Coachford 2 Carew 2

(Coachford won 8-7 on pens)

PENALTIES were needed but Coachford qualified for the quarter-final stage of the Munster Junior Cup following their 8-7 shoot-out win over Carew at the Glebe over the weekend.

It was a tough day at the office for a Coachford side who were not themselves on the day.

We did not see the usual fluency of movement from the AUL side and as a result, the whole duration became almost like a dog fight until the dreaded penalty shoot-out had to decide the outcome.

However, the hosts created the better chances than their opponents; but still, they had to wait until the dying moments in normal time when Cialan O’Sullivan’s finish meant the tie went into extra time.

The tie itself burst into action from the off with Adam Dore clearing off the line from Evan O’Sullivan’s in-swinging corner.

At the other end, a decent opportunity fell for Mark McGrath, but control left him down in the end.

Coachford forced play back into the Carew half and after winning a corner, Evan O’Sullivan blazed over with his effort from the edge of the box.

And when Ian Barry Murphy whipped in a decent cross, Declan Keating skewed a good chance wide of the target.

A great chance then fell for Evan O’Sullivan, but he was denied by a fine save by Evan Moloney.

Evan O’Sullivan showed neat control around the centre before sweeping an accurate ball over for Matthew Bradley and after taking a steadying touch, Bradley’s shot-cum-cross went inches past the far post.

Against the run of play, Carew took the lead when Gavin Hehir’s wind-assisted free kick soared high into the net on 35 minutes.

A quick response from Coachford saw Evan O’Sullivan play it on for the available Declan Keating, but the striker could not get his foot around the ball while in a favourable position.

Nice build-up play from Coachford followed which ended when Cialan O’Sullivan’s low effort flashed agonisingly past the upright.

With just minutes into the second period, Coachford came so close when from a corner; Mark Murphy sent his thumping header crashing off the bar.

But, it was all square again when Evan O’Sullivan crossed for Declan Keating to touch home in the 53rd minute.

From a diagonal cross, Evan O’Sullivan tried a volley while unattended, but it never went according to plan.

This was followed by a rasping effort from Declan Keating that cleared the bar by centimetres.

But, Coachford took their eye off defending the left channel and it was Jamie O’Sullivan who was allowed lots of space to make inroads towards goal before slamming into the far corner and hand Carew a 2-1 lead on the hour.

A great chance fell for Coachford after that, but Michael O’Sullivan steered his effort narrowly wide of the upright.

The clock was running down now towards its final moments at this stage and after Evan O’Sullivan scooped over from right in front of goal, Carew’s inability to clear from a free, handed Cialan O’Sullivan a half-chance and he blasted the ball home to send the Coachford supporters into a frenzy just seconds before normal time ended.

Then, when extra time failed to produce a winner, the penalty shoot-out had to decide the outcome and in the ninth penalty in sudden death, Stephen Murray saved from David Power to fire Coachford into the quarter-finals.

COACHFORD: Stephen Murray, Billy Casey, Matthew Bradley, Mark Murphy, Keith Linzell, Adam Murphy, Evan O’Sullivan, Michael O’Regan, Declan Keating, Cialan O’Sullivan, Ian Barry Murphy.

Subs: Michael O’Sullivan and Aidan Buckley for Declan Keating and Michael O’Regan (60), Dara Lynch and Jack Murphy for Ian Barry Murphy and Billy Casey (84), David Thompson for Mark Murphy (100).

CAREW: Evan Moloney, David Power, Evan Lynch, Gary Griffen, Francis Kett, Gavin Hehir, Pa Boyle, Adam Dore, Danny McCarthy, Mark McGrath, Jamie O’Sullivan.

Subs: Brian Collopy for Evan Moloney (57), Luke Fitzgerald for Evan Lynch (63), Dean McNamara for Jamie O’Sullivan (83).

Referee: Jim O’Connor.

Assistants: Mick O’Flaherty and Billy Noonan.