Aisling Annacotty see off Fairview Rangers to claim dramatic Youth Division One Boland Cup success

Youth Division One Boland Cup Final:

Aisling Annacotty A 5 Fairview Rgs 4

THE Youth Division One Boland cup final kept the spectators firmly in place at Jackman Park on Tuesday evening when Aisling Annacotty and Fairview Rangers played out a nine-goal thriller that was in doubt right until the final whistle.

Aisling showed great fight to bounce back from falling two behind to run in five goals to take control of the tie. However, Fairview battled back and made it a one goal game with 15 minutes remaining.

Solid if somewhat chaotic defending in the final minutes kept the Blues at bay to give some consolation to Aisling following their Munster Cup final defeat last week.

Fairview opened the scoring within ten minutes when Calum Murphy crossed from the right and Jamie Hannon’s overhead shot crept in the corner.

Minutes later Fairview were two up when Emmet Hehir fired a free kick from outside the box past the defensive wall into the corner of the net.

The Blues took their foot off the pedal and Aisling stepped in when Sean O’Brien crossed from the right and Alex Keating pounced to volley home from an acute angle.

Aisling Annacotty captain Jack Dolan receives the Boland Cup from Noel Dunphy, Limerick District League

After the restart Aisling took control of the tie and were back on level terms when Sean O'hAodha headed in at the back post from a corner kick