Dominos Pizza Reserve Cup Final Replay ; AC Athletic 2-1 Classic Fc

Dominos Pizza Reserve Cup Replay
Sunday 17th July 2016
AC Athletic  2-1  Classic Fc

Report and Pictures by Tommy Naughton. Images Copyright to KDL ,No usage without permission by any other website, Facebook or Twitter Pages .

AC Athletic claimed the Dominos Pizza Reserve Cup on Sunday to add to their Denny Division 1A league title earlier in the season. AC Athletic started the better and were ahead within eight minutes when a corner by David Egan found its way into the back of the net without touching another player.
Classic reacted well and minutes later Shane Fitzgerald was only inches wide of the far post with a curling effort that had the keeper beaten. Fitzgerald didn’t have to wait long for his next chance after Brendan Sweeney lifted the ball over the AC defence and with Cyril Dineen in the AC goal rushing out quickly Fitzgerald lifted the ball over the keeper only to see in drop down over the wrong side of the crossbar.
Just as it seemed Classic were taking control of the possesion stakes they were hit on the counter attack from a corner. Joseph Diggins received the ball from Cyril Dineen just inside his own half , Diggins then beat three defenders and as he enter the eighteen yard box he squared to the unmarked Sean Leahy who made no mistake with the Classic defence looking for the offside flag to go up in a very tight decision .
A well worked free kick from Classic Fc nearly pulled a goal back involving Ryan Carroll , Brendan Sweeney and Johnathan Loughnane who drilled the ball low across the face of the goal but it was somehow missed by Shane Fitzgerald inside the six yard box. Just before the half time whistle AC Athletic had four consecutive corners with the last just going over the bar from the head of Jason Diggins.
Classic came out in the second half and continued to press forward but with a two goal lead AC Athletic were very happy to sit back and try to break on the counter attack. Again another well worked free kick from Classic nearly got a goal back only for Billy Clifford’s effort to go high over the bar.
John Mike Dooley went close to extending AC Athletics lead after a great run on the right wing by Sean Leahy but surprisingly John Mike missed timed his effort and the ball rolled harmlessly wide. Just after the hour mark Classic did finally manage to pull one goal back when Brendan Sweeney fired a shot from 30 yards out which flew passed the keeper into the far corner of the net.
Brendan Smith had to be alive moments later to deny John Mike Dooley with a last ditch tackle . As the game entered the final quarter Classic pushed more men forward but were finding it very hard to break down the AC defence and get the elusive equaliser . Cyril Dineen somehow one handed denied Shane Fitzgerald when his header from a Ryan Carroll cross looked as if it was destined to find the back of the net . From the resulting corner taken quickly by Ryan Carroll his low cross was miss hit at the near post by Denis Cosgrove , his slight touch seem to put of Jonathan Loughnane who was free behind him and could not connect correctly and he could only watch on as the ball roll passed Shane Fitzgerald at the back post who could not stretch far enough to force the ball home.
This seem to take the fight out of the Classic side who never really troubled the AC goal in the final minutes and in fact AC should have doubled their lead first from Brandon Barrett who fired over and then from Joseph Diggins who missed the target with only the keeper to beat after a lovely revers pass from John Mike Dooley.
League Secretary Mr John O’Regan presented the Cup to AC Athletic Captain Sean Leahy after the game and congratulated them in their league and cup double.

AC Athletic; Cyril Dineen , Sean Leahy, Shane Leahy, John Mike Dooley, Eamonn Fitzgerald, Mark Walshe, Stephen Goggin, David Egan, Jason Diggins, Conor Diggins, Joseph Diggins. Subs, Brandon Barrett for 69 mins for Shane Leahy, Barry Walshe for Stephen Goggin 92 mins.

Classic Fc ; Kenneth Leahy , Jonathan Loughnane, Martin Sweeney, Timmy Lynch, Brendan Smith, Maxwell Mugabe, Billy Clifford, Ryan Carroll, Shane Fitzgerald, Brendan Sweeney, Joseph Duggan . Subs , Dominic Houlihan for Timmy Lynch 59 mins , Denis Cosgrove for Joseph Duggan 67 mins , Wayne Murphy for Martin Sweeney 73 mins .

Officials ;
Referee , Adrian Quirke
Assistants , Adrian O’Shea and Anthony Morrison .