LIFFEY WANDERERS CLAIMED their first-ever FAI Junior Cup, in association with Aviva and Umbro, when they beat 10-man Sheriff in extra-time in Sunday’s final at the Aviva Stadium.
Substitute Stephen O’Callaghan proved the hero for the side operating in the fifth tier of the Leinster Senior League when he placed his 20-yard shot past goalkeeper Lee Murphy and into the bottom corner eight minutes into extra-time.
Lee Roche’s seventh-minute opener for Liffey was eventually cancelled out by John Rock’s stoppage-time equaliser, just minutes after Sheriff lost John Rock with a straight red card.
Sheriff, aiming for their third Junior Cup crown in four years, started brightly but were rocked by Roche’s breakthrough goal against the run of play.
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Anthony O’Connor’s curling free-kick was telegraphed perfectly for the striker to head home from eight yards past Murphy.
Up against a Sheriff side armed with a potent strikeforce, Liffey were forced to defend stubbornly to protect their lead. Still, they might have well have added to their lead on 15 minutes only for the crossbar to deny Gary Young’s shot following another well-worked set-piece.
It was Liffey’s rivals from north of the river who bossed the chance count thereafter. Rock’s 23rd-minute shot sailed just over the crossbar before Lester’s ferocious free-kick from 20 yards was bravely blocked by the head of Dean Young.
Their best chance of the half, however, fell to left-back David Browne two minutes before the break but he somehow blazed over when Rock had created up the opening by out-jumping goalkeeper Philip O’Connor.
On the hour, the Hoops went ever closer to levelling after Joe O’Neill’s left-wing cross found the unmarked Joe Flood but he couldn’t keep his header down.
Five minutes later, Darren Dunne’s shot clipped the outside of the post yet it was the superb reflexes of O’Connor that kept Liffey’s lead intact 14 minutes from the finish when he stuck out a leg to stop a close-range shot from Paul Murphy on the goal-line.
When Sheriff had a penalty claim rejected in the 90th minute, Rock’s dissent prompted referee Conor Byrne to brandish a red card.
It wasn’t fatal, though, for them as Lester followed up a parry by O’Connor from Kevin Lynch’s free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time to volley the rebound in from six yards.
Extra-time saw chances exchanged but Liffey regained the lead eight minutes in when Aidan Roche squared the ball across the edge of the box for the onrushing O’Callaghan to ripple the net with a cool side-footed finish.
Earlier Crumlin United clinched the FAI Intermediate Cup for the third time with a 4-0 win against Tolka Rovers.
Alan McGreal, Ger Rowe, Greg Moorehouse and Patrick Cannon got the goals to seal a first win in the competition since 2010.
Sheriff YC: L Murphy; P Murphy, A Kavanagh, D Browne; D O’Brien (A McCabe 83), J Flood (S Murphy 63); J Lester, D Dunne, J O’Neill (K Lynch 63); K Dunne, J Rock.
Liffey Wanderers: P O’Connor; D Young (P Gannon 75), D Roche, D Andrews, W Keegan; C O’Brien, G Young, K Roche (S O’Callaghan 70), A O’Connor; A Roche, L Roche (P Mooney 86).
It took 110 minutes and a fair whack of drama to decide today's FAI Junior Cup final
Sheriff YC 1
Liffey Wanderers 2
(After extra time)
LIFFEY WANDERERS CLAIMED their first-ever FAI Junior Cup, in association with Aviva and Umbro, when they beat 10-man Sheriff in extra-time in Sunday’s final at the Aviva Stadium.
Substitute Stephen O’Callaghan proved the hero for the side operating in the fifth tier of the Leinster Senior League when he placed his 20-yard shot past goalkeeper Lee Murphy and into the bottom corner eight minutes into extra-time.
Lee Roche’s seventh-minute opener for Liffey was eventually cancelled out by John Rock’s stoppage-time equaliser, just minutes after Sheriff lost John Rock with a straight red card.
Sheriff, aiming for their third Junior Cup crown in four years, started brightly but were rocked by Roche’s breakthrough goal against the run of play.
Anthony O’Connor’s curling free-kick was telegraphed perfectly for the striker to head home from eight yards past Murphy.
Up against a Sheriff side armed with a potent strikeforce, Liffey were forced to defend stubbornly to protect their lead. Still, they might have well have added to their lead on 15 minutes only for the crossbar to deny Gary Young’s shot following another well-worked set-piece.
It was Liffey’s rivals from north of the river who bossed the chance count thereafter. Rock’s 23rd-minute shot sailed just over the crossbar before Lester’s ferocious free-kick from 20 yards was bravely blocked by the head of Dean Young.
Their best chance of the half, however, fell to left-back David Browne two minutes before the break but he somehow blazed over when Rock had created up the opening by out-jumping goalkeeper Philip O’Connor.
On the hour, the Hoops went ever closer to levelling after Joe O’Neill’s left-wing cross found the unmarked Joe Flood but he couldn’t keep his header down.
Five minutes later, Darren Dunne’s shot clipped the outside of the post yet it was the superb reflexes of O’Connor that kept Liffey’s lead intact 14 minutes from the finish when he stuck out a leg to stop a close-range shot from Paul Murphy on the goal-line.
When Sheriff had a penalty claim rejected in the 90th minute, Rock’s dissent prompted referee Conor Byrne to brandish a red card.
It wasn’t fatal, though, for them as Lester followed up a parry by O’Connor from Kevin Lynch’s free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time to volley the rebound in from six yards.
Extra-time saw chances exchanged but Liffey regained the lead eight minutes in when Aidan Roche squared the ball across the edge of the box for the onrushing O’Callaghan to ripple the net with a cool side-footed finish.
Earlier Crumlin United clinched the FAI Intermediate Cup for the third time with a 4-0 win against Tolka Rovers.
Alan McGreal, Ger Rowe, Greg Moorehouse and Patrick Cannon got the goals to seal a first win in the competition since 2010.
Sheriff YC: L Murphy; P Murphy, A Kavanagh, D Browne; D O’Brien (A McCabe 83), J Flood (S Murphy 63); J Lester, D Dunne, J O’Neill (K Lynch 63); K Dunne, J Rock.
Liffey Wanderers: P O’Connor; D Young (P Gannon 75), D Roche, D Andrews, W Keegan; C O’Brien, G Young, K Roche (S O’Callaghan 70), A O’Connor; A Roche, L Roche (P Mooney 86).
Referee: Conor Byrne
Attendance: 4,900.
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FAI Intermediate Cup FAI Junior Cup Liffey Wanderers Local Heroes Sheriff YC