2002 ROBERT CAWLEY CUP FINAL: STRAND CELTIC 3 CALRY CELTIC 1
McSharry Park
Strand Celtic followed up their win in the McSharry & Foley Cup by beating Calry Celtic (3-1) in last Friday’s final of the Robert Cawley Memorial Cup in MacSharry Park. The Sligo-Leitrim Super League outfit fully deserved their win, although they were pushed all the way by a hard-working Calry Celtic side, who were certainly not in awe of their more illustrious opponents.
Strand made a blistering start to this final when they took the lead in the fourth minute. Damien Scanlon’s corner from the left was met by a near-post header from Donagh Oates. Although the ball came back off the inside of the upright, Oates’ team-mate Packie Callaghan was on hand to firmly dispatch the rebound to the net. However, the ball seemed to take a touch off a Calry Celtic defender on its way to the net.
The winners had a number of chances in the first 15 minutes with Marcel Gordon and Mark Rooney both going close.
As the first-half wore on Calry Celtic began to get more into the game and they scored a deserved equaliser in the 24th minute. Aidan McMoreland’s corner from the right was cleared out only as far as Declan McGuinn, whose excellent half-volley, struck from outside the box, flew through a crowd of players and into the net. Strand regained the lead when they scored their second goal of the evening four minutes before half-time.
Goalscorer Packie Callaghan sent in a right-wing cross, the ball was missed by Calry defender Padraic Kelly, and Glen Shannon headed home from close range.
The second-half wasn’t as competitive as the first with Strand not allowing Calry to settle on the ball. The McSharry & Foley Cup winners scored their third goal, the game’s decisive score, after 60 minutes. Glen Shannon’s cross from the right was knocked out towards Damien Scanlon on the left wing. Scanlon returned the ball to the near post where it was flicked in by Donagh Oates.
Calry Celtic’s best chance of the second-half came in the 64th minute when Strand Celtic goalkeeper Aidan Carty was forced to turn Aidan Devaney’s vicious free-kick round the post for a corner. Strand’s Damien Scanlon, the game’s most outstanding performer, twice went close to adding to his side’s tally in the second-half.
In the 76th minute Scanlon’s shot from the left beat Calry Celtic’s net-minder, Adrian Wasson, but the ball smacked, agonisingly, off the foot of the post.
Five minutes later Scanlon again went close. Goalkeeper Adrian Wasson failed to collect substitute John Lynch’s corner and the ball spilled to Scanlon, whose effort hit the crossbar – but went over.
These near-misses didn’t affect Strand, who secured their second major trophy of the season.
Strand Celtic Aidan Carty, Jimmy Colreavy, Marcel Gordon, Mark Rooney, Lee Marshall, Liam Cashel, Packie Callaghan, Damien Scanlon, Donagh Oates, Glen Shannon, Darragh McLynn
Subs used Brian McMorrow, John Lynch
Calry Celtic Adrian Wasson, Aidan Devaney, Padraic Kelly, Eamon Kelly, Eamon McGettigan, Trevor Henry, Aidan McMoreland, Declan McGuinn, Mickey Rooney, David Higgins, David Clarke
Subs used Eugene McSharry, Keith Davey, Andrew McNasser