Tommy Healy Memorial Cup Final 2014

Kerry District League
Saturday 23rd August 2014
Mitchels Avenue  2-1  Na Fianna Fc

By Tommy Naughton

Mitchels Avenue completed the cup double on Saturday night as they clinched the Tommy Healy Memorial Cup and added it to their Dominos Pizza Reserve cup that the won eight days ago. In truth they were much the better team on the night and always seemed a step ahead of their opponents all over the field. Na Fianna will be disappointed at losing their second final of the season but never gave up even though they were missing a number of regular payers.

Na Fianna had the opening chance of the game but Chris Hegarty held a Chris Lyons free kick in the very first minute. The opening goal didn’t take long to come and it was the Avenue who took the lead after fifteen minutes. Liam O’Sullivan took a long throw down the left wing to Darren Breen who crossed first time into the danger area where the unmarked Sean O’Reilly made no mistake with a perfectly place header into the corner of the goal.

They could have been two up soon afterwards when Lorcan Seymour put Darren Breen in but he pulled his saw across the face of the goals with just the keeper to beat.

Jonathan Toomey was unlucky with a header that just missed the far post from a Paul O’Connor cross just before the half hour mark. Again it was Mitchels Avenue who were controlling the game with Sean O’Reilly pulling all the strings. O Reilly played a long diagonal ball which sent Darren Breen in but his well struck shot was touched onto the bottom of the far post by Steven McCarthy for a great save.

Steven McCarthy again had to react well five minutes before the break to deny Sean O’Reilly from distance. With all their dominance Mitchels Avenue could have found themselves level at the break but for two great reaction saves from Chris Hegarty. A Damien Murphy Corner broke in the box to Paul O’Connor whose low effort was somehow blocked by Hegarty and when the ball broke to Tom Perryman he could get enough on it as Hegarty smother the ball to leave his side ahead at half time.

Within four minutes of the restart Na Fianna again almost got the equaliser when a David Dillon cross found its way to Jonathan Toomey but his effort hit the bottom of the post before rolling wide. On the hour mark Mitchels finally extended their lead after Jared O’Sullivan when on a mazy run down the left win beating two players, he picked out Sean O’Reilly on the edge of the box who fired a curling effort to the far corner only to be denied by the post but Darren Breen reacted quickest to drive a volleyed effort to the back of the net.

Na Fianna again were feeding on scraps but Hegarty had to be alive to save with his feet when David Dillon tried his luck from a tight angle. Darren Breen could have put the game to bed after Sean O’Reilly flicked the ball passed the defence to send him through but he could only find the side netting with the keeper advancing out quickly.

Time was running out quickly as Na Fianna poured more men forward and in the 92nd minute Chris Lyons managed to pull a goal back but it was little to late as the Tralee side celebrated the end of an amazing first season in the Kerry District League under the guidance of their terrific managers Jeffrey Foley and Kenneth Ryle.

Mitchels Avenue: Chris Hegarty , Peter Murphy , David Hennessey, Aaron o Connor, Liam o Sullivan , Lorcan Seymour, Jared o Sullivan , Robert o Sullivan , Chris o Sullivan , Sean o Reilly, Darren Breen . Subs ; Craig Locke for Robert o Sullivan (68 mins), Danny Shea for Peter Murphy (75 mins) , John o Brien for Chris o Sullivan ( 85 mins) .

Na Fianna FC: Stephen McCarthy, Christopher Breen , Barrack Osas Menlegel, Joe McElligott , Damien Murphy , Tom Perryman, David Dillon, David Murphy, Paul o Connor, Chris Lyons, Jonathan Toomey . Subs; Stephen Foran for David Murphy ( 60 mins), Jason Enright for Chris Breen ( 63 mins), Thomas Sheehy (73 mins) .

Referee; Stuart Templeman
Assistant ; Anthony Morrison
Assistant ; Kevin Cunningham