FAI Centenary Junior Cup Final
Villa FC (Waterford) 1
Pike Rovers (Limerick) 0
Villa FC have won the FAI Junior Cup.
Conor Coad’s men are champions of Ireland, having defeated Pike Rovers of Limerick by a goal to nil in Turner’s Cross.
Conor Kilgannon’s 51st minute goal proved to be one for the history books, as the Connors Park men became the fifth Waterford club to land the creme de la creme of national soccer honours.
A strong Waterford support were there at Turner’s Cross to will on the men in hoops, who nearly opened the scoring in a matter of seconds.
Top scorer Dean Walsh skipped inside Wayne O’Donovan down the right flank, made a beautiful chop inside his man and opened out his shoulders whipping the ball toward the top left corner from just inside the area - but Gary Neville was on hand to push his effort away to safety.
That was a sign of early intent from Villa who took the impetus in the early exchanges.
Pike did win the first corner of the game on three minutes, and when the ball was cleared, captain Steven McGann tried to open the scoring but did little to trouble Craig Dunphy between the Villa posts.
Crunching tackles flew in across the pitch as both sides searched for a foothold, with Patrick Mullins and Cian Browne at the heart of it, while James Kennedy also made his mark on Eoin Hanrahan.
Dean Walsh was particularly lively in the opening stages, and he looked the most likely threat for Villa, as he sought his 39th goal of a stellar individual campaign. The Limerick men looked to play out from the back, but were pressed with intent from Villa and neither side could sustain any prolonged spell of possession.
There was a cautious moment for Conor Coad’s side on twelve minutes when a cross from the right met the head of Hanrahan, but thankfully his flick-on didn’t land at the feet of the waiting Conor Layne.
Cian Browne won a number of early frees for his side, and Aaron O’Connor was next on hand to try his luck from distance from Browne’s flick on, but his effort failed high over Neville’s crossbar.
Danny O’Neill was the first man to enter the referee’s book when he clattered into Conor Signorelli at speed on 19 minutes, a period where the 2011 champions arguably had a minor upturn in momentum.
After a relatively quiet opening quarter, it was the Limerick men who threatened to take the lead. Luke Walsh’s ill-timed challenge on the edge of the box afforded Pike Rovers the chance to open the scoring on 25 minutes, and they very much almost obliged - as their player-manager Robbie Williams curled a sumptuous left-footed free kick toward goal which Craig Dunphy seemed to get a touch to as it cannoned the crossbar.
A wayward effort from Cian Browne was something that Rovers were happy to resign their opponents to, but their defence were kept on their toes soon after - Conor Kilgannon picked out unmarked headed across goal and Dean Walsh’s acrobatic effort was deflected behind for a corner.
Villa managed to maintain possession but struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities as half time approached, with chances at a premium at both ends.
Pike Rovers were rather fortunate not to be down to ten men right on the cusp of the interval, Hanrahan leaving an elbow into the face of James ‘Tyres’ Kennedy, but Michael O’Connor decided that a yellow card was appropriate punishment despite calls for stricter discipline. That was that for half-time - Villa 0-0 Pike Rovers, and neither side could say they warranted the advantage.
Villa started the second half the brighter and took the lead on 51 minutes, Dean Walsh got a run in behind the Pike defence down the left and when met by the onrushing Neville, he had the vision to square for Conor Kilgannon to tap into an empty net and send the travelling support into raptures.
The goal inspired confidence in Conor Coad’s side who dominated possession in the moments afterward, with Walsh, Kilgannon and John Frederick Tamen at the heart of all things positive.
Craig Dunphy had a relatively quiet afternoon up to the hour mark but he had to be alert on 57 minutes to palm Steven McGann’s in-swinging cross away from the Rovers attack.
The Pike Rovers captain began to take the game by the scruff of the neck, digging an effort out of his feet from 30 yards moments later which again stung the palms of Dunphy.
McGann was again in the thick of it on 63 minutes, and looked almost certain to unearth the equaliser having squeezed between two Villa defenders and getting a strike away, only to be denied by a superb sprawling block by Villa skipper Adam Heaslip.
There were some hairy moments as Danny O’Neill whipped in a delightful delivery from the right wing, and with Kevin Barry lurking, Dunphy was first to the ball but spilled in mid-air. Thankfully for Villa, it went behind to the left as opposed to in the net.
Conor Walsh-O’Loughlen was next to try his luck but his effort tricked into Dunphy’s midriff.
Both teams rang the changes in an attempt to freshen things up, but going into the final fifteen minutes, Villa, while not complacent, wouldn’t have been overly fearful of letting their advantage slip.
Pike may have felt their afternoon was summed up when they had to sub off substitute Kevin Barry who hobbled from the pitch, before a lovely pull-back from Evan Patterson saw no one waiting on the spot to tap home the equaliser.
Nerves were palpable with the clock running down, and Villa almost secured their maiden national crown on 82 minutes - Cian Browne threading through Dean Walsh one on one but he shot straight at Neville from a tight angle and the ball bounced away to safety.
There were some unsavoury scenes toward the end, Evan Patterson receiving a straight red card as did Conor Walsh-O’Loughlen for two off-the-ball incidents - the Limerick men down to nine thanks to some highly unnecessary behaviour - and Villa singing their way to the FAI Junior Cup title.
Jubilant scenes of emotion poured out at the sound of Michael O’Connor’s whistle. Villa have reached the promised land - and few could say they don’t deserve it.
Villa FC: Craig Dunphy, James Kennedy, Conor Signorelli, Dylan Walsh, Adam Heaslip, Luke Walsh, Conor Kilgannon, Aaron O’Connor, Dean Walsh, Cian Browne, John Frederick Tamen.
Subs: Adam Conway for John Frederick Tamen (66); Mark Walsh for Luke Walsh (71); Eoin Rea for Conor Signorelli (75) Sean O’Keeffe for James Kennedy (90)
Pike Rovers: Gary Neville, Danny O’Neill, Wayne O’Donovan, Patrick Mullins, Adam Lipper, Eoin Hanrahan, Robbie Williams, Aaron Murphy, Conor Layne, Steven McGann, Colm Walsh-O’Loughlen
Subs: Kevin Barry for Aaron Murphy (57); Evan Patterson for Danny O’Neill (66); Colm Daly for Kevin Barry (78); Paddy O’Malley for Eoin Hanrahan (81)
Referee: Michael O’Connor
