Willow Park 8
Templeogue United 2
John Dingle
Willow Parks over 35s team had little difficulty in advancing to the quarter finals of the Leinster Junior Cup when they demolished Templeogue United at DPD Park last Saturday evening.
The home team were quickly into their stride and were two goals ahead with less than ten minutes played, the first of eight Willow goals arriving after seven minutes when Marc Butler found the net from the right after good approach work from Colm Hyland.
Two minutes later and the lead was doubled. Peter Sherlock from the right passed to Gary Murphy in front of the goal and he fired to the roof of the net. It was all Willow at this stage and goal number three arrived with 17 minutes gone. Butler was again involved as his shot from the right was put into his own goal by the United number five.
It looked all over as a contest at this stage but the Dublin team were handed a lifeline after 20 minutes. Stephen Caverly reduced the deficit with a low shot to the net. It was a temporary reprieve though as the three goal advantage was quickly restored. Hyland and Caldwell were involved with the former finding the net. Willow grabbed their fifth goal just before the break when substitute Richie Murray had a simple tap in after being set up by Caldwell.
The goal feast dried up somewhat when play resumed with little action in the first quarter of an hours play. When the goals finally arrived, three more were netted in a five minute spell. Templeogue were first to find the net in the second half after 16 minutes of play when a penalty kick was blasted to the roof of the net by Gerry Bambrick.
Willow grabbed their sixth goal three minutes later with Murphy and Caldwell again linking up to see the latter blast a shot home. Murphy was again the provider midway through the half as Hyland took advantage of his good work to score. Just one more goal was scored as the home team eased to victory. Better finishing could easily have seen the Willow goal tally hit double figures.
The scoring finished after 31 minutes when Hyland completed his hat trick. Caldwell was the provider and the Willow number ten made no mistake to claim the match ball. Last action of the game saw the Willow keeper Paul Bannon face up to a penalty kick. A handball in the box to prevent a score was spotted by the referee and United had the chance to make it 8 to 3 on the score sheet. Summing up a dreadful evening for the visitors, Bannon did not have to even make a save as Bambrick drilled the spot kick wide of the intended target. The referee soon put the visitors out of their misery with the shrill of the final whistle.
The quarter final draw has favoured Willow with another home tie against either New Oak Boys or Patrician Celtic at the end of September.
