Dunmore East end 25-year wait for cup triumph
The Dunmore East FC team celebrate their Jimmy O'Neill Division 2 Cup Final success in Ozier Park on Friday night. Photos: Noel Browne.
Dunmore East lifted cup silverware for the first-time since 1999 when a hat-trick from Thomas Martin helped them to a 4-0 win over Piltown as they landed the Jimmy O’Neill Division 2 Cup Final at Ozier Park on Friday evening last.
It was the champions that got off to a flying start with a goal inside the opening four minutes of the contest when Colin O’Shea got clear down the left before crossing for Eoghan Reilly, and he slotted a right-footed shot to the near corner past a helpless Adam Murphy.
Piltown keeper Murphy made a great save to deny a second goal on 25 minutes. A neat move down the right saw Thomas Martin slip the ball into the path of Stephen Walsh, who in turn fed O’Shea, but his low shot was well kept out.
A second goal arrived for Dunmore as they continued to boss the opening half six minutes later. Colin O’Shea stood over a left-wing free-kick before putting in a dangerous ball to the back post where Thomas Martin headed home from close-range.
Joe Newell was just off target with another set piece for the victors on 37 minutes as his shot whistled wide of the left-hand post before Piltown had their first opportunity of note from a free-kick five minutes later, but Dean Power’s effort cleared the crossbar.
It took a stunning save from Piltown keeper Adam Murphy to deny the winners a third goal on 61 minutes when Eoghan Reilly cracked in a brilliant effort from distance, but the netminder managed to tip the ball onto the bar and over.
Martin grabbed his second goal of the game with 70 minutes on the clock when he found space for himself down the right-side after a through ball from Colin O’Shea and he drilled a cracking right-footed shot to the far corner past a helpless Murphy.
Dunmore added a super fourth goal that put the game totally to bed three minutes later when Eoghan Reilly played the ball behind the Piltown defence that put Thomas Martin into the clear and he completed his hat-trick with a good right-footed finish.
Joe Power brought a good save out of the Dunmore keeper Barry Lee with 77 minutes on the clock when he fired in shot from the left-side of the area before Stephen O’Keeffe also cracked in a shot four minutes from time that was well saved.
The sound of the final-whistle brought great celebrations for Dunmore and their supporters as they celebrated a first cup triumph in Ozier Park since winning the Marquis Third Division cup final 25-years ago.
After the game, Jim O’Neill on behalf of the O’Neill family presented the cup to a delighted Dunmore East skipper Ian Dunne with League representative Colin Power presenting the runners-up medals, and Jimmy’s grandson Sean O’Neill awarding the player of the match trophy to hat-trick hero Thomas Martin.
Barry Lee, Milo Curran (Sean Kearns 84), Joe Newell (Fabio Rossetti 80), Dean Kearns, Patrick Queally, Colin O’Shea (Killian Jones 84), Thomas Martin, Ian Dunne, Stephen Walsh (Bryn Moran 56), Eoghan Reilly, Peter Queally (Darragh Walsh 79)
Adam Murphy, Emmet Flynn (Cormac McKnight 78), Eoin Diffily, Daryl Maye (Joe Power 78), Kevin White, Stephen O’Keeffe, Oscar Whelan (Ben O’Gorman 87), Dean Power, Danny West (Conor Power 52), Jamie O’Connor (Senan Carroll 60), Liam Eachthigheirn.
Derek O’Brien assisted by John S Walsh and Eamonn Russell.
