Piltown goalscorer Paul Walsh celebrates with Brian Gallagher.

Piltown goalscorer Paul Walsh celebrates with Brian Gallagher.

Piltown 1; Seaview Celtic 0

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Piltown will play Rathgormack in the final of the Third Division Marquis Cup following a narrow victory over Seaview Celtic in Ozier Park on Thursday night last.

Seaview had won the Division 2 Infirmary Cup the previous week and the Annestown club were hoping to make it a double but Piltown proved to be just that little bit too strong for them.

The Co Kilkenny outfitare still going strong in the First Division Infirmary Cup so they could be celebrating on two fronts during the coming weeks.

It was clear from the opening whistle that only one goal would decide the winners, and that is how matters panned out on what was a glorious May evening.

Walsh strike

The opening half an hour was a very cagy affair with both sides playing it very tight at the back. The midfield area was also very congested which resulted in very little in the way of goalmouth action. A few long-range efforts and the odd free kick was all that was produced during that period.

The deadlock was broken however on 31 minutes and there was an element of luck about the goal. A long ball played forward by Piltown’s Tom Whelan was sliced up into the air by Seaview defender Neil Mulcahy as the attempted to clear the danger. The ball fell into the path of Paul Walsh and he took full advantage by hammering it past stranded Seaview goalkeeper Andy Gahan from just inside the area.

Piltown ‘keeper Jonathan Stewart did well to prevent an equaliser after 35 minutes by diving to his left to save from Ward Murray, who was put in the clear by Nicky O’Reilly.

Just before the half-time whistle Paul Walsh almost scored his second goal when he hooked the ball over Gahan from the edge of the penalty area, but Neil Mulcahy brilliantly headed the ball off the line.

Pressure

Piltown began brightly when the second period got going and when Michael Dooley found Brian Gallager a goal looked on, but Gallagher shot into the side netting from the right.

Seaview’s Anthony Jones brought a fine save from Jonathan Stewart on 52 minutes after the Piltown defender Adrian Carroll had lost the flight of the ball.

Back came Piltown and Gahan was called into action once again, this time saving from Paul Walsh after he’d made good contact with a free kick taken by Tony Robinson.

Anthony Jones blazed over the Piltown crossbar from close range on 79 minutes and there was almost a dramatic ending when two minutes into stoppage time Neil Mulcahy cracked in a blistering shot which looked a goal all over but somehow Adrian Carroll managed to head off the line.

Seconds later the match referee Mark Corcoran blew the full-time whistle.

Piltown: Jonathan Stewart, Jack Quinn, Adrian Carroll, Tony Robinson, Brendan Ryan, Colin Regan, Tom Whelan, Michael Dooley, James Brophy, Paul Walsh, Brian Gallagher. Subs: Mark Ryan for Brophy (61 mins), David Cummins for Whelan (67).

Seaview Celtic: Andy Gahan, Don O’Brien, David Walsh, Neil Mulcahy, Shane Nolan, Anthony Jones, Paul Moran, Nicky O’Reilly, Moses Okereafor, Ward Murray, Jamie Burns. Subs: Niall Power for Murray (78 mins) Daniel Nugent for O’Reilly (80) Richie Walsh for Jones (90).

Referee: Mark Corcoran.