FAI Youth Cup glory for College Corinthians against Mervue United
College Corinthians celebrate with the cup after the FAI Youth Cup final win over Mervue United at Eamonn Deacy Park. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Gallant College Corinthians recorded a memorable and historic victory at Eamonn Deacy Park winning their first FAI Youth Cup following a dramatic encounter against Mervue United.
It took extra time for the Cork side to prevail, Kai O'Neill with a brilliant match-winning goal after Mervue had struck late to cancel out O'Neill's first-half effort.
College Corinthians began the tie at a lively pace and they crafted a decent opportunity after just three minutes when Joseph Mouret’s effort flew across the face of goal. Corinthians continued to up the tempo, and one minute later Mervue United were let off the hook when Kai O’Neill’s strike from outside the box was safely gathered by the alert Jason Daly in the Mervue goal.
The surface at Eamonn Deacy Park was in pristine condition and a high-octane clash began to unfold, with College Corinthians once again left ruing their luck on 20 minutes. The energetic O’Neill was once again the playmaker, as his inch-perfect through ball released the scampering Padraig McGrath, who skipped past the static United defence before seeing his curling effort tail agonisingly wide.
The opening half was keenly contested and both sides were full of endeavour, with McGrath again going close to ending the stalemate on 24 minutes, before Mervue’s Dawit Dems Woldemariam tried his luck with an ambitious long-range effort which failed to find its intended target.
On 40 minutes, the Galway side very nearly fashioned a spectacular opening goal, when Woldemariam’s perfectly weighted delivery found Sean Nnadi and his bicycle-kick fizzed inches over the crossbar.
However, College Corinthians received the perfect half-time tonic after 43 minutes. A delightful through ball from Ty Corcoran released the poaching O’Neill and the latter bolted towards goal before his tidy finish clipped the upright and rustled the back of the net.
Mervue began the second period the brighter and the locals almost mustered the equaliser on 57 minutes when Mark Leahy set up the rampaging Nnadi but the latter’s effort was diverted behind for a corner.
The second half was largely devoid of clear-cut chances, however, the maroon and blue almost netted a fortuitous goal on 70 minutes, when College Corinthians’ centre-back Samuel Dow saw his hooked clearance fly narrowly wide past his own goal.
Mervue upped the tempo during the closing stages and their persistence paid dividends on 83 minutes. Following a sustained period of pressure, Mervue super-sub Darragh King assisted the poaching Woldemariam and his crisp strike from inside the box flew past the beaten Raymond Foley Kiss.
Both sides had chances to win the game late on; with Mervue’s Jason Daly producing a world-class save to deny McGrath’s strike on 87 minutes. However, there was no more late drama and extra time was required to determine a winner.
Mervue almost nudged in front but Woldemariam saw his close-range drive hit the upright.
College Corinthians made the most of Mervue’s misfortune in front goal and the Douglas outfit snatched the lead on 94 minutes. A deadly counteroffensive attacking foray by the blue and white ended with Kai O’Neill sweeping home a terrific finish, much to the delight of the vocal Cork faithful.
United dominated the closing stages of the second period of extra-time as they desperately tried to salvage a second equaliser.
The College Corinthians defence were on high alert though, and the Cork side circled the wagons and held on to record a famous victory.
Jason Daly, Lee Traynor Curley, Atson De Siakam, Christian Ryan, Cillian Faherty, David Kilraine, Fergal Takaza, Jack Kelly, Sean Nnadi, Dawit Dems Woldemariam, Mark Leahy.
Jake Cunningham (for De Siakam 53), Joey Cunningham (for Leahy 75), Darragh King (for Takaza 79), Houssein Kassem Tlaiss (for Traynor Curley 94).
Raymond Foley Kiss, Daniel Mellerick, Billy Higgins, Connor Gardiner, Samuel Dow, Keelan Crowe, Ty Corcoran, Dylan O’Sullivan, Padraig McGrath, Joseph Mouret, Kai O’Neill.
Jayden Adair Bell (for Mellerick 55), Shane Fielding (for Corcoran 76), Harry Jeffers (for Mouret 83), Conor Redmond (for O’Sullivan 102), James O’Sullivan (for O’Neill 106).
Ruben Collins (Wicklow).
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