Moate Celtic take cup spoils with Hamm and Guinan goals

Moate Celtic 2 Kinnegad Juniors 0

By Eamon A. Donoghue

Moate Celtic’s second-half performance was the difference as they scored two late goals to win the CCFL Division 2 Cup against Kinnegad Juniors at Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore last Saturday.

These two teams came into this cup final with two totally different league formlines - Kinnegad Juniors second in the table behind champions Mullingar Athletic, while Moate Celtic lay in a mid-table position. But league form often goes out the window when it comes to cup games, especially finals.

In the first half, it looked like Kinnegad were the better team and they forced the first corner of the game. They had the first attempts at goal and were the more dominant team in the first quarter.

The evergreen Gareth Gaffey and Ciaran Bracken also had chances for Moate to score but first touch let them down. Kinnegad kept piling on the pressure at the other end and they forced the first corner of the game to no avail.

Moate were continuously looking to get the ball in behind the Kinnegad defence. They forced their first corner in the 12th minute; Callum Jones swung in the corner and Reece Jones’ header went wide.

Aaron Sheerin had a shot for Moate, but his attempt didn’t test Seán Martin in the Kinnegad goal. Sheerin soon had another effort but again he didn’t test Martin in goal.

Gary Caffrey was giving Moate Celtic’s defence a tough time of it, always on the move and he looked the likeliest goalscorer in the first half. Caffrey forced a corner for Kinnegad and Adam O’Hagan headed over the top from the resultant corner. They were getting closer to opening their account.

Eimhin Whelan’s shot went wide and with that came the half-time whistle as a scoreless first half came to an end.

Moate looked like a renewed team after the restart. They took control of the game and bossed it for the second half. They had the majority of possession and they forced most of the game to be played in Kinnegad’s half.

Reece Jones’ free kick went wide but that was just the start of their onslaught on the Kinnegad goal. Then they should have scored. Gaffey and Ashby Bermeo combined to set up Jones, but he couldn’t control the ball all alone in the box with a goal at his mercy.

O’Hagan put the ball in behind the Celtic defence and Sam O’Mahoney header was deflected out for a corner. From the resultant corner Caffrey’s deft flick went wide.

Moate though were on top and Aaron Murtagh and Sheerin both had attempts but couldn’t find the target. The game looked like it could go to extra-time.

Then Moate Celtic manager Mickey Collins made not just one but two substitutions and they combined for the lead goal. Troy Bradley swung in a cross from the left wing and there was another substitute Nicky Hamm to get a touch on the ball to put it into the net. Moate had taken the ascendancy through their substitutes who were only moments on the pitch.

Try as they did, Kinnegad couldn’t force a save out of Mark Langtry in the Moate goal. They did have a number of shots from distance and sent in several crosses, but it just wasn’t their day.

With time almost up and the cup already looking to be heading to Moate, they got themselves a free kick on the right side close to the box. Jamie Guinan curled in a left-footed kick and the ball evaded everyone and landed in the Kinnegad net for a 2-0 lead.

Moate deservedly won on the basis they were the better team in the second half.

Player of the match: Ashby Bermeo (Moate Celtic). Bermeo was full of tricks on the left wing and he constantly created opportunities for the team. Ciaran Bracken was Kinnegad Juniors’ best player on the evening.

Key moment: Nicky Hamm’s goal. There was no clear sign of a goal in this final and it looked destined for extra-time until the introduction of Hamm and his goal broke the deadlock.

Moate Celtic: Mark Langtry, Ciaran Farrell, Sean Waters, Jamie Guinan, Pat Buckley, Callum Jones, Reece Jones, Gareth Gaffey, Aaron Sheerin, Ashby Bermeo, Aaron Murtagh. Subs: Dwayne Farrell, Ryan Carton, Troy Bradley and Nicky Hamm.

Kinnegad Juniors: Sean Martin, Enda Kenny, Dean Gavin, Adam O’Hagan, Conor Kavanagh, Liam Waldron, Eimhin Whelan, Sam O’Mahoney, Gary Caffrey, Mark Armstrong, Ciaran Bracken. Subs: Luke Corless, Darrell O’Reilly and Scott Clynes.

Referee: Des McEnery.