Carrigaline U16s edged out by Home Farm in National Cup decider at Turner's Cross
Dejected Carrigaline United players after the defeat to Home Farm during the SFAI Subway U16 National Cup final at Turner's Cross. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Home Farm 1 Carrigaline United 0
CARRIGALINE United suffered heartbreak in the SFAI U16 National Cup final as Home Farm came out on top following a closely contested decider.
Although Carrigaline kept going right until the very end, their cup dreams cruelly came up just short.
There was a great atmosphere at Turner's Cross with the Carrigaline supporters in full voice from the outset.
On the pitch Carrigaline began brightly and a powerful Sean Murphy strike was saved via a deflection in the sixth minute.
Home Farm also looked up for this final contest right from the start, with Sean Fleming doing very well and turning before his shot was easily saved by Carrigaline goalkeeper Robert Barry.
In the 15th minute, Carrigaline showed further glimpses of their attacking threat. After controlling the ball well and skilfully, Temidayo Alade got a powerful strike away but it was blocked down well by the visiting defence.
Both sides were seeing decent spells of possession as the first half progressed, but it was a case of defences coming out on top by the time the game reached the 30th-minute mark.
Carrigaline went close through a free kick by Dion Davison from 30 yards out, which was saved by the Home Farm shotstopper. Then, Home Farm had a chance when Joel Chad was to see a close-range header saved by Robert Barry in the Carrigaline goal.
Darragh Sheehan, who was running the show for the Dublin side in the middle of the pitch, headed just over for Home Farm on 35 minutes, after getting free inside the box to get on the end of a corner kick.
At the end of a compelling opening half of football, the teams could not be separated and it was very much still all up for grabs for both Carrigaline and Home Farm.
It was Home Farm that looked purposeful early into the second half in their attacking approach. Getting onto the end of a corner kick, Cameron Berigan saw his effort from a few yards out tipped away impressively by Carrigaline keeper Barry.
Home Farm were edging the exchanges and in the 54th minute, Joel Chad saw his curling effort from the edge of the box go just over the crossbar.
Carrigaline had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when Louka Mohan raced through with only the Home Farm goalkeeper to beat, but his low strike was to be saved easily.
Carrigaline defender Robert Walker was called into action with a vital goalline clearance to keep out a header from a Home Farm attack by Fleming.
With 60 minutes on the clock, Home Farm went into the lead. Racing through on goal was Sean Fleming, who kept his cool before evading the challenge of Carrigaline keeper Barry and finishing neatly with a cool finish.
The game was now in Home Farm’s grasp and it was up to Carrigaline to seek and break down the opposition defence.
Carrigaline pushed forward in search of a levelling goal, knowing that time was against them and that a moment of magic was required immediately. They almost had it when Prince Iyalla went on a charging run forward, but his powerful strike from the edge of the box was tipped over.
With 74 minutes played, Mohan shot went wide at the near post for Carrigaline after getting onto the end of a cross by Iyalla.
Carrigaline kept on desperately searching for a breakthrough. The ball broke kindly for Temidayo Alade just inside the penalty area, but he blasted his drilled effort wide of the mark.
In the final minute of normal time, Sean Kirby got into a fantastic position in the box, but he misfired and his attempt went off target.
Robert Barry; Bryan Stapleton, Eoghan Murphy, Robert Walker, Charlie McShane, Corey Cronin, Conor O’Leary, Prince Iyalla, Dion Davison, Louka Mohan, Sean O’Kelly, Sean Murphy, Sean Kirby, Dylan Sutton, Briain Murphy, Temidayo Alade, Conor McCarthy, Darragh Murphy, Kyle Moroney, Aaron Cotter.
Jamie Whelan; David Amakor, Darragh Sheehan, Joel Chad, Emmanuel Obonsu, Mark Nutley, Cameron Berigan, Reece Rodrigues, Harry Digan, Sam Conroy, Sean O’Brien, Aaron Downes, Conor Cassidy, Sean Fleming, Calum Donnelly, Manuel Magno, Sean Radulescu.
Darren O’Sullivan.
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