Cloughjordan thwart Arra double with Youth Cup glory

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League Youth Cup Final

Cloughjordan 2

Arra Rovers 1

Report: Gary Culbert in Ardcroney

Having lost twice already in the league to champions Arra Rovers, Cloughjordan were heavy underdogs heading into the North Tipperary Youth Cup final on Saturday.

However, sometimes in the beautiful game there is room for the intangiblehere and there where some unlikely heroes emerge as Cloughjordan gave manager Peter Hennelly a fairy-tale ending to his eight-year spell in charge of this group of young men.

Hennelly was a very intelligent and classy player in his day, and as a manager his teams always have a very clear identity; they trust each other on the ball to play their way out of trouble, and there is always a sweeper deployed at the back.

For readers too young to remember, most teams in the NT&DL used to deploy a sweeper behind their defensive line to ‘sweep up’ any balls in behind. However, these days Cloughjordan are the only team in the league that play a sweeper system, and it worked a treat here against Arra.

Cloughjordan started the better of the two sides and looked dangerous through the pace of Tino Rotani and Michael Hennelly out wide, whilst Mikey Byrne Ryan was a real handful up top for Arra to deal with.

The underdogs took a deserved lead in the eighth minute through their tricky right winger Michael Hennelly. The captain kept his composure to slot the ball under the onrushing keeper after being played over the top by Alex Ryan.

Arra came into the game from this point on but always seemed to come up against one Clough defender too many after breaking the initial rearguard, with Cormac Kennedy and Jack Quinlisk always nipping in just in time to clear the danger.

Arra did have some good chances through Luke Power, Diarmuid O’Donoghue, and Dara O’Dwyer, but all saw their efforts fly narrowly wide or just over the bar.

With the sun shining strongly, Peter Hennelly’s man management came to the fore as he began to make early subs to keep things fresh up front. Scott O’Brien came on after half an hour to stretch the Arra defence, whilst the eventual match-winner Arman Wahid came on at the break with Clough still in front.

Arra were second best in the opening half but came out a different team after the break, dominating the early exchanges and Dara O’Dwyer powerfully curled home to level in the 50th minute.

The tide had turned and Clough were in all sorts of trouble if they didn’t make a change now it would only have been a matter of time before Arra took the lead. Peter Hennelly looked to his bench for answers and came back with a player that would solve most problems for you at youths or even junior level – Scott Kenny.

The multi-sport athlete came into the heart of midfield and immediately steadied the ship at a crucial point in the game, and Clough went on to score ten minutes later when two other substitutes combined.

The goal came from an interception by Clough’s sweeper Cormac Kennedy, who in turn played the ball up the line to his cousin Charlie Kennedy who pumped a big cross into the box. There wasn’t a cool head between the two Arra defenders and keeper, who got in each others way as they tried to clear the danger, as Arman Wahid showed great composure to volley to the net from the edge of the box.

Diarmuid O’Donoughue had a big chance to level proceedings with ten minutes remaining, but his rasping effort flew just wide of the top corner, which was symbolic really of Arra’s day; it always nearly clicked.

Johnny Naughnane and Scott Kenny’s experience in the Cloughjordan junior team was evident as they both helped to guide their side to a smooth finish, thus sending Peter Hennelly off into the sunset with the top prize in return for his eight years spent guiding this group of boys into men’s soccer, just in time for Clough’s new pitch next season.

Player of the Match: Michael Hennelly (Cloughjordan FC)

Cloughjordan: Johnny Naughnane; Colm Haverty, Fiachra Ahearne Woods, Jack Quinlisk, Cormac Kennedy, Fergal Doheny, Alex Ryan, Michael Hennelly (Capt), Tino Rotani, Jack Carroll, Mikey Byrne Ryan.

Subs: Scott O’Brien for Byrne Ryan (30); Arman Wahid for Carroll (45); Charlie Kennedy for Doheny (65); Scott Kenny for Haverty (65); Donagh O’Meara for A Ryan (85)

Arra Rovers: Caelebh Ryan; Luke Power, Dave Maloney, Harry Hunt (Capt), Dara O’Dwyer; Conor McKeown, James Dillon, Dylan Gamble; Conor Gorman, Marcus O’Mahony, Diarmuid O’Donoghue.

Subs: Tom Boland for O’Mahony (45); Oisín O’ Driscoll for Maloney (77).

Referee: Robbie Nevin.