Wilton beat Carrigaline to reach FAI Cup second round
Wilton's Colm O'Regan bears down on the Carrigaline goal. Picture: David Creedon
Wilton United are through to the FAI Cup second round after goals from Cian McCarthy and Ireoluwa Olajitan gave them victory over Carrigaline United at Ballea Park.
The Munster Senior League side will now be in a hat alongside some of the best teams in the country.
Rob Walker equalised for Carrigaline midway through the first half, but that was as good as it got for one of the best cup teams in Cork last season. Wilton were dogged and hard to break down, mainly because of the work done by Olajitan in defence.
Carrigaline picked up where the left off at the end of the 2023-24 season, a year that saw them qualify for two domestic cup finals and the quarter-finals of the FAI Intermediate Cup. This meant keeping the ball and passing around the back, a way of operating that had Killian Spillane roaming around and looking for space.
Despite their control, there was no shot on target during the first half-hour. Wilton actually looked the more threatening going forward, while Olajitan cleaned up at the back from his position in central defence.
The first opening, for either team, was a Carrigaline free-kick that Sean Byrne sent to Walker. The defender, who helped the club reach the Munster Youths Cup final last season, got a foot to the ball and flicked it wide in the 10th minute.
Andrew Cronin was the next player to try something and Adam Costello could not connect with his cross.
Carrigaline kept going and a Finn O’Brien corner was headed out to Stephen D’Arcy.
Wilton read this perfectly and their defence clamoured together to get in the way of an attempted volley by the midfielder.
Colm O’Regan was the first player in a blue jersey to cut through and create something for Wilton, and a cross by the striker was blocked down by Spillane.
The centre-back, who had spells with Cork City and Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland, was also on hand to deal with low ball across the area from Ian Roche.
It seemed like the two teams were cancelling each other out, that no one was able to find a way through.
Then James O’Sullivan put Cian McCarthy through on goal and the winger rolled the ball in with his right boot in the 33rd minute.
Carrigaline immediately pushed up in an attempt to get an equaliser, and they won a free kick. Jack Gibbons thought he dealt with this by making a love save, but Walker was on hand to tap in the loose ball from right in front of the posts.
The first half finished 1-1 and the game restarted with Carrigaline knocking the ball off the goal-line and Olajitan was on hand to rebound from close range in the 56th minute.
Carrigaline struggled to gain any fluency in attack during the second half, and their chance to equalise came when Derry Howard ran through the middle. Olajitan sprinted back to deal with this and the centre-back cleared the ball away, ensuring the win.
Kealan Daly; Sean Byrne, Richard Duggan, Killian Spillane, Robert Walker, Cian Kingston, Ronan Connolly, Stephen D’Arcy, Finn O’Brien, Adam Costello, Andrew Cronin.
Callum Long for O’Regan (73), Jonathan Connolly for Hogan (90).
Jack Gibbons; Frank Down, Jason Cullinane, Ireoluwa Olajitan, Evan Murphy, Ben Ryan, Cian McCarthy, James O’Sullivan, Colm O’Regan, Ian Roche, Jason Hogan.
Shane Dawson for Connolly (58); Jason Moore for Spillane (58), Stephen Barry for D’Arcy (64), Ryan O’Regan for Costello (64), Derry Howard for O’Brien (73).
Lucas Keating.
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