WATERFORD CRYSTAL showed their class by lifting the Marquis 3rd division cup following two goals in either half, which gave them a deserved victory over a battling Tycor outfit at Mitchell Kennedy Park on Thursday evening last.

After the men from the Crystal Complex landed the league title when defeating the same opposition in what proved to be the league decider, there was no doubting that the victors went into this cup showdown as strong favourites to win a cup double cup.

Helped by the fact that they could call on a number of youth players, Crystal, who were managed by Gary Hayes and David McEvoy, had too much power in key areas for a Tycor side that tried their very best on the night.

After going through a rough time over recent years, it was great to see a club that were so successful in past times return this year and go so close to winning both the league and cup but they were well beaten in this cup final at the call for time.

The crossbar came to their rescue on two minutes when Crystal central defender Barry Costine tried his luck with a stunning right-footed effort from all of 30-yards but the ball came crashing back off the bar and shortly afterwards, Johnny Gleeson set up Stephen Dunphy, who tested Ivan Vaisko with a well-struck shot.

Tycor keeper Vaisko was at fault for the first goal that his side conceded on seven minutes when David McGrath crossed for Costine, who fired goal-wards and somehow the keeper left the ball between his hands and it gave Crystal the lead.

Pat Kelly tested keeper Andrew Power on nine minutes before Sean Butler whipped in a right-wing free kick that found the head of youth player of the year Liam Coady but his header flashed over the bar.

However, Tycor levelled the tie on 16 minutes when Brendan O’Shea took a corner from the left that found the head of the unmarked Paul Jacob at the back post and he powered a downward header past the helpless Crystal netminder Andrew Power.

Stephen Dunphy could have restored Crystal’s lead on 34 minutes when he tried his luck with a long range 25-yard free kick but the ball was deflected out for a corner kick and Lee Kelly could have put Tycor in front from the resulting clearance when he should have done better after a long Vaisko kick out.

But Crystal were back in front on 44 minutes when Gavin Grimes took a free kick after a foul on Johnny Gleeson and it was Gleeson that got his head on the end of the free to head past the stranded Tycor keeper.

Stephen Dunphy’s attempted cross on 50 minutes nearly ended up in the net as keeper Ivan Vaisko made a mess of the cross and when David McGrath crossed into the area, Sean Butler saw his effort come back off the upright.

But the game was over on 61 minutes when Crystal netted two goals in the space of a minute when firstly Stephen Dunphy turned provider for Alan Burns, who had his first effort saved by keeper Vaisko before following up to slip the rebound to the back of the net.

A fourth goal came seconds later when Dunphy crossed to the back post for captain Johnny Gleeson, who saw his cracking right-footed volley come crashing back off the post for David McGrath, who showed his class to finish sublimely to the roof of the net from close range.

Keeper Andrew Power kept Tycor at bay in the final minutes when making a superb save with his feet from Kieran Burke after some good work in the area from John Galgey and at the end of the game, Waterford Junior league chairman, Noel O’Keeffe presented the league and cup double to a delighted Crystal team.

MATCH FACTS

TYCOR: Ivan Vaisko, Karl Grant (John Galgey `65), Brendan O’Shea, Michael White, Anthony Dunphy, Paul Jacob, Pat Kelly, Eddie Kelly, Lee Kelly, Clint Power (Kieran Burke `65) and Ken Ryan (David Kavanagh `H/T)

WATERFORD CRYSTAL: Andrew Power, Eoin O’Toole (Gavin Grimes `28), Derek Ryan (Jason Burke `79), Anthony Clarke, Barry Costine, Liam Coady, Johnny Gleeson, David McGrath, Sean Butler (Adam Forsey `73), Stephen Dunphy and Alan Burns

REFEREE: Anthony Walsh assisted by John Purcell and Tony Butler

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