While this FAI Junior Cup game had an abundance of goals, it was far from a six-goal thriller as St Bernard’s ran out comfortable winners over their First Division rivals on Sunday morning at the Jesuits’ pitch.
St Bernard’s had confirmed their Cup pedigree when capturing the Michael Byrne Cup last season and they were comfortable throughout this tie, despite conceding two late goals.
By the 65th minute the visitors had roared into a four-goal lead and Boys Club were playing for little more than pride. They did recover some of that through late efforts from Jimmy Jennings and an O.G. from Bernard’s ‘keeper Denis Farragher, but it was scant consolation really.
The home side were not helped by some early injuries in the first half which forced a major reshuffle of their pack. By the 26th minute they had already used up two of their substitutes, as Dean Callaghan and Kevin Flynn both made early departures.
They were also a goal behind by this point as Damien Flaherty reacted quickest to Jason Finn’s shot which ‘keeper P.J. Coakley couldn’t gather cleanly, and Flaherty dispatched the ball to the net from close range.
Boys Club’s best opening till that point had come from set-pieces but these too began to dry up as Jason and Matthew Finn’s pace on the flanks began to pose them serious problems.
Just before the break Flaherty grabbed his second following more good work by ex-Mervue man Jason Finn. At the second attempt Flaherty found the bottom corner with a crisp strike.
Boys Club needed a smart start to the second half to have any chance of progressing but it never materialised. On the hour mark, Jason Finn’s cutback was fired over the bar by J.P. Carey, but the striker made up for his wayward effort with the third goal two minutes later.
Again the two Finns - of which there were five - on the flanks combined and it was Jason’s ball across the area which found Carey, who availed of some slack marking to tidily finish past Coakley.
The morale of the home side visibly dropped at this point, but it was to fall further still two minutes later when sub Eoin Roche linked well with Carey and he picked out Matthew Finn at the back post for a tap in to make it four.
It looked now to be a damage limitation exercise for the home side, who face Bernard’s in the league again next week, but they did stem the tide of incessant pressure and Jimmy Jennings’ penalty in the 76th minute restored some pride.
Seven minutes from time they lessened the deficit further when Wayne Mannion chased down a ball on the right of the area and swung in a dangerous ball. A scramble ensued, but when ‘keeper Farragher went to punch the ball clear, his attempt was misguided and ended up in the back of the net.
Some false hope for the home side, but they were never likely to force extra-time. While this competition may not be a priority for the Abbeyknockmoy side, on this form they will be a tough proposition for whoever they are drawn against in the next round.
OLBC: PJ Coakley; M Kerins, L Coakley, P Keane, D Griffin; D Buckley (J Moran, 77 ), B Molyneux, J Jennings, K Flynn (W Mannion, 8 ); D Callaghan (B Duffy,28 ), D Carter.
St Bernards: D Farragher; J McDonagh, P Miskell, Dwayne Finn, Daryl Finn; Matthew Finn, Mark Finn, F Keane, J Finn; JP Carey, D Flaherty (E Roche, 66 ).
Referee: Ger Cahill.
