MSL soccer: Ringmahon Rangers retain junior premier league title after dramatic win over Carrigaline United

Carrigaline United 3

Ringmahon Rangers 4

It was impossible not to acknowledge the sense of déjà vu after Ringmahon Rangers sealed back-to-back Beamish Stout Junior Premier Division titles with a 4-3 win over Carrigaline United at Ballea Park on Thursday.

A little more than 12 months ago Ringmahon shipped up at Ballea Park for a winner-takes-all game which the visitors won 3-2 with two late, late dramatic goals.

The stakes for both sides were also high on this occasion, though for different reasons — Carrigaline were looking to avoid relegation in their final league game, while Ringmahon were chasing the win that would see the trophy stay in Mahon and avoid having to get something from their final game against College Corinthians on Sunday.

It would have been difficult to top the drama of last year’s title decider, but somehow both sides managed to do exactly that, as Carrigaline came from behind on three occasions — the third an injury-time penalty — but Ringmahon struck in the 98th minute, sparking major celebrations.

This was a game for the ages — one that really shouldn’t have required such late heroics because Ringmahon had enough chances to win with less fuss.

Carrigaline must be credited for their contribution to an epic game — they would have known that they were safe at half-time when news of Riverstown’s 5-3 defeat to College Corinthians and subsequent relegation reached Ballea Park at half-time, but they still showed a desire to make Ringmahon work for the title.

The champions made all the running early on and 14 minutes in full-back Ciaran Kearney broke on the left and crossed to the back post towards Kalem Cashman, but he couldn’t direct his effort on target.

Five minutes later Aidan O’Shea had a shot from the edge of the box deflected and gathered by Carrigline keeper Niall O’Leary, while the netminder also had to leave his line quickly to save at Stephen Kennedy’s feet after he broke into the penalty area.

Ringmahon continued to press; Kennedy had a shot blocked for a corner and from Jordan Delurey’s flag kick Ian Fleming got a header in at the back post that struck a Carrigaline defender before being cleared.

Kennedy had a good chance to break the deadlock when he got on the end of Delurey’s free kick, but he put his free header in the six-yard box over when he could have done better.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the final minute of the half, with Kennedy playing a key role; he was brought down as he broke into the penalty area and Delurey buried the resulting penalty.

Ringmahon were in control at that point, and continued to press after the interval. However, they found themselves level again on the hour mark when Carrigaline sub Dean Kelly’s free kick near the corner flag beat Ringmahon keeper Cian O’Connor at his near post.

Ringmahon’s response was to raise their game and they were in front again eight minutes later. A Delurey corner from the left was headed back across the goal by Fleming where Aaron Aherne’s bicycle kick was helped into the net by Kennedy.

Once again Carrigaline struck back, from another free, this time when Sean Morrissey’s driven effort from the left side of the penalty area was turned into his own net by Kearney.

There were 15 minutes remaining, but there was a clear sense that that there were more goals to come.

Five minutes later, Ringmahon sub Humberto Januario released Delurey with a measured pass wide on the left; he in turn drilled the ball lose to far post where Cashman struck the crossbar from close range when it looked easier to score.

A minute later O’Leary tipped a Delurey free kick over for a corner and the latter’s flag kick was met by Kennedy who flashed his header wide.

Ringmahon jumped in front for the third time with four minutes remaining when, following a goalmouth scramble, Delurey poked the ball home from close range.

The minutes ticked away, and into injury-time when Kelly was fouled in the penalty area and dispatched his spot kick past O’Connor.

Joy for Carrigaline, despair for Ringmahon who, at the point, were facing the prospect of having to get something from their final game against an in-form Corinthians.

That all changed again in the 98th minute when Aherne’s long throw into the penalty box reached Kennedy whose header beat O’Leary, prompting rapturous Ringmahon celebrations on and off the pitch in the visitors’ camp.

There was just enough time to restart the game before referee Tom O’Callaghan blew the final whistle after which the celebrations continued.

CARRIGALINE UNITED: Niall O’Leary, Cian Spillane, Corey Cronin, Jack Mangan, James McSweeney, Gavin Murphy, Conor O’Farrell, Caleb O’Connell, Abdoul Oumorou, Dean French, Timmy Alede.

Subs: Sean Morrissey for Spillane (53), Dean Kelly and Robert Leonard for French and Alede (both 60),

RINGMAHON RANGERS: Cian O’Connor, James Morrissey, Ciaran Kearney, Aaron Aherne, Ian Fleming, Aidan O’Shea, Kalem Cashman, Jamen O’Callaghan, Stephen Kennedy, Ivan Abramets, Jordan Delurey.

Subs: Humberto Januario and Philip Keane for Morrissey and Abramates (both 79), Jakup Gaup for Cashman (89).

Referee: Tom Coughlan.