FAI Ford Cup final: Sligo Rovers 1 Shelbourne 1 (aet: Sligo win 4-1 on penalties)
Kelly on the spot again for Rovers
By Daire Walsh
SLIGO Rovers super sub Ciaran Kelly was the man of the hour for the second year running in the Aviva Stadium yesterday, as his penalty shoot-out saves secured back-to-back FAI Ford Cup titles for Paul Cook’s men in a gripping showpiece encounter.
Aaron Greene was one of a number of players who put his body on the line for the entire 120 minutes, and he had special praise for the role that Kelly played in their dramatic triumph.
“Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Ciaran Kelly came on, as he does in training. We talked about it during the week. Even in training, we trained all week, and we do penos with him,” said the 21-year-old.
“He saved about six out of ten this week. No disrespect to Brendan Clarke, he’s a fantastic keeper, but Ciaran has just got a knack of saving penalties. Lightning strikes twice in the Aviva for Ciaran.”
After a nervy opening from both sides, Shels carved out the first real goalscoring chance after 25 minutes when Barry Clancy saw his header come off the post following Brendan McGill’s flick on.
But, moments later the Dubliners were in the lead. Philip Hughes got in behind the Sligo defence to get on the end of a long ball from John Sullivan and slide the ball past Clarke.
This sent the Drumcondra faithful into raptures, but their side soon found themselves a man down when Clancy received two yellow cards in the space of a minute.
The second seemed a particularly harsh booking for simulation in the area, when he appeared to lose his balance after John Russell made slight contact with his back.
This handed Sligo a much-needed boost heading into the second half, and they were back on level terms three minutes after the break.
The goal came from an unlikely source as full-back Iarfhlaith Davoren scored his first ever goal for Rovers, finishing brilliantly past Dean Delany on his near post from the edge of the area, thanks in no small part to excellent approach work by Eoin Doyle and Danny Ventre.
Shelbourne manager Alan Mathews felt that the concession of this goal so early after the break was pivotal, though he was also critical of the decision of referee Richie Winter to give Clancy his marching orders.
“The concession of a goal so early in the second half gave them an impetus,” said Mathews.
“ They had a lot of possession, but they never really got behind us. Overall, I’m delighted with the players. The best of our side wasn’t really shown because Richie Winter decided to send a player off in very, very dubious circumstances.
“No gripes to Sligo, they’re a very good side, good team, good manager. I’m just disappointed we weren’t able to give a true account of ourselves today.”
That being said, Shels did frustrate Sligo greatly for the remainder of normal time and, aside from the moment on 51 minutes when John Russell’s high-hanging cross hit the woodwork, chances proved few and far between for the cup holders, who were missing the guile and craft of the injured Joseph Ndo.
Shels would have been happy that they were still alive at this point, but Sligo were still favourites heading into the additional period of 30 minutes, when their extra man might well give them the edge.
Yet, despite plenty of good industry from Paul Cook’s side during extra-time, this decider seemed destined for penalties from a very early stage.
Kelly had been the hero in last year’s shoot-out, and he was introduced in the final minute of the game for Clarke, with a view on repeating his 2010 heroics.
This turned out to be a master stroke by Cook, as the Mayo man saved two penalties from Kevin Dawson and substitute Karl Bermingham, Colin James had Shels’ only successful spot-kick. Sligo converted four of their penalties courtesy of Doyle, Captain Richie Ryan, Alan Keane and local lad Raffaele Cretaro.
That gave Sligo their fourth FAI Cup success, and while Cook was delighted with another great success for his troops, he did reserve praise for the way Shelbourne performed.
“First of all, great credit to Shelbourne Football Club. They were an absolute credit to the club today,” he said.
“To go down to ten men against a really good side, who pass the ball well, they frustrated us all day. It’s so cruel football. To win on penalties or lose is hard. It’s another great day for us, I’m so proud. It will go down in folklore now in Sligo.”
MATCH STATS
SLIGO Rovers: Clarke (Kelly 120); Keane, McGuinness, Peers, Davoren; Dillon (Blinkhorn 60), Ryan, Ventre, Greene; Russell (Cretaro 78); Doyle.
Subs not used: Foran, Kirby, Martin, Powell.
Shelbourne: Delany; Ryan, Paisley, Boyle, S Byrne; McGill (Bermingham 120), Dawson, Sullivan (C Byrne 59), Clancy; Cassidy (James 117); Hughes.
Subs not used: Skinner, Gorman, Matthews, Mulhall.
Referee: R Winter (Wicklow).
Att: 21,662.