Premier Division (Semi Final)
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN 1
MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY 2
Two well taken second half goals proved decisive as Maynooth University came from behind to overcome Trinity College and clinch a place in the Colleges and Universities Premier League Final.
Trinity came into this semi-final tie defending an unbeaten league record which saw them top the South Group while Maynooth finished runners up to the holders TU Dublin in the North Group after suffering a 4-3 defeat at home to the reigning champions.
By John Hudson
Both sides have yet to gain Premier honours Maynooth lost out to UCD on penalties in the 2014 decider while Trinity were making a first ever appearance in the semi-finals.
A Daniel Madaghjian penalty in the 15th minute gave Trinity the perfect start but they failed to add to the score despite having a fair amount of possession and several decent chances.
But as the game went into the second half Maynooth gradually began to gain the upper hand.
Success Edogun's calm finish got Maynooth back on terms with 20 minutes remaining and ten minutes from time the comeback was completed when substitute Patrick Montgomery cut in from the right and placed his low finish into the bottom corner of Lee Stacey’s goal.
A mix up between goal keeper Enda Minogue and defender Lukas Muher led to Jay Walsh being taken down in the box as he chased a long ball.
Referee Derek Rooney was on the spot and immediately awarded the penalty which skipper Madaghjian crashed home.
Trinity did press again and Jem Campion went close with a fine shot from the left flank that Minogue was glad to see go past his left hand post.
Maynooth had a little spell on the front foot and Stacey did well to hold a well delivered Dean O’Shea free.
Then a couple of free kicks in or around the Maynooth box were well defended as Trinity looked to increase their lead before the break.
On the resumption Trinity appeared to sit back and this gave Maynooth the opportunity to mount a couple of dangerous attacks and the equaliser looked likely to arrive.
This came when despite Stacey’s fine stop to keep out a Callum Warfield shot from close in and after the Maynooth striker’s follow up effort was headed off the line by Connor Holbert the ball eventually came out to Edogun on the left and he made no mistake with his finish.
Maynooth kept up the pressure and shortly after Montogomery struck home the winner.
In fairness Trinity mustered up a last gasp effort and Campion had a shot cleared off the line while a Denis Smith long range effort was brilliantly saved by Minogue.
Maynooth now await the winners of the other semi-final between TU Dublin and South East TU-Carlow in the Premier final next month.
Trinity College Dublin: Lee Stacey; Denis Smith, Conor Holbert, Darragh Timmons. Leon Kerin; Harry Smith, Daniel Madaghjian; Jem Campion, Mario Creed, Ilymintan Awodola; Jay Walsh.
Subs: Erik Jerkland (for Creed 54), Omar Shadeem (for Kerin 58), Conor Dalton (for Awodola 62), Cillian Purcell (for Smith 82). Not used Dannu McEvoy.
Maynooth University: Enda Minogue; Luke Neville, Osaze Lekue, Lukas Muher, Dean O’Shea; Sultan Adenekan, Gerard O’Connor; Success Edogun, Sam Barnes, Luke Brady; Callum Warfield.
Subs: Patrick Montgomery (for Neville 38), Luke Scanlon (for Barnes 65), Lewis Macken (for O’Connor 74). Not used: Sven Biansumba, Gerald Ogualoa, Andrew Sterritt, Eoin Hanley.
Referee: Derek Rooney. Assistants: Damien Tolan, Stuart Marry.
