RUSTLERS CFAI PERPETUAL CUP FINAL
IT SLIGO 1 IT CARLOW 4
IT Carlow picked up their eighth Colleges FAI Perpetual Cup in ten years with a comprehensive 4-1 win over IT Sligo who finished the game with seven players in the final at Athlone Town Stadium
It had been tight decider up till the 70th minute when referee Kevin Bryant sent off two of the Sligo players.
First to go was James McGrath for a foul and he was quickly followed by Scott Lynch after an off the ball incident.
Mark Byrne then followed eight minutes later and at the final whistle Ryan O’Reilly was also red carded.
Shane Barnes might have put IT Carlow in front in the opening minutes with first a free that just went outside Jason Quinn’s post and then a pile drive of an effort that the Sligo ‘keeper did well to push out for a corner.
But it was Sligo who took a shock 15th minute lead when Ronan Gallagher’s neat headed beat Marcin Kowalczyk from a Brian Kavanagh free kick.
Jerry Idahor could have made it 2-0 shortly after but he headed straight into goalkeeper Marcin Kowalczyk’s hands from a Byrne cross.
Danny Doyle then had a shot saved by Jason Quinn before Mark Birrane got Carlow back level on the half hour after he picked up stray pass on the left and burst through to beat Quinn.
Carlow finally got ahead midway into the second half with Shane Barnes running clear of the Sligo cover on to a brilliant through pass from Birrane and steer the ball past Quinn.
The drama of the sending offs then followed as Sligo lost their focus and further goals from Danny Doyle and Dean Kelly completed the win for Tom Elms side.
Man of the Match: Mark Birrane (IT Carlow)
IT SLIGO: Jason Quinn; Ryan Norris, Ben Treanor, Oran O’Reilly, Scott Lynch; Brian Kavanagh, James McGrath; Jeremiah Idahor, Ronan Gallagher, Mark Byrne; Gary Higgins.
Substitutes: Dan Beya (for Gallagher 65), Ryan O’Reilly (for Higgins 79), Darren Somers (for Idahor 85), Trevor Martin (for Norris 87). Not used: Roland Anderson'
IT CARLOW: Marcin Kowalczyk; Liam McCartan, Kevin McEvoy, Conor Walsh, Naythan Colman; Jason Murphy; Sean Hurley, Mark Birrane, Dean Kelly, Danny Doyle; Shane Barnes.
Substitutes: Jordan Tallon (for Murphy 60), Calvin Nolan (for Hurley 62), Shane Martin (for Coleman 75), Lee Kavanagh (for Birrane 80), Kevin Williams (for Doyle 83). Not used: Adam Steed, Ben Brown-Roche.
Referee: Kevin Bryant. Assistants: Martin Kelly, Ryan Maher. Fourth Official: Paul Tone.
RUSTLERS CFAI PLATE FINAL
TU DUBLIN-TALLAGHT 2 TU DUBLIN-BLANCHARDSTOWN ‘B’ 4
Two goals from Kiefer Trappe with Niall Gleeson and Karl Canning adding one apiece saw the TU Dublin Blanchardstown second string surprise Division One title contenders TU Dublin Tallaght and capture the CFAI Plate in the decider at Athlone Town Stadium.
While the Tallaght side did respond with two late second half goals from Jordan Adeyemo and the hard working Eoin McPhillips they never really looked like getting back into contention.
Trappe was unmarked at the far post to power home a header past goalkeeper Favour Memiduguan for thew opener after less than ten minutes play.
The goal came in the first attacking move by either side and after Darryl Henderson initial shot was blocked the ball came out to Gleeson who delivered a perfect cross for Trappe to head in.
Tallaght then went on to have the better of the play and McPhillips saw his effort from the edge of the box go over.
Brian Sofola tried to play in Martins Olakanye and Jordan Andre but each time defenders Ryan Fulham and Stephen Dunne were on hand to cut out the danger.
A Blanchardstown counter attack coming to half time saw them double the lead when Gleeson steamed in unmarked to meet a Henderson cross and drilled a low left footed shot into the bottom corner of the Tallaght net.
An early second half goal from Trappe when he picked up a lose ball and coolly beat Memiduguan looked like putting the game beyond Tallaght but they responded well and after manager Pat Scully made a couple of changes substitute Adeyemo pulled a goal back.
The striker did well to slide in and stretch to steer a Andre cross past Regan with ten minutes remaining.
A fourth Blanchardstown goal from Canning followed quickly to put an end to any outside hope Scully’s charges had of a comeback and althought McPhillips deservedly grabbed a second on the stroke of full time it was Blanchardstown’s day.
Man of the Match: Kiefer Trapper (TU Dublin Blanchardstown)
TU DUBLIN-TALLAGHT: Favour Memiduguan; Adam Towers, Cormac Burke, Daniel Ridge, Amos Sholanke; Josh Bulame, Adam Maher; Brian Sofola, Eoin McPhillips, Jordan Andre; Martins Okakanye.
Substitutes: Jordan Adeyemo (for Andre 56), Ola Lawal (for Bumale 56). Not used Daniel Butler.
TU DUBLIN-BLANCHARDSTOWN ‘B’: Alex Regan; Alan Daly, Stephen Dunne, Ryan Fulham, Adam Mulhall; Callum Carberry, Aaron Brazil; Darryl Henderson, Niall Gleeson, Kiefer Trappe; Dylan Power.
Substitutes: Karl Canning (for Power 77), Mantas Malonovskis (for Henderson 84). Not used: Bart Pintewl, O O’Donoghue, Thomas McDonnell.
Referee: Kevin Bryant. Assistants: Martin Kelly, Ryan Maher.