De La Salle win cup final

De La Salle win cup final

1 February 2023

AS this Danske Bank Irish News Cup final in Falls Park slipped into injury time, Coláiste Feirste won a penalty. 

They were 2-5 to 2-3 down when Fionn Ó hAodha was upended in the area and James Mac an Fhailí stepped up to confidently to strike the spot-kick left-footed to the net. 

It seemed that all De La Salle’s good work during the second half was coming to nothing. 

However, Jack Polly took a quick kick-out and the ball was quickly worked up the left wing.

Coláiste Feirste fouled Pádraig Sloan out near the side-line. But someone questioned the decision and referee Brendan Toland took the ball in to a more favourable position around 25 metres from goal. 

Sloan held his nerve to take the point and the game went to extra-time.

That was very much the pivotal point of a game that ebbed and flowed from the start to the eventual finish in a windy Falls Park with a big crowd there to support both schools.

De La Salle looked in trouble at half-time when they went in level at 2-2 each, having played with a strong diagonal breeze in their favour and shot five wides, including two from frees. 

However, it actually transpired that both teams played their best football against the breeze as Coláiste Feirste owned possession for the third quarter, but failed to add to the half-time total. 

This was a competitive game of fine margins; the teams were level at each turnover point and De La Salle might have lost from that penalty or indeed from another incident at the same goals at the end of extra-time. 

The east Down school hit the first goal in the ninth minute when Oisin Hanna’s shot was well saved by Fionn Ó Brannuibh, but the ball rebounded for Pádraig Sloan to pick his spot. 

That put them 1-1 to 0-1 ahead, but they shot several wides before we were treated to three goals inside 90 seconds midway through the half.

The first two fell to Coláiste Feirste. 

For the first, Jack Polly made a brilliant double save but Christopher Mac Roibéard still found possession and space to shoot. Then from a move on the left wing Odhrán Mac Philib put his side 2-1 to 1-1 ahead. 

However, in the next attack Sloan made a great run through the centre and placed Oisin McFall for a shot to the roof of the net.

The teams exchanged points before the break, but Coláiste Feirste would have been the happier side at that point; they had played the sharper football, worked the ball well and looked capable of moving on after the break.

They dominated the game on the re-start, but didn’t score. Once Sloan pointed a free in the 12th minute, De La Salle seemed to find their feet and added points from Thomas McCrissican and Sloan again to put them three up with five minutes to play and they were dominating general play.

Tomás Mac Adaim pulled a point back before the penalty was won by Ó hAodha and converted by Mac an Fhailí. But Sloan’s free rescued De La Salle with extra-time.

When Mac Adaim pointed three times in the first six minutes against the breeze, twice from frees, they looked in bother once more. 

However, from Polly’s kick-out Conor Dowd went on a long run out of defence and found Callum McCargo who off-loaded to Oisin Hanna. Hanna’s pace took him clear of the last line of cover and he slotted it to the right of Ó Brannuibh.

Level again at the break, 3-6 each, De La Salle kept the pressure on during the final ten minutes with Hanna pointing after a lot of patient build-up in the third minute and McCargo fired over three minutes later when the big man might have found the net.

Coláiste Feirste pushed up and a high ball into the area seemed to fall for Oisin Mac Philib to hand-pass to the net. 

Instead, a Downpatrick defender got in the way and the ball looped over the bar - definitely a let-off for the eventual winners.

There was still time for one last attack and hope that Coláiste Feirste would make it through to penalties with one last point. 

However, De La Salle carried the ball well up the middle and Sloan and McCargo combined to set up Ben Shaw for the final score.

De La Salle: J Polly; E McMahon,; R Rooney, D Convie; C Black, T McCrissican (0-1), J Hynds; C Dowd, O Hanna (1-1); C Cochrane (0-1), P Sloan (1-4, 3f, capt) L Noble; B Shaw (0-1), C McCargo (0-1), O McFall (1-0).

Coláiste Feirste: F Ó Brannuibh; T Ó Dulainne, C Ó Mealláin, F Mac Aoidh; C Mac Roibeaird (1-0), R Ó Scolláin (j-capt), L Ó Deá; J Mac an Fhailí (1-0 pen), N Mac Cionaoith (j-capt); T Mac Adaim (0-5, 3f), F Mac Colaim, S Mac Aoidh; F Ó hAodha, O Mac Philib (1-1), C Mac Gabhann.

Subs: Ó Ó Cianáin for S Mac Gabhann

Referee: Brendan Toland