Faulkner strikes but Gilsenan saves the day for Trim Celtic
HIGH DRAMA AS TRIM CELTIC CLAIM O’NEILLS LFA JUNIOR CUP CROWN
TRIM CELTIC...............1
GOREY RANGERS.....0
AMAZING scenes to match an amazing climax to the O'Neills Leinster Football Association Junior Cup final when eight-men Trim Celtic held out to claim the title after opponents Gorey Rangers saw an injury time penalty saved by hero of the day Conor Gilsenan in the Meathmen's goal.
This was an excellent showdown for the provincial crown by two evenly matched sides and they served up a feast of drama in front of a sun-splashed attendance of close to 1500 spectators at Whitehall.
It's a script that Roy of the Rovers would find hard to conjure up as the Royal County side played out the last quarter with nine players after Aaron Willians and Callum Ennis were red-cadred for second bookable offences and then saw Sean Fitzgerald dismissed late on for deliberate handball as Trim Celtic tried desperately to stem the incessant Gorey Rangers attacks.
By EAMON SCOTT….. REPORT/PHOTOS
Fitzgerald may well have had a momentary 'brain freeze' as the ball crossed in had too much weight and looked to be heading away to safety.
But referee Nathan Bannon added further ire to the frustrated Trim Celtic support by brandishing red for the third time and then pointing to the spot.
Had Gorey levelled the odds surely would have shifted in inexorably to the Wexfordmen with the prospect of extra-time with a three man advantage, but remarkably goalkeeper Conor Gilsenan correctly guessed where Stephen Kinsella's spot kick was heading and made a full length dive to dash Gorey's title aspirations at the death.
It was an amazing twist to an amazing encounter
"I'd already made my mind up on Saturday night that if there was a penalty in the game I was going to my left one way or another but when the penalty was given I had a feeling he was going to hit it to my right," said Cavanman Gilsenan who has written himself into the club's history books while also becoming an instant Trim Celtic legend.
Credit both sides for their levels of fitness and after some early probing, it was Gorey who carved out a chance when Conor Casserly showed good pace down the left to whip in an inviting cross but Gavin O'Brien header was gathered by Gilsenan.
The first yellow of the day arrived in minute 15 when Sean Murphy of Gorey was fouled by Aaron Williams but referee Bannon felt it warranted a sanction to the dismay of the Trim Celtic player.
Williams' game was to play across the line and brought a physicality to his approach. Nothing wrong with that but an early yellow blunted his ability to that physical engagement as the match evolved.
Gorey Celtic threatened again on 17 minute when a galloping run down the left flank by Ryan Cullen saw his cross met by O'Brien but his effort flashed the wrong side of the Trim goal.
But Trim Celtic were not without their own chances and on the half hour they forced a couple of corners in quick succession. From the second, Sean Fitzgerald outjumed his marker and Brian Faulkner reacted quickest to find the Gorey Rangers net.
Delight for Trim as they got their noses in front but Gorey continued to enjoy as much possession as their rivals and refused to panic and Paul Murphy, Sean Murphy and Stephen Kinsella were prominent in the Wexfordmen's efforts to level affairs.
On the resumption, it was Gorey who again took the game to Trim and within a minute Cormac Breslin had a great chance at the back post but fired wide.
Gorey's Paul Murphy then picked up a yellow for a foul on Faulkner and in the 52nd Trim had a goal disallowed correctly for handball against 'scorer' Ger Murray.
The game was opening up at this stage and both sides knitted some good approach work but the respective defences stood firm while Gilsenan was showing why he got the nod for the starting jersey with some safe handling in the Meathmen's goal.
None more so than in the 53rd minute when Gorey fullback Glenn O'Brien rampaged forward and his crisp shot was plucked out of the air by Gilsenan. At the opposite end Adam Fox let rip a screamer from distance but his rising shot just cleared Conor Kinsella's Gorey crossbar.
Callum Ennis, a Trim Celtic substitute, was only on the park two minutes before he fell foul of referee Bannon to pick up a yellow card and two minutes later teammate Conor Walsh followed him into the book as Gorey's mounting pressure saw Trim buckling somewhat.
