MILFORD UNITED HAD too much for Castlefin Celtic in this afternoon’s Brian McCormick Sports Cup final at Diamond Park in Ballyare.
Milford United 3-0 Castlefin Celtic
Goals from PJ Hagan, Darren McLaughlin and substitute Kyle Black gave the side from Moyle View Park the victory, although for the most part Noel Gillespie’s team weren’t as comfortable as the scoreline might’ve suggested.
Milford goalkeeper Caolan McGettigan made a fine stop in a one-on-one from Matthew O’Rourke before the deadlock was broken.
[adrotate group=”40″]It took 43 minutes for the opening goal to arrive but when it did it gave Milford a deserved lead going into the break.
McLaughlin had headed over from an Adam Serrinha cross on five minutes and nine minutes later Hagan was also marginally off target with a header following Gary Merritt’s corner.
Merritt then forced Castlefin goalkeeper Simon McMenamin to tip over as Milford continued to look like the ones most likely.
Two minutes before the break, left-back Christopher Duffy played a ball down the flank and Hagan beat the offside trap and cut inside to slot past McMenamin for the opening goal.
[adrotate group=”37″]Milford almost went 2-0 up straight away when Joey Cullen and Hagan were involved in a move that saw Merritt denied by McMenamin again.
Eight minutes into the second half, Castlefin almost levelled when JP Malley hooked an effort off the Milford crossbar. McGettigan made a point blank save from the follow-up by Barry Tourish.
Milford manufactured a second goal 20 minutes from time when McLaughlin ran straight at the Castlefin defence having picked up possession from a McMenamin clearance.
McLaughlin broke the line himself to get into the penalty area and his finish for 2-0 was assured.
Castlefin almost pulled a goal back a minute later when Ian Ward played in Ronan Tourish but Danny McBride, the Milford right-back, made a vital block.
[adrotate group=”38″]McGettigan then made another stop, this time from Malley on the break to preserve the two-goal lead.
Milford’s third came on 80 minutes when Hagan played in McLaughlin and his low cross was tucked in at the back post by Black.
Milford United: Caolan McGettigan; Danny McBride, Johnny Logue, Patrick Peoples, Christopher Duffy (Kyle Black 57); Adam Serrinha (Mark Flood 64), Damien Casey, Joey Cullen, Darren McLaughlin (Ciaran Gibbons 82); Gary Merritt, PJ Hagan.
Castlefin Celtic: Simon McMenamin; Damien McAnaney (Michael Dunnion 90), Emmet White, Peter Bryson, PJ McMenamin; Ian Ward, Johnny Doherty, Ronan Tourish, Barry Tourish (Ronan Kennedy 90+1); Matthew O’Rourke, JP Malley (Brian Dooher, half-time).
Referee: Marty Quinn.
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