Injury-time drama as Coachford beat Ringmahon Rangers to Munster Champions Cup in nine-goal thriller

Coachford 5 Ringmahon Rangers 4

Ryan Leahy scored a cracking late winner in an epic Keanes Jewellers Munster Champions Trophy Cup final at the Cross.

This one will go down as one of the most extraordinary cup finals seen at the Cross between two excellent football sides who left nothing on the pitch.

The game ebbed and flowed and finished in breathtaking circumstances as Coachford grabbed three goals in the final ten minutes to win the contest in the end.

The two sides showed immense energy from the off as Mark Murphy fired straight at Cian O’Connor before Keith Linzell directed his effort wide from a narrow angle.

Coachford nosed in front on ten minutes and it arrived following some lovely improvised play – Mark Murphy fed Jamie Griffen on the right, he back-heeled diagonally for Luke Casey, who played a neat pass on for Cialan O’Sullivan to produce a wonderful finish into the corner.

Ringmahon responded immediately with Kalum Cashman turning inside before rifling over and when Jordon Delurey took a return pass after playing a quickly taken corner to Kalum Cashman, he drilled over from an acute angle.

But, it was all square again when from Jordon Delurey’s corner, Adam O’Callaghan headed home from inside the box on the half-hour.

Coachford were so unlucky soon after when Cialan O’Sullivan’s skilful turn and strike, smacked off the upright before being cleared to safety.

Then Luke Casey was unlucky to fire narrowly wide after turning inside his marker.

A glorious chance did fall for Ringmahon just before the break when Dylan O’Regan Forde found space behind Coachford’s rear-guard, but he failed to beat Stephen Murray with a tame effort.

Ringmahon looked very energetic as the second period took off and went in front within two minutes, in what was a replica of their first goal, Jordon Delurey crossed for Adam O’Callaghan to head his second home and hand his side the lead for the first time.

Ringmahon looked in control now as they sprayed the ball around while making regular progress into Coachford’s defensive third and a shot from distance by Delurey was not far off the mark.

The MSL side did grab their third soon after when Stephen Kennedy Osubor squeezed home from close range to make it 3-1 on 52.

The final was really starting to open up quite a bit now and minutes later, Coachford pegged one back when failure by the Ringmahon defence to clear their lines accorded Matthew Bradley an opportunity to blaze home on 56.

And when Cian O’Connor had to palm over from Luke Casey’s swerving free kick, Aidan O’Shea smacked a decent effort narrowly over at the other end.

But, it was 4-2 to Ringmahon when following lovely build up play, Stephen Kennedy Osubor rifled a fine finish past Stephen Murray in the 81st minute.

At this stage, it certainly looked like Ringmahon were on the way to a victory with nine minutes plus to play, but in what was an extraordinary finish to the contest, Coachford got a third, one minute later when Cialan O’Sullivan fired home before two minutes on, Luke Casey hammered home the equaliser.

Then, in injury time, Ryan Leahy unleashed an unstoppable thunderbolt that crashed into the net to claim an astonishing 5-4 victory for Coachford.

COACHFORD: Stephen Murray, Dara Lynch, Ryan Leahy, Keith Linzell, Mark Murphy, Adam Murphy, Jamie Griffin, Matthew Bradley, Luke Casey, Cathal O’Neill, Cialan O’Sullivan.

Subs:

Gary Murphy for Jamie Griffen (57), Mark O’Connell for Cathal O’Neill (78), Neil Moynihan for Ryan Leahy (95).

RINGMAHON: Cian O’Connor, Jamen O’Callaghan, Oran Ross, Alan Higgins, Dylan O’Regan Forde, Kalum Cashman, Aidan O’Shea, Kennedy Osubor, Ivan Abramets, Jordon Delurey, Adam O’Callaghan.

Subs: Ciaran Kearney for Oran Ross (69), Alan Greaney for Ivan Abramets (79), Jordan O’Regan for Jamen O’Callaghan (94).

Referee: Alan Martin.

Assistants: Michael Deasy, Bobby Coonan and Alan McDonagh.