Newmarket Celtic 2 Avondale, Cork 1
Newmarket Celtic’s tremendous season was taken a step further this Sunday afternoon when they booked a place in the sixth round of the FAI junior cup with a fully merited win over a highly fancied Avondale United from Cork.
With a Munster champions cup final next Sunday against crack Limerick side, Janesboro, the FAI victory is a tremendous boost as they chase Munster honours.
The Clare champions took the lead after just ten minutes when Dave McCarthy fired home the lead score following a Darren Cullinan cross. On an excellent pitch despite the atrocious weather conditions in the lead up to the game, they dominated the opening half hour and would not have been flattered if they had added to the opening goal.
As the half wore on the visitors came much more into the game and they levelled the tie five minutes from the half time whistle when full back Ronan Devine beat Niall Quinn in the Newmarket goal with a powerful header and this sent the sides to the break at 1-1
Inside the opening minutes of the new half, Dave McCarthy saw his effort rebound off the crossbar and this set the tone for the half which the home side dominated. Dane Murphy in the Avondale goal pulled off a number of excellent saves in this half while the woodwork also came to the visitor’s aid on more than one occasion.
Eoin Hayes and Colin Smythe caused all sorts of problems for the visitors but the home side had to wait until nine minutes from the end of normal time before regaining the lead.
Dave McCarthy refused to give up on a ball that looked to be going over the endline and he fired in a pin point cross to team captain Eoin O’Brien who cooly headed home what proved to be the winning goal.
It was all Newmarket at this stage and Colin Smythe, Seamus Lawlor, O’Brien, Eoin Hayes and Dave McCarthy all came close to extending their team’s lead in the remaining time.
Outstanding for the winners on the day were David O’Gady, Darren Cullinan, Mark Donlon, Paddy Purcell, Eoin Hayes, Colin Smyth and Dave McCarthy.
By Seamus Hayes