Chren’s golden header wins Kennedy Cup Plate glory for wonderful Waterford
Waterford's Max Chren heads home at the back post for the golden goal that gave his side Kennedy Cup Plate final victory.
A stunning comeback from two goals down saw the Waterford Schoolboy League leave the SFAI Subway Kennedy Cup at the University of Limerick with Plate final success after extra-time success over the Limerick District Schoolboy League.
Whilst Max Chren’s sublime header in the first period of extra-time was the difference between the sides, Waterford keeper Lenson Mate Maher was the talk of the Limerick venue after his incredible point-blank save to deny Shane McAnulty deep into injury-time proved pivotal at the call of time.
This came after Tosh Cleary’s side were reduced to ten men and had to recover from conceding twice in the space of two minutes. With Tom Gahan, who was voted player of the match in the final, starting the comeback, Robert Skehan’s close-range finish in injury-time brought an extra 20 minutes before Chren’s winner.
A tentative opening to the contest saw chances at a premium before Dungarvan’s Callum Curran had a brilliant chance to break the deadlock on 18 minutes when he took a pass from Mícheál Ó Cuilleanáin, bit he couldn’t convert his close-range effort.
Craig Sheehan was just off target for Limerick with a shot from the top of the penalty area on 29 minutes before the brilliant Tom Gahan cracked in a thunderous free-kick three minutes later that was superbly tipped over the bar by Ryan Twomey.
Daniel Roche had an early second-half chance that went wide before Lenson Mate Maher produced the first of four incredible saves on 36 minutes when he somehow managed to tip a cracking effort from Ciaran Maher over the bar.
He could do nothing about the Limerick District breakthrough goal on 40 minutes when Luke Gleeson sent over a left-wing cross that picked out Adam O’Shea, and he turned superbly to find the far corner of the net from 14 yards.
Waterford found themselves further behind two minutes later when Joseph Cronin whipped over a right-wing cross that wasn’t dealt with by the defence, and when the ball broke for Ciaran Maher on the top of the penalty area, he drilled a left-footed shot to the net.
The deficit was halved by Waterford at the other end on 44 minutes when a magnificent left-wing Callum Curran corner broke for Tom Gahan at the back post, and he applied a first-time right-footed finish that gave his side hope.
When it looked as if Limerick District were going to see the game out, Waterford scored an equalising goal when Gahan’s free-kick broke off keeper Ryan Twomey, and it was Robert Skehan who was in the right place to fire home to send the game to extra-time.
It was the turn of keeper Lenson Mate Maher to become a hero early in the first period of extra-time when Maher laid the ball off into the path of Mudathir Alkanhafu, who looked certain to score, but his cracking shot was turned around the posts for a corner-kick.
Waterford’s golden winning goal came in the final minute of the first period of extra-time when Callum Curran sent over a left-wing corner-kick that found the head of Max Chren, and he planted a header to the corner of the net.
After James Stokes was red-carded as time ticked down in the dying moments after an altercation with a Limerick player, there was one final chance for the host county. Cronin played a free-kick into the danger area from his own half that saw the ball fall for Shane McAnulty, and his brilliant right-footed shot from close-range was somehow kept out.
The final whistle sounded seconds later to brilliant celebrations from a Waterford side that worked incredibly hard throughout the week, but especially with the never-say-die attitude that landed Plate final glory and a fifth-placed overall. After the game, Waterford captain Mícheál Ó Cuilleanáin picked up the Plate from SFAI’s Neil Cronin to great celebrations.
