Glasheen 3

Carrigaline United B 4

GLASHEEN, despite this narrow loss to Carrigaline United B team, were presented with the Munster Senior League Junior second Division trophy following an action packed encounter at Murphy’s Farm on Monday evening.

It was a result which meant that Carrigaline secured promotion and finished in second place. 

There was very much strong satisfaction all round at the conclusion of the evening, with both teams in a mood of celebration.

Glasheen have won a total of 12 out of their 18 league games played this season. 

They have scored goals quite frequently, but also at the other end of the field Glasheen are solid and have the best defensive record in the division.

Following this result, Carrigaline inflicted a third league defeat of the season on Glasheen, as they moved ahead of UCC Academicals.

This was an open and attacking game of football, with the application and effort from both teams evident throughout.

Carrigaline took the lead in the 6th minute. Shaun Allen clinically was on hand to blast his strike home from close range inside the box.

Tim Cronin went close to adding to the Carrigaline lead through a shot that was saved well by Glasheen goalkeeper Jason Luxford.

Glasheen went close to scoring through a Stephen Duffy shot that went just over the crossbar on the quarter of an hour mark.

Daniel Apantaku missed a great opportunity to get a second for Carrigaline on 20 minutes, but his strike went over the crossbar while he was one on one with the Glasheen shot stopper.

Shortly after this opportunity, Glasheen got back on level terms. 

A good passing move was produced by the hosts, with Duffy playing a neat through ball into the path of Christopher Connolly, who blasted in well.

Just shy of the half hour mark Glasheen went into the lead. Liam Hogan took aim before finding the back of the net with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.

The home side had the momentum and they went close again through Fionn Connolly, but he saw his shot blocked down at the vital moment.

Carrigaline got back on level terms in the 40th minute. It was a neat close range finish from Apantaku, as he reacted quickest to slot home from a cross by Andrew Kingston.

That brought an action packed opening forty five minutes to a conclusion.

The second half proved to be just as, if not more entertaining and gripping than the first, with the chances being created quite frequently.

Glasheen came out purposefully upon the resumption, as Kyle Donovan had a well struck shot from long range saved impressively by Niall O’Leary in the Carrigaline goal.

In the 50th minute Glasheen went in front and they did it in some style. A beauty of a free kick was finished impressively to the back of the net by Alan Walsh.

Hogan proved to be a potent attacking weapon as far as Glasheen were concerned. 

He went close with a shot that was to be saved confidently, as Walsh fired just wide with a powerful low strike.

Carrigaline continued to battle on and they almost had an equaliser through Ethan Grant, after he was to see a crisp shot saved.

The visiting side did get back on level terms heading into the final fifteen minutes. 

Ross Slevin drilled an impressively taken effort to the back of the net, following some good Carrigaline attacking pressure.

Carrigaline were awarded a penalty as the contest approached second half stoppage time. 

Slevin stepped up and he slotted home a well taken spot kick to the corner.

That brought to a conclusion what was a very captivating after throughout, one which both sides must be commended for producing a compelling spectacle.

GLASHEEN: Jason Luxford; Mark Reilly, Christopher Connolly, Kyle Donovan, Gavin Murphy, Aidan Sheehan, Stephen Duffy , Kieran O’Donovan, Fionn Connolly, Liam Hogan, Genuino Mendes Ferreira.

Subs: Cian O’Mahony, Cathal Hynes, Stephen Folosade, James Lynam , Alan Walsh, Eddie Hegarty , James O’Shea.

CARRIGALINE UNITED B: Niall O’Leary; Shaun Allen, Eoin Morrissey , Cian Corcoran , Keelan Murphy, Dan Coffey, Denis Podov, Dan Moloney, Ross Slevin, Andrew Kingston, Tim Cronin.

Subs: Billy Hughes, Andrew Egan, Ethan Grant, Daniel Apantaku.

Referee: S Drislane