College Corinthians beat Ringmahon Rangers in extra-time thriller to win FAI Intermediate Cup.

College Corinthians 2

Ringmahon Rangers 1

After extra-time

College Corinthians etched their name on the FAI Intermediate Cup for the first time following a 2-1 extra-time win over Ringmahon Rangers after a remarkable contest at Turner’s Cross.

Destiny Okonkwo was Corinthians’ matchwinner, scoring late in the first half of extra-time after Glen Towler’s 80th minute equaliser had cancelled out Killian Cooper’s first-half opener.

An attendance of close to 3,000 witnessed an extraordinary contest in which Corinthians had a numerical disadvantage for 112 of the 120 minutes of action after Adam Walsh picked up his second yellow card in the eighth minute.

His team-mate Ian Turner would follow him into the dressingroom along with Ringmahon’s Ethon Varian who were both sent off in the 83rd minute.

It was heartache again for Ringmahon who lost year’s decider to Glebe North 3-2, also after extra-time.

Corinthians got the perfect start when they jumped in front after two minutes when Craig Donnellan fed Eric Cunningham wide on the right; his delivery was met by Cooper on the far side of the penalty area and he guided the ball back across the goal and beyond keeper Eric Grimes into the corner of the net.

Joy turned to disaster for Corinthians five minutes later when Walsh, who had earlier picked up a yellow card for a tackle on Gearoid Morrissey, brought down Towler as he tried to break into the penalty area and referee Declan Troy issued a second yellow card to the defender.

Corinthians had to reshuffle their defence with Andrew Neville moving to left-back and midfielder Cunningham dropping into  the centre of defence from where he delivered a man of match performance

Ringmahon had the majority of the ball after that, but Corinthians defended brilliantly. They were dealt a further blow on 18 minutes when striker Mark O’Sullivan picked up a shoulder injury and had to be replaced by Okonkwo, with O’Sullivan taken to hospital.

The extra man began to tell as Ringmahon worked the ball in behind the Corinthians’ defence, forcing a succession of corners.

Varian went close with an effort from an Anthony McAlavey flag kick, while shortly afterwards Corinthians centre-back Eoghan Murphy, who had an excellent game, had to make a good tackle on Varian as he broke into the penalty area on the left.

Three minutes later another break by Ringmahon saw Varian cross from the left, but Cunningham made a terrific intervention as Jack Cairns waited to pounce.

Shortly afterwards later Roy Kenny fired a left-footed shot narrowly wide while Anthony Whitehead had a shot from a free kick blocked.

Another break on the left by Ringmhon saw Delurey turn the ball in to Varian, but his shot in the box was deflected for a corner.

Ringmahon went close again in injury-time when another McAlavey corner from the left reached Anthony O’Donnell at the far post; he tried to force the ball home, but keeper Gavin Ryan made a block with his foot on the line.

The pattern of the first half continued for most of the second half with Ringmahon probing for the equaliser, while Corinthians defended stoutly, denying their opponents any real clearcut chances on goal.

Just after the hour mark McAlavey had a long-range shot go well wide while four minutes later Roy Kenny narrowly missed the target with an effort from the edge of the penalty area

While it was very much a rearguard action by Corinthians, they did they go close to getting a second when Cunningham got on the end of a Donnellan free kick but he headed narrowly wide.

Ringmahon’s pressure eventually told with 10 minutes remaining when O’Donnell broke on the left and turned the ball into the danger area where Towler drove the ball past Ryan.

Two minutes later Varian hauled down Okonkwo as raced he towards goal, Turner received a second yellow for protesting the challenge while Varian also saw red for his part in it.

Nine v 10 and the nine nearly snatched a winner later on when Okonkwo got a header on a delivery into the box, forcing Grimes to tip the ball over for a corner as the game went into extra-time.

Ringmahon continued to apply the pressure in the added minutes with McAleavey going close with a low drive from outside the box while an Alan Happi delivery into the box found Ciaran Griffin, but he lifted the ball narrowly over.

Corinthians took the lead for a second time in the final minute of the first half of extra-time when, following a Ringmahon attack, Corinthians broke, Donnellan releasing Okonkwo on the right on halfway. Ringmahon defender Christopher McCarthy lost his footing as he went to close down the Corinthians player, allowing him to race clear on goal, round Grimes, and knock the ball into the net.

Ringmahon pressed for a second equaliser in the final 15 minutes and Corinthians goal came under threat several times; Jack Anthony had to clear off the line, while Nathan Broderick had a shot deflected for a corner.

O’Donnell had a header saved by Ryan who also stopped a Griffin effort while the Corinthians’ keeper produced a magnificent save from a McAlavey strike for a corner with three minutes remaining

It was Ringmahon’s final chance as Corinthians held on for a fantastic victory.

COLLEGE CORINTHIANS: Gavin Ryan, Ian Turner, Adam Walsh, Andrew Neville, Eoghan Murphy, Craig Donnellan, Keelan Crowley, Ross McCarthy, Mark O’Sullivan, Eric Cunningham, Killian Cooper.

Subs: Destiny Okonkwo for O’Sullivan (18), Jack Anthony for Crowley (90), David O’Leary for McCarthy (93).

RINGMAHON RANGERS: Eric Grimes, Glenn Towler, Adam Delurey, Christopher McCarthy, Anthony O’Donnell, Anthony Whitehead, Gearoid Morrissey, Roy Kenny, Jack Cairns, Anthony McAlavey, Ethon Varian.

Subs: Nathan Broderick for Morrissey (50), Ciaran Griffin for Cairns (66), Darragh O’Shea for Delurey (73), Jamie O’Sullivan for Kenny (78), Alan Happi for Towler (84)

Referee: Declan Troy, Graham McCarthy, Philip Russell, fourth official Jason Ray.