Clinical Westport banish Blues ROUND FOUR
Westport Utd 8 G McLoughlin 2, V O’Malley 18,
Cameron 29, 46, 49, Joyce 60, Ferrando 73, Hoban 84
Mulranny Utd 0 Daniel Carey Westport AS Mulranny United emerged in blue for last Sunday’s FAI Junior Cup game, the match officials beat a hasty retreat before re-appearing in grey and black. But though the referee and his two assistants were temporarily inconvenienced, everything else went according to the script.
The postponement of this fixture some weeks ago saw it rescheduled for the Sports Park, thus preserving Mulranny’s remarkable record at Curraune. But if the visitors needed a reminder that they were playing with the big boys now, it came after only two minutes. Kevin Joyce and Colm Keane linked up before a cross from the left found Gerry McLoughlin, who steered the ball home for goal number one.
Yet United were somewhat sloppy for much of the opening quarter, their job not made easier by a muddy surface. It was then that Mulranny enjoyed their best spell. Johnny O’Donnell blasted a shot which went out for a corner after a free kick had been half blocked. Then Charlie O’Donnell’s effort came off Austin O’Malley out for another corner. And Bobby Grealis broke on the right before setting up Thomas Mulloy, who failed to get a proper connection on his shot.
That, though, was as good as it got for the lesser-known United. Following good work out on the right wing, Vinny O’Malley ghosted to the near post and flicked home a header. Joe Lawless and Danny Scahill were having their moments further back the field, and though Adrian McManamon went close with a Mulranny header, it was effectively ‘game over, ball burst’ after 29 minutes.
It was then that a low ball from Austin O’Malley bounced in the six-yard box and fell perfectly into the path of Dave Cameron, who applied the finishing touch from close range. By the time the Mulranny supporter who was being directed to the turning off the Newport Road by one of the team mentors made it into the ground, the underdogs’ best period of the game was behind them. Vinny O’Malley went close with a snapshot shortly before the break, but Westport were never going to lose a 3-0 half-time lead.
Indeed, they were four up within 40 seconds of the restart, Dave Cameron doing the needful with a sweet flick. Cameron was at it again four minutes later, firing home on the half volley after being picked out by Vinny O’Malley.
Goal number six came on the hour mark, as Austin O’Malley pulled the ball back from the right wing into the path of Kevin Joyce, who steered it low into the far corner of the net. With the outcome clear, substitutes on both sides were given game time. It was one of the Westport replacements, Spaniard Jorge Ferrando, who got the seventh of the day, steering the ball in after Danny Scahill’s clever cross had been half cleared by Mulranny sub Brian Clarke.
The Division 2B champions had one opportunity of note in the second half, with Thomas Mulloy volleying just over after 75 minutes. But despite tidy full-back play from Shane McManamon, Westport still seemed much the more likely to score. Captain David Hoban, introduced as a second half sub, went close after showing good technique when Vinny O’Malley picked him out with a crossfield ball. And it was Hoban who applied the coup de grace, moments before a premature whistle which nobody could complain about.
WESTPORT UNITED
M McGreal, A O’Malley, R McLoughlin, J Lawless, M Geraghty, D Cameron, K Joyce, D Scahill, C Keane, V O’Malley, G McLoughlin.
Subs used: J Ferrando for G McLoughlin (55 mins); A Mulchrone for Geraghty (65 mins); D Hoban for Keane (65 mins).
MULRANNY UNITED
R O’Grady, T Hawley, S McManamon, J O’Donnell, M Staunton, B Grealis, A McManamon, C O’Donnell, T Mulloy, A Grealis, S Barrett.
Subs used: M Barrett for B Grealis (60 mins); K McManamon for Hawley (60 mins); B Clarke for J O’Donnell (65 mins).
Referee: A Nevin
