Football is a funny old game is one of the truest adages in the sporting world.
Letterkenny Rovers 1-1 Carrick Rovers
(Letterkenny Rovers 12-11)
Saturday’s SFAI Ulster Under-14s Area Final certainly lived up to the old saying as Letterkenny Rovers eventually emerged 12-11 winners on penalties over Carrick Rovers after a tight game ended level 1-1 after extra time.
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Emotions truly ran high in Monaghan as Rovers seemed to have won it with an extra time effort from Leon Doherty only to be denied a win when Carrick hit a 110th minute penalty leveller through Nathan McNally with barely seconds remaining while the visiting outfit ended the game with nine men following the late dismissals of Nathan Plumb and Rory Pyper.
The award for the penalty by referee Paul Rooney was contested vigorously by the Donegal side but great credit must be due to both teams for a pulsating encounter.
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It was Letterkenny who were mightily relieved to eventually come out on the right side of the result which saw captain Conor McDaid raise the Sean McCaffrey Cup much to the delight of the large travelling support while Carrick were very magnanimous in defeat and were delighted at their own sides development over the last year and for them its a work in progress at the very hospitable club.
It was the Monaghan men who started the better and had a number of half chances in the early stages through Stephen O’Rourke, Luke McSharry and Flynn Holland.
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But neither effort really troubled Killian Gribben in the Rovers goal and if truth be told the opening period was a dour encounter with very little created in the terms of clearcut chances although Jack Dwyers free kick came off the top of the crossbar to safety but both Daire O’Shea and Gribben in the respective goals looked very assured and capable of anything that was thrown their way. The central defensive partnership of captain McDaid and man of the match Sean McVeigh were in no mood to offer up any easy chances.
It was Letterkenny who started the second half the better and had half chances themselves through Dwyer and the lively Rory Pyper before Leon Doherty did well to get on the end of a super Liam Hannigan cross but couldnt get enough power into his effort and it was cleared to safety.
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Carrick did have a great chance through Ben McCommon but he saw his shot fly high over when well placed while Joel Gorman almost won it for Letterkenny but saw his 25 yard effort come back off combination of crossbar and post and cleared to safety with O’Shea stranded.
Extra time it was after the game ended deadlocked and it was the Donegal men who went in front 6 minutes into extra time when Sean McGinleys super assist set Doherty through on goal and he showed extreme composure to finish neatly to the bottom corner.
That should have been game,set and match but Carrick gained hope when Rovers were reduced to 10 men when Nathan Plumb saw red for a challenge on a Carrick defender at the end of the opening period.
Carrick stunned everyone in the ground when being awarded a penalty in the very last minute when Rory Pyper was adjudged to have obstructed a Carrick player and McNally made no mistake from the spot.
Penalties it was and Letterkenny held the advantage early when Killian Gribben saved from Dylan Byrne while James Lenty Gallagher saw his effort saved but it was level from 3-3 to 11-11 with Rovers replying on eight different occasions in sudden death before Gribben saved again.
Up stepped James “Lenty” Gallagher and it was fitting that he fired home the winning penalty and send the Letterkenny contingent into raptures.
A tough way for Carrick to bow out and they were tough opposition for a Rovers side who deserved to win on the day and were not to be denied and they advance to a last 32 encounter in the National stages while at the same time taking home the Sean McCaffrey Cup.
Carrick Rovers squad; Daire O’Shea, Dylan Byrne, Keith Farnan, Cormac Alfred, Cathal Maher, Luke McSharry.Daniel McCahey, Stephen O’Rourke, Nathan McNally, Flynn holland, Zach Donnelly, Oran McMahon, Ben McCommon, Marcus Obajulana, Conor Cassidy, Conor Martin
Letterkenny Rovers squad; Killian Gribben, Leon Doherty, James Barlow Gallagher, james Lenty Gallagher, Sean McVeigh , Conor McDaid, Dermot Slevin, Rory Pyper, Joel Gorman, Nathan Plumb, Jack Dwyer, David Boyle, Johnny Pearson, Liam Hannigan, Sean McGinley.
Referee; Paul Rooney.
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