Second Division League Cup Final

Bridge United B 3-2 Hermitage

In the seasons second league cup final the spectators were treated to an absolute cracker which was in doubt right up to the final whistle.

Bridge Utd struck first when Quinlan was upended in the Hermitage box and took on the responsibility himself from the spot.

Hermitage began to dominate and started to stroke the ball around Frank Healy Park to great effect with Jason Russell really stamping his authority on proceedings. Tage continued to dominate possession playing some very neat football but could not create the vital opening and so the score remained 1-0 at half time to Bridge Utd B.

Hermitage came out in the second half and switched centre half Darragh Kerin to centre forward. His physical presence seemed to unsettle the Bridge defence and soon enough Hermitage found themselves level when Emrah Zekiri volleyed superbly to the net.

They say in football that the most dangerous time is straight after you score and so it proved as Hermitage fell asleep allowing man of the match Kieran Quinlan to shoot from 20 yards which somehow deceived the keeper Joe Burke and found the bottom corner of the net.

Back came the Tage with Darragh Kerin becoming more and more important and with minutes left he set up Jason Russell at the back post to equalise to send the big town following into delirium. It was all the Tage now and with 85 minutes on the clock a Matthew Kearney cross was met by the head of Kerin only for Barry Deasy to pull off a superb save.

The game seemed destined for extra time until the Bridge created one more opportunity when John Keogh was put through on goal and made no mistake with a brilliant finish to put his side 3-2 up and within touching distance of the Cup. One more chance late on for Tage was repelled as Dylan Shannon blew the whistle to send the Bridge faithful wild.

The Bridge Management of Billy Maxwell & Jim Maxwell will see this as a vital win but would be first to admit that the team will need to improve if their team are to add to the silverware this season. On a very positive note each time they were pegged back they were able to create another opportunity to score.

Hermitage were very good on the night and will certainly be in the mix up for 2nd Division honours this season.

A thoroughly exciting advertisement for the CDSL.

Man of the Match: Kieran Quinlan.

After the game Clare League PRO Derek Dormer presented the Cup to the winning captain Dan Larkin.

Bridge United B: Barry Deasy, Dan Larkin, Donald Devanney, Shane Whyte, Damien Murray, Eric Carr, Jonathan Hayes, Kieran Quinlan, Michael McNamara, Eoghan Maxwell, John Keogh

Subs: Adrian Whyte for Maxwell, Conn Agnew for Hayes, Mark Hehir for Keogh

Noel Duggan, John Paul Griffin, Alan McAuley, Jamie O'Gorman, Paul Tuohy, Trevor Purcell, Barry Downes

Hermitage: Joe Burke, Eric Sholarin, Tomas Radilek, Darragh Kerin, Jack Crowley, Anthony Whyte, Keith Killeen, Jason Russell, Emrah Zekiri, Matthew Kearney, Arthur Rogers

Subs: Ian Hassett, David Moloney, Liam Maurum, Alan White, Kevin Considine, Adam Barra Kanis, Sean Moloney, Luke Hogan