by Kieran O’Connor and 85% possession. Nothing to show for all the pressure said the notes.
Just as the notes finished Cianan Cooney slid a tremendous pass through a narrow gap to Messiah Chirwa who, although he had plenty to do, provided a deliciously delicate finish to put the Park boys in front.
More Park pressure followed but no further scores showed on the board until a magnificent move produced a second two minutes from halftime. Five park players were involved in the goal and it was Colin Doody’s pinpoint cross that was met by Cooney who applied a clinical finish to put Park two ahead.
When you bite a quality team you have to be ready for the reaction and on this occasion the young Park lads weren’t. Straight from the kick off a sloppy pass in midfield left their backs exposed and Athletic pounced to leave the minimum between the sides at halftime.
Josh Connolly then decided to take matters into his own hands. He provided Messiah with the next two goals. Brilliant attacking instincts and wonderful feet allowed Connolly to set up Chirwah for his second and third shortly after halftime.
Scintillating feet from Connolly in the twelfth minute of the second half left defenders in his wake and he set up Chirwa for an excellent hat trick.
The Athletic boys, buoyed from an excellent win over Listowel Celtic in the semi final, threw everything at the Park. Conor Kerins provided the wall between them and more goals in an outstanding exhibition of defensive midfield play but even he isn’t immune from tiredness.
From Athletic’s point of view their second came too late. Twenty one minutes of the second half had elapsed before the Killarney lads scored their well deserved second and for the next ten minutes they dominated.
Mick McCarthy, the former Ireland manager, called it sweeky bum time and he was right. Had Athletic scored another it would have been uncomfortable to say the least but the strong Park defensive unit were resilient and joyous parental, friends and family voices greet the sound of the final whistle.
Sean O’Connell accepted the John Joe Naugton Cup on behalf of his teammates from Tommy Naughton and was quick to acknowledge his team’s effort as well as the brilliant effort from Killarney Athletic.
Thank you to the officials, the Kerry Schoolboy’s League and all involved in making this a memorable day.
Thank you to the Park supporters and Parents. You were fantastic.
Onwards and upwards. ‘Mon de Park
Panel: Liam Carmody, Ben Hanafin, Samuel Aladesanusi, Seàn Hill, Jack Kearney, Kieran O’Connor, Seàn O’Connell, Conor Kerins, Danny Jeffers, David Feeley, Seàn O’Connor, Josh Connolly, Messiah Chirwa, Adam Wharton, Colin Doody and Cianan Cooney.
Report from Pat Carmody , Picture from Tommy Naughton
