O’Brien’s golden goal steers Tramore to a hard earned cup success
Tramore team that beat Avondale United in the FAI Junior Cup clash played at Graun Park on Sunday last. Photos: Paul Elliott.
Tramore progressed to the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup after this hard earned win over their Cork visitors Avondale United at Graun Park on Sunday afternoon last. Dara O’Brien was the hero for the Seagulls as his early strike was enough to put Leigh Quilty’s side into the hat for the next round later this week.
Avondale were trailing with minutes left on the clock and they pushed everybody forward in a bid to snatch the equaliser, but the hosts held firm in defence with goalkeeper Gavin Buckley making a couple of excellent saves to keep their opponents at bay.
O’Brien struck after seven minutes to put Tramore into the lead. It was Cian Flanagan who burst into the visitors penalty area and when the ball broke loose the attacking player, he showed composure to sweep the ball into the net from eight yards.
The home side could have doubled their lead on 13 minutes when Lee Kavanagh cut inside and set up Dara O’Brien, but the angle was tight and Avondale keeper Dane Murphy raced off his line to make a fine save.
It was all about the Tramore attack at this stage with goalkeeper Gavin Buckley a mere spectator. On 27 minutes, Kavanagh raced into the box and his clever pass beat the last defender but with the goal at his mercy Dara O’Brien from six yards somehow managed to lift the ball over the crossbar.
The threat of O’Brien was always there and he got behind the Avondale defence on 39 minutes before sending in a low cross that fell to Jack Ahern at the far post and his first time left-footed effort forced a near post save from the visitors keeper Dane Murphy.
The second-half was only four minutes old when Tramore had another big chance to increase their lead. Charlie Binions whipped in a corner from the left that saw the ball hung underneath the crossbar, but Ben Daly’s header came back off the post and bounced clear.
Finally Avondale woke up and realised this was an FAI Junior Cup tie and if they allowed Tramore to dominate the game they were going out. They began to push men forward and started to cause the home defence some problems.
Striker Conor Whelan held up the ball and this gave the midfield players a chance to join the attack. Whelan and Bryan Lyons fired in efforts on goal but good defending by Conor McGough and Jack Deegan saw both shots blocked.
On the hour mark, Tramore keeper Gavin Buckley was called into action when visiting winger Gavin Falvey fired in a right-wing cross that saw Buckley back pedal to tip the ball over the bar.
There was a chance for the home side at the other end on 71 minutes when Dara O’Brien won a free-kick for Tramore, but his strike only found the arms of keeper Murphy as Tramore tried to put the game to bed.
But they were nearly undone in the 89th minute as Avondale had a big chance to equalise. A long throw-in by Falvey was never properly cleared by the home defence and the ball fell to Kevin McSweeney, but his weak effort was saved on the line by Gavin Buckley.
In the last minute, the Cork effort went close again. Gary Murphy whipped a cross into the Tramore box, and when the ball broke loose to King Iyalla, Gavin Buckley saved at the near post and Ben Daly provided the clearance as referee Gary Fitzgerald blew the final whistle.
Gavin Buckley, Aran O’Brien, Conor McGough, Dara O’Brien (Tom Carney 87), Charlie Binions , Lee Kavanagh (Jack Caulfield 81), Sam Sheppard (Conor Butler 73), Ben Daly, Jack Ahern, Cian Flanagan (Kealan Graham 86), Jack Deegan.
Dayne Murphy, Conor Croin (Greg Murphy 82) , Kevin McSweeney, Liam O’Sullivan, Michael Carroll, Sean Egan, Niall Brennan, Leo Cheung (King Iyalla 84), Conor Whelan, Bryan Lyons, Dylan Cotter (Gavin Falvey 46).
Gary Fitzgerald assisted by John S Walsh and Richie Brazil
