Murphy heads extra-time winner for super Saints
St. Joseph’s captain Shane O'Brien with the Matt Stafford cup.
Former Republic of Ireland Senior International Daryl Murphy headed a brilliant extra-time winner as St. Joseph’s came from a goal down to deny Dungarvan United the league and cup double by claiming the Matt Stafford Division 4 Cup Final at a rain soaked Ozier Park on Saturday afternoon.
After both teams found the net with goals inside the final five minutes of normal time, Murphy popped up with the winner on 67 minutes when he powered a header to the back of the net after a Stephen Westwood left-wing delivery.
It was Dungarvan that went close with the first chance on four minutes when David Condon fizzed a shot wide of the right-hand post before Kieran Cotter’s long clearance sent Nicky Donnelly into the clear on 13 minutes, but he couldn’t direct his attempted lob of keeper Cillian Ryan on target.
Paul Smith carved out the first chance for St. Joseph’s four minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from Warren Sauvage on the left-side of the penalty area, but his shot was saved by Dungarvan keeper Cotter.
Stephen Murphy had an opportunity to put the saints in front five minutes before the sound of the half-time whistle when he spun off his marker to get on the end of a Shane O’Brien left-wing delivery, but his header just cleared the crossbar.
Patrick Hallahan found space for himself down the right-side on the stroke of the half-time whistle, but he couldn’t direct the ball on target before Shane Kelly’s first opportunity of the second-half on 39 minutes whistled over the crossbar.
Kelly went close again for the Old Borough outfit with 52 minutes on the clock when he took a pass from Edward Hynes just outside the area, but his deflected right-footed effort from distance just went wide of Cillian Ryan’s right-hand post.
It took a brilliant save from Ryan to deny the league champions the lead goal two minutes later when Patrick Lynch got on the end of a ball into the area after the back post, but after the keeper kept out his first effort, the rebound was cleared out for a corner that yielded the breakthrough.
A corner was swung over from the left that found the head of Shane Kelly, and he found the back of the net with a neat header that led to great celebrations from the Dungarvan players as they were within touching distance of the double.
But there was another twist in the tail as St. Joseph’s levelled the contest with a minute remaining on the clock. Shane O’Brien sent the ball into the penalty area that found the head of central defender Glenn Walsh, who found the net with a header.
With extra-time needed to separate the two teams, it was Daryl Murphy’s golden winner that had the saints’ supporters celebrating when the striker rose inside the area to plant a header to the near corner after a Stephen Westwood delivery.
Dungarvan did try to force an equalising goal with the time that remained in the game, but they couldn’t really trouble the St. Joseph’s goalkeeper as the final whistle from referee Derek Butler after a chunk of injury-time brought great celebrations for Waterford’s oldest club.
After the game, Louise and Claire Stafford on behalf of the Stafford family were on hand to present the Matt Stafford Cup to a delighted St. Joseph’s skipper Shane O’Brien with midfielder Paul Butler picking up the player of the match winner. League chairman Damien Tiernan presented the league title trophy to Dungarvan captain Kevin Walsh as both teams left Ozier Park in the rain with a trophy.
Cillian Ryan, Stephen Bible, Stephen Murphy, Glenn Walsh, Jason Phelan, David O’Mahony, Shane O’Brien, Paul Butler, Daryl Murphy, Warren Sauvage, Paul Smith, Stephen Westwood, Clint Power, Eddie Keenan, Eddie Sauvage, Lee Power, James Ryan, Kieran Egan.
Kieran Cotter, Killian Lyons, John Wall, Patrick Lynch, Kevin Walsh, Pat Quinn, David Condon, Edward Hynes, Nicky Donnelly, Shane Kelly, Michael Burke, Noel Buckley, Owen Sheridan, Jonathan Shaw, Michael White, Richie Halpin, Patrick Hallahan, Johnny Healy.
Derek Butler assisted by Adrian Scanlon and John Walsh.
