So close to realising FAI Cup dream on historic day for club
MATCH ANALYSIS
Daire Walsh
THERE was heartbreak for Cobh Wanderers at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon, when the most significant day in the club’s history ended in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable.
After Conor Meade had twice rescued his side from the brink of defeat, Anthony Gray’s cool finish in a sudden death penalty shootout ultimately ensured that it was Liffey Wanderers who claimed the 2017 FAI Intermediate Cup crown.
This was the first time that Cobh had reached the final of this competition, and a magnificent 3-2 quarter-final win over defending champions Crumlin United made them favourites to get over the line against their Pearse House counterparts.
With some notable exceptions, this was the biggest game to date in the playing careers of this Cobh team. Ian Stapleton and Brian Fitzgerald were previous winners of the competition with Avondale United – who are top of the roll of honours list with seven titles.
Veteran goalkeeper Michael Devine is another player with a wealth of experience, and in addition to being a key player for Cork City during their 2005 League of Ireland success, he also won the FAI Senior Cup with the Leesiders two years later.
However, because Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped, that narrow final win over Longford Town actually took place in the nearby RDS Arena. He was hoping for better fortune than his last visit to the Ballsbridge venue all of 12 years – when Cork suffered an FAI Cup defeat to Drogheda United – but they could take great encouragement from the support they received from Cobh Ramblers in the build-up to the game.
Nine of the starting line-up selected by Michael Deasy have been contracted to Ramblers at some point, and they were aiming to replicate the previous triumphs of the St Colman’s Park men in this competition in 1980 and 1983.
They certainly weren’t overawed by their new surroundings, and as they lined up in front of a red carpet to meet the various dignitaries (which included FAI President Tony Fitzgerald and Cobh chairman Frank McCall), they appeared to be in a confident and relaxed mood.
Indeed, when Stapleton fired home from close-range, after a thunderous 15th-minute drive by full-back Eoin Hastings had been parried by opposition netminder Philip O’Connor, the music on the Aviva’s PA system indicated that Cobh had broken the deadlock.
However, much to the disappointment of the Cobh faithful, the goal was ruled out after the linesman deemed Stapleton to be in an offside position. This did little to temper the supporters, though, who continued to shout on their team.
The deadlock remained unbroken at the midway stage, but after they significantly increased the pressure on Devine’s goal when the play resumed, Liffey opened the scoring through a Clayton Maher header on 72 minutes. This threw down the gauntlet to Cobh, but after a cheeky back-heeled effort by Stephen Griffin was turned away in the 85th-minute, Meade’s quick reaction forced the game into extra-time.
A neat strike courtesy of Aidan Roche (the eventual man of the match) four minutes into the additional periods moved Liffey back into the ascendancy, and this was another test of Cobh’s resolve.
Their never-say-die attitude was evident in the dying moments, however, and the decision to transfer Fitzgerald into a centre-forward role gave them a new dimension – as Liffey attempted to hold on to their slender lead.
He dominated the aerial battle in the opposition penalty area, and deep into stoppage-time at the end of the second additional period, Meade got on the end of his knock-down to fire into the roof of the net.
Unfortunately, after being shown a second yellow-card for removing his shirt in celebration, Meade was absent for the ensuing penalty shootout. In a scenario that mirrored Wexford’s FAI Women’s Cup showdown with Shelbourne in the same ground two years ago, the conclusion to this engrossing contest took place while the teams from the FAI Junior Cup final (Sheriff YC and Evergreen) warmed up on the opposing end of the field for their evening time kick-off.
This made it quite surreal for those in attendance, but even though it began badly when Stapleton fired past the post, Devine got Cobh back on track with a brilliant stop from Liffey’s Conor Riddick. With the sides still inseparable (4-4) after five rounds of penalties, Cobh midfielder Michael O’Shea was the next player to take the long walk forward.
However, O’Connor guessed right to place Liffey into the driving seat, and their hard-working full-back Gray stepped up to the mark to give the Metropolitan side a second lower-grade Cup victory in the space of three seasons – hot on the heels of their 2015 Junior Cup triumph.
Following such a memorable journey to the final, this was a gut-wrenching way for Cobh’s campaign to end. Their commitment to the cause was deservedly applauded by their loyal fans, and you get the sense that this won’t be the last we hear of this Wanderers side.