Castlebar Celtic were eventually crowned Calor Gas Super Cup Champions with an 12-11 penalty shootout win over Kiltimagh/Knock United after the sides finished 4-4 after extra time last Sunday as darkness enveloped Solar 21 Milebush Park.
With just half an hour gone in this game it looked like Celtic were well on the way to claiming the crown without much drama or fuss as they led 2-0 thanks to a brace of goals from their hitman Jordan Loftus.
Loftus grabbed his first not long after the quarter-of-an-hour mark whipping a shot to the top right hand corner of the net, after he beat two men following a clearance from a Cetic corner. The Hoops' striker made it 2-0 on 30 minutes when he was able to meet a Johnny Walsh cross from the left to head the ball home to the net.
On a day when plenty twists and turns occurred, it wasn't long until the first major change of course in the contest happened. Liam McCormack was taken down by Celtic's Joseph O'Reilly inside the penalty area and up stepped Jack O'Connor to slot the ball home to put just one goal between the sides on 34 minutes. Almost immediately the game was levelled up when Owen Carroll got in after a poor clearance from Celtic keeper Stefan Hesteter, he was able to play a one-two with O'Connor before slotting the ball home and leave the game tied up at 2-2, which it stayed to the half time whistle.
It was Kiltimagh-Knock United who hit the front twice in the second half, but on both occasions they were hauled back level by Celtic. The east Mayo men went into the lead for the first time on 57 minutes when O'Connor finished after being found by a James McGrath through-ball. The lead didn't last long with Luke Kelly powering the ball home from the edge of the area after being teed up by Loftus to bring Celtic level.
Kiltimagh/Knock went back in front minutes later as substitute Mark Maloney blasted the ball past Hester after O’Connor set him. Two minutes later and it was all square again as Loftus hit his hat-trick as his pin point free-kick found the bottom right hand corner of the net from twenty-five yards.
Celtic looked the more likely to score in extra-tie but they couldn’t find a winner and referee John Mulroe blew for penalties as darkness approached in Solar 21 Park.
The penalty shootout as thrilling as the match itself as the penalties were some of the best you will see with twenty two of them been taken before James McGrath missed in sudden death to present Loftus with the chance to win the Super Cup for his side. Jordan kept his cool to find the bottom right hand corner of the net to the delight of the large Castlebar Celtic support.
Ballinrobe claim Premier Cup on penos
Ballinrobe Town also needed a penalty shootout to seal an impressive treble as they added the Premier Cup to the League One and Tonra Cup successes from earlier in the season with a win over Manulla B after the sides finished level after extra-time.
Manulla may feel like they should have killed off the tie before the shootout as Shea Benson and Matty Nolan both missed gilt-edged chances as Ballinrobe goalkeeper stood up strong to deny them.
In a very even first half neither side had any real clear cut chances as both defences were on top but the game got the goal it needed after only a minute of the second half. Liam Burke and JP O’Gorman combined down the right wing to send O’Gorman in the clear and the striker beat his man before pulling the ball back to Burke on the edge of the six yard box and the winger kept his cool as he found the bottom left hand corner of David Dolan’s goal to give his side the lead.
Manulla made a few changes just before the hour mark and one of these players made an instant impact as substitute Alan Brennan’s brilliant through ball sent Shea Benson in the clear and he fired the ball past Sean Shaughnessy from just inside the area. Shaughnessy then ensured the game would finish level in normal time as he first saved from Shea Benson and then Matty Nolan who both found themselves through on goal.
Extra time failed to separate the sides and it took sudden death in penalties to finally get a winner as Shaughnessy was the hero saving Alan Brennan’s penalty to earn the win for his side.
