2002 McSHARRY & FOLEY CUP FINAL : STRAND CELTIC 3 CARBURY 2
McSharry Park
There was to be no ‘double’ for this season’s Sligo-Leitrim Super League winners, Carbury FC, as their ‘Cup’ jinx struck again with Strand Celtic edging them out by the odd goal in five (3-2) in last Friday’s absorbing McSharry & Foley Cup final at MacSharry Park.
Carbury FC made the better start to the game. They enjoyed most of the possession and twice they went close in the early stages with decent chances for Cathal Leggett and Nigel Hargadon.
However, it was Strand Celtic who took the lead in the 20th minute.
Packie Callaghan dispossessed Nigel Hargadon inside the Carbury half and then unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards which curled into the top right corner.
Callaghan’s effort gave Carbury goalkeeper Des Henry no chance.
That goal knocked Carbury out of their stride and they fell further behind in the 43rd minute. Damien Scanlon’s right-wing cross was hit into the centre where defender Mark Quinn’s clearing header fell to Strand’s Barry Carty.
Carty’s shot, struck from inside the box, took a deflection off the unfortunate Quinn as it made its way into the net. Trailing 2-0, Carbury made a blistering start to the second-half playing the kind of football which secured for them this season’s Sligo Southern Hotel Super League title.
The Super League champions pulled one back in the 53rd minute.
The influential Niall Walsh fed the ball out to Leggett on the left wing.
Leggett made progress down the left flank before playing the ball into Strand’s area where Shane Hayes got in front of his marker and blasted the ball beyond Carty.
They levelled the game in the 59th minute when an Eoin Conlon cross from the right fell for Walsh in the centre. Although Walsh’s first effort was blocked by the legs of Strand goalkeeper Aidan Carty, the ball came back out to the midfielder and he made no mistake at the second time of asking.
Strand Celtic never let their heads drop even though they had let a precious two-goal lead slip. The winners regained the lead in the 73rd minute. Teenager Brian McMorrow went on a mazy run on the right wing which saw him beat three defenders.
McMorrow then set up a shooting chance for Damien Scanlon. While Scanlon’s shot was parried by net-minder Des Henry, substitute Daragh McLynn was in the right place to slide the ball home. Carbury then swarmed forward in search of an equaliser. Indeed, they went close in the 77th minute as another Conlon cross from the right fell to Niall Walsh, who was waiting in the centre. This time Walsh’s effort hit the crossbar – and Liam McCarrick shot wide from the rebound.
That was as close as Carbury got and Strand ended up winners by a single goal (3-2), claiming the coveted McSharry & Foley Cup in the process.
A consolation for the losers was that their midfielder, Niall Walsh, was the game’s best player.
Strand Celtic Aidan Carty, Jimmy Colreavy, Marcel Gordon, Mark Rooney, Lee Marshall, Damien Scanlon, Brian McMorrow, Packie Callaghan, Donagh Oates, Glen Shannon, Barry Carty
Subs used John Lynch, Dean Deering, Daragh McLynn
Carbury FC Des Henry, Eoin Conlon, Keith Lynch, Niall Walsh, Mark Quinn, Shane Hayes, Darren Dunbar, Glen Hargadon, Nigel Hargadon, Cathal Leggett, Liam McCarrick
Subs used Adrian Burke, John Loftus