Goal scorer Barry Murphy in action.
Trinity Corinthians 0; Carrick United 1
Waterford’s Premier League champions, Carrick United are into the last eight of the Umbro FAI Junior Cup following an absolutely brilliant win in Dublin on Saturday last.
This is not virgin territory for the ‘Super Hoops’ as they made it all the way to the final in 2004 (they lost to Fairview Rangers at the RSC) but nevertheless this is an absolutely superb achievement by the current Carrick United side.
In the previous round they won away in Co Kerry by defeating Killarney Celtic and in Round 5 they easily defeated Cahir Park in Tom Drohan Park, Coolnamuck, so there is no doubt that they are hell-bent on winning the trophy this season.
Last season they also made it into the quarter-finals only to lose at home to St John Bosco from Dublin. The Dublin outfit then defeated the Villa in the last four before they lost to Killester in the final.
Carrick United are still going strong in the Munster Junior Cup also, having beaten the Villa in extra-time last week. That game was a tough bruising affair but it took little or nothing out of them because they had to dig deep against a big strong Trinity Corinthians team in Santry Avenue on Saturday last.
The pitch was extremely large which suited the open playing style of Carrick and they used every blade of grass despite the heavy underfoot conditions.
Playing against the breeze in the first half, Carrick went very close on two occasions. Keith Walsh got on to the end of an Anthony Power left wing cross after 15 minutes but his header went narrowly over the crossbar.
Five minutes later, Anthony Power picked out Ian Cleary who controlled the ball but his shot also went over the crossbar. In between those chances, the Carrick goalkeeper Adrian Walsh pulled off a fine save.
Carrick looked very comfortable in the second half and when the host club were reduced to 10 players it was only a matter of time before the Waterford champions scored and the golden goal arrived 15 minutes from full-time.
Anthony Power’s long ball was brilliantly flicked on by junior International Wayne Fitzgerald into the path of substitute Barry Murphy, who in turn powered a header to the back of the net.
Needless to say, Trinity Corinthians threw everything bar the kitchen sink at Carrick during the remainder of the game but this current Carrick team are made of hardy stuff and the United Churches League outfit could have thrown the Dublin Spike at them but it would have made no difference.
The Waterford League is still standing tall then thanks to Carrick United in the most famous Junior Cup competition in Europe. Carve their names with pride.
