Furey fires Lough Derg ‘B’ to historic Kennedy Cup glory

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League – Nora Kennedy Cup Final

Lough Derg ‘B’3

Shinrone United2

Report & Photos: Gary Culbert in Templemore

An inspired performance from Dan Furey saw Lough Derg ‘B’ come from behind to defeat league winners Shinrone United to claim the second division Nora Kennedy Cup on Sunday.

Michael Fennell Park was in pristine condition and the sun was shining in Templemore as Lough Derg picked up their club’s first ever silverware in junior football.

Shinrone started the better of the two teams, but it was Lough Derg’s Dan Furey that had the first real chance of the game, and the youngster really should have opened the scoring on the 22nd minute when he met a whipped cross to the front post by Cian McAuley.

The Offaly side took the lead on the 25th minute when Shane Reynolds caught the early substitute, Cian O’Donoghue, in possession before AJ Deane slipped in Riann McLoughlin who applied a composed finish to give them the lead.

AJ Deane was having a fine game as the most advanced of the Shinrone midfielders, but after the goal Lough Derg rallied and started to exploit their youthful pace up front.

Under 19 player and early substitute Cian O’Donoghue, redeemed himself with an assist for Dan Furey in the 34th minute, it was a very neat finish from the youngster, and it came after some good hold up play by veteran striker Kieran Larkin.

Furey was clearly the biggest threat on the day and Shinrone naively left him free to curl home again in the 37th minute. This time it was Daniel Tighe who provided the assist after showing great pace to burst past the lagging Shinrone right back, who later went off injured.

The Shannonsiders were firing on all cylinders now, Cian McAuley headed a cracker off the crossbar, and this was the moment where a more experienced team than Shinrone would have slowed things down, but instead the pressure built and built until Lough Derg were awarded a penalty right on the stroke of half time, Terry Bartlett the guilty party at left back. Shinrone keeper Nathan Smith saved well but was adjudged to have stepped off his line too early. Captain Kieran Larkin changed sides at the second attempt and gave his side a two-goal lead heading into the break.

The ever-dangerous Shinrone were always going to come back in it and halved the deficit when Terry Bartlett headed in from a corner in the 63rd minute.

With Shinrone throwing caution to the wind they exerted a lot of pressure. Free kicks and corners called for defenders Tommy Conneelly and Eoin Sheehy to be at their very best. Whilst full backs Darragh King and Max Ryan were excellent in limiting crosses into the danger area and being spot on in timing the tackles.

Derg keeper Cathal Mullane had to be at his very best with two big saves in the final fifteen minutes. Shinrone would have been good value for an equaliser in the seven minutes of injury time that was played and can count themselves unlucky but it was Lough Derg’s day.

Player of the Match: Dan Furey (Lough Derg ‘B’)

Lough Derg ‘B’: Cathal Mullane; Dara King, Tommy Conneelly, Owen Sheehy, Cian Commins; Ricky Mowat, Dan Furey, Cathal O’Connell, Dan Tighe, Kieran Cian McAuley.

Subs: Max Ryan, Oisin Pepper, Cian O’Donoghue, Ivor McMahon, Donal Hammond, Alisina Husseiny.

Shinrone United: Nathan Smith; Sean McLeish, Terence Bartlett, David Murray, Brian McNicholas, Aaron Kirwan, Shane Reynolds, Conor O’Sullivan, Riann McLoughlin, AJ Deane, Daniel Bevans.

Subs: Conor Ryan, Alistair Robson, Ryan Lynskey, Ian Byrne.

Referee: R Nevin.