Browne heads Villa to U16A cup success

JOHN POWER WSFL U-16A CUP FINAL 

TRAMORE AFC 0 

VILLA FC 1 

 JP BROWNE ‘57

Villa came into this Under 16A Cup Final as red hot favourites as they had already won the Und16A League title. Tramore on the otherhand were determined to win this trophy as it was named after their current chairman John Power. Both teams fought tooth and nail throughout the 80 minutes but the game was decided by Villa’s man of the match JP Browne who headed home the only goal of the game.

CRACKING START 

The game got off to a cracking start as both teams went on the attack, at times in the first-half it was hard to keep track of the ball as it swept from one half to the other.

On four minutes Tramore winger Michael Barry pulled the ball back for Max Weldon but his shot smashed his effort against the upright. Minutes later Barry got behind the Villa defence but Villa keeper Fionn Phelan was quick off his line to make a smart save. Villa had their first attack of note on 17 minutes. JP Browne whipped a free-kick into the box and Daragh O’Brien was unlucky to see his flick header just clear the crossbar.

Both teams were showing total commitment at this stage with defences mainly on top. Villa went close again on 24 minutes. Finlay Hughes fired in a left wing cross but Darragh O’Connor fired his volley wide of the far post. At the other end Tramore had a chance, Adam Chapman clipped a corner-kick across goal but Ben Clune fired over the top from just inside the box.

On the stroke of half-time Villa keeper Fionn Phelan played the ball straight to Michael Barry and the Tramore striker tried to chip the ball over the keeper but Phelan recovered to save at his far post.

BROWNE HEADS WINNER 

Villa started the second-half on top. On 55 Conor McEnery overlapped down the right and his pass found Steven Cooke free but his cross shot flew wide of the far post. Two minutes later Villa scored what proved to be the winning goal.

Max Walsh stood over a free-kick just inside the Tramore half. He clipped the ball over the Tramore defence and JP Browne timed his run to perfection and he arrived unmarked in the box to head powerfully into the net past Tramore keeper Rob Kearney.

Villa looked to push home their advantage and on 62 minutes Finlay Hughes took on the Tramore defence but he fired wide from a good position. Villa then introduced Anderson Dupe to play in front of the back four but Tramore brought on Darby Sheridan and suddenly the game began to swing back in Tramore’s favour.

For the closing ten minutes Tramore were camped in the Villa half. On 70 minutes Michael Barry beat Villa keeper with a near post header but Conor McEnery cleared off the line. Then Adam Chapman found space in a crowded box but Villa keeper Fionn Phelan made a brilliant save. Tramore had their last chance of the game with four minutes left on the clock, the ball fell to Nelson Lawrence eight yards from goal but Villa defender Daragh O’Brien got across to make a goal saving block.

The game ended on a sad note for Tramore as both Ben Clune and Michael Barry were shown red cards in stoppage time. At full-time John Power’s grandchildren Brooke, John and Jack presented the medals to both teams and John Power himself presented Villa captain Darragh O’Connor with the John Power U16A Cup.

TRAMORE AFC: Rob Kearney, Geoff Crowley, Stephen Fahy, Ben Clune, Ryan Walsh, Sam Hamilton, Michael Barry, Max Weldon, Patrick Barrett, Adam Chapman, Conor Walsh, Nelson Lawrence, Darby Sheridan, Conor Cleary, Adam Freyne, Paul O’Gorman, Noah McDonald, Conor Whelan.

VILLA FC: Fionn Phelan, Darragh O’Brien, Greg Rabadin, Max Walsh, Sebastian Owczarek, Conor McEnery, Aaron Knox, Max Hutchison, Darragh O’Connor, Anderson Dupe, Steven Cooke, Mark Connors, Nathan Novak, Finlay Hughes, JP Browne, Tagh Lawlor, Joao Bray, David Johnson Osahon.

Referee: Noel Connolly. Assisted by Triston Russell and Trevor Hartley.