Greyhound Bar KO Cup Final; Castleisland Afc 3-3 Listowel Celtic Afc

Greyhound Bar KO Cup Final
Friday 03rd July 2015
Castleisland Afc 3-3 Listowel Celtic Afc

By Tommy Naughton
(Pictures Copyright to KDL & T.Naughton and cannot be used anywhere else without permission)

Yet again a final between these two sides will have to be played again after a thrilling draw in Mounthawk Park. The opening chance of the game fell to Sean Brosnan but his shot was deflected wide of the near . The opening goal came as early as the fifth minute. Sean Brosnan whipped in a free kick on the right wing which cannoned of Micheal Lynch and found its way into his own net to give Castleisland the lead. This early set back didn’t seem to phase Listowel and Kevin Moran had to be alert to deny Mike woods moments later. Listowel Celtic had three more chances with two from Bryan Murphy and one from Paudie Quinn all missing the target .
Just before the half hour mark the game was all square , Kevin McCarthy sent a high ball in the Castleisland Penalty area where Keeper Kevin Moran and defender Aidan O Callaghan both hesitated ingoing for the ball allowing Aidan Quinn to get in-between them to flick the ball home from close range. Minutes later and Listowel Celtic nearly grabbed the lead when a Paudie Quinn cross picked out Bryan Murphy whose powerful header was just over the bar. The game was now end to end and Aidan O Callaghan headed just over the top from a Sean Brosnan corner . The final chance of the half saw Ian Murphy get in behind Kevin Moran in the Castleisland goal only to see his shot blocked away by Aidan O Callaghan.

Within minutes of the restart Mike Hannafin fired over from a long throw by Timmy Walsh. On the hour mark Castleisland were back in front . Tommy Feehan play a long diagonal ball to Sean Brosnan on the corner of the penalty area , Brosna beat his marker getting to the end line and drilled a low ball across the face of the goal where Dean Poolman made no mistake from close range flicking the ball passed Cathal Kean in the Listowel Celtic goal. The lead didn’t last long as within two minutes Listowel Celtic were awarded a penalty for a handball against Ray Huggard. Paudie Quinn stepped up and made no mistake levelling the game for the second time.
Both teams were now throwing everything at each other with yellow cards beginning to come out for both sides as tempers began to flare which was handled brilliantly on the night by match referee Seamus O’Mahony. The best move of the game came with twenty minutes remaining . Listowel Celtic put together ten one touch passes involving Mike Woods, Kevin Bambury , Paudie Quinn and Ian Murphy before it got to Paudie Quinn whose shot inside the penalty area just missed the target. Listowel Celtic then for the first time in the game went ahead with only fourteen minutes remaining when Bryan Murphy headed home a Paudie Quinn corner. Minutes later and Listowel nearly grabbed another from a Quinn corner only to see Martin Loughnane glancing header flash across the face of the goal and wide. With nine minutes remaining Sean Brosnan must have taught his free kick from just outside the box was fired towards the bottom corner but somehow Cathal Keane went full stretch to touch it around the post. Then as time ran out the dramatic finish that Castleisland needed happened . As we entered the final minute of the three minutes of added time Sean Brosnan found his way inside the corner of the Listowel Celtic penalty area , he beat his marker who left a leg in and near took him down , Brosnan kept going and delivered the ball low into a crowed goalmouth where Shane Loughnane managed to poke the ball over the line with keeper Cathal Keane only able to partially get one hand to the ball to send the Castleisland team and supports wild. From the tip off the match refer blew the full time whistle and the huge crowd will have to travel to Mounthawk Park for the Replay next Friday night .

Castleisland Afc ; Kevin Moran , Pierce Brosnan, Patrick Hickey, Aidan O’Callaghan, Ray Huggard, Timmy Walsh, Shane Loughlin, Sean Brosnan, Mike Hannafin, Stan Divane, Dean Poolman. Subs, Tommy Feehan for Mike Hannafin ( 57 mins), Paul Carmody for Stan Divane ( 75 mins), Stephen McCarthy for Ray Huggrad ( 83 mins).

Listowel Celtic; Cathal Keane, Martin Loughnane, Kevin McCarthy, Micheal Lynch, Seamus Keane, Aidan Quinn, Bryan Murphy, Paudie Quinn, Ian Murphy, Mike Woods , Kevin Bambury. Subs; Eoin o Mahony for Ian Murphy (83 mins) .

Officials ;
Referee ; Seamus O’Mahony
Assistants ; Adrian Quirke and Derek O’Shea .