With an O'Neills LFA crown on offer you'd expect the respective sides to have their own purple patch and Gorey were beginning to dominate. That mounting pressure was given further weight in the 73rd minute when Ennis received his second yellow and the first red of the game with his own impact on the game lasting just 19 minutes.
Manager Robbie Horgan post match revealed he was not unduly concerned with the loss of player but three minutes later Trim Celtic's cause was dealt another blow when the match assistant drew attention to referee Bannon of an off-the-ball incident and he flashed red to Aaron Williams and despite his protests saw the green and white hoops reduced to nine men.
With 15 minutes on the clock and whatever additional time the match official would add, Gorey set about hunting down the leveller. They were to see plenty of possession and the game was largely played in the Trim Celtic half as the Wexordmen piled forward time after time.
Huge credit to the resilience of Trim who kept their shape and Ciaran O'Connell was masterful in his organisation of his defence. Everytime the ball arrived into the Trim Celtic penalty area the bravery and commitment of the Trim players extracted a refusal to yield and even some codology and a couple of dives merely brought further belief to Trim Celtic that this could be their day to land the Holy Grail of a provincial title.
But, the drama was not finished. As we edged towards the 90th minute Trim were in sight of the finishing line but all their excellent work looked to be undone when Fitzgerald stuck a hand up to flick the ball on and to the horror of team mates and supporters in full view of Nathan Bannon. Penalty and another red as Fitzgerald, head in hands, cut a disconsolate figure as he walked the long walk to the dressing room.
Step up Cavan's finest; Conor Gilsenan. You could cut the tension with a knife as the prospect of extra-time with eight men loomed for the deflated Trim Celtic players. But ,Gilsenan in an act that will be recalled for many a year to come, cat-like, dived to his right to scoop Stephen Kinsella's low goal bound effort away and the angled follow up flew harmlessly wide.
Cue pandemonium among the relieved Trim Celtic players who mobbed Gilsenan for the hero he was.
But there was still time for Gorey to mount a couple of more attacks. Trim however were not to be broken and there was to be no second chance and referee Bannon - the butt of many a caustic comment from the Trim Celtic supporters - suddenly became the most popular man in Whitehall with a final shrill whistle.
The drama was over and despite the pleas of stadium announcer Dave Daly for supporters to stay off the pitch, Gilsenan was first engulfed by his fellow team mates and then by what looked like the whole population of Trim itself.
High drama and a brilliant advertisement for the grassroots game. Credit to both teams, their respective leagues and to the Leinster Football Association for putting on a brilliant occasion at Home Farm’s excellent Whitehall facility.
Brilliant for Robbie Horgan's Trim Celtic and commiserations to Gorey Celtic. They cannot deny that they didn't have an opportunity, but when it knocks, you must also grab it!
TRIM CELTIC: Conor Gilsenan; Ger Murray, Ciaran O'Connell, Sean Fitzgerald, Conor Walsh, Dean Courtney, James Goggins, Adam Fox, Brian Faulkner, Mark Leavy, Aaron Williams: Subs: Callum Ennis for Courtney (53); ~Wesley Gibbons for Faulkney (82), Luke Mahon, Anthony Moran, Shane Bell, Sean Walsh.
GOREY RANGERS: Conor Kinsella; Ryan Cullen, Glenn O'Brien, Paul Murphy, Sean Murphy, Stephen Kinsella, Conor Casserly, Stephen Moloney, Cormac Breslin, Gavin O'Brien, Paul Brennan, Subs: Adam Territ for Glenn O'Brien (60), Mark Woods for Moloney (60), Ethan Vickers for Brennan (84), Killian Cushe for G O'Brien (84). Mick Molloy, Evan Royes, Gavin Griffiths.
Referee: Nathan Bannon; Assistant Referee 1: Patrick O'Connor, Assistant Ref 2: Michael Murphy, Fourth Official: Michael Monaghan (Carlow Branch ISRS).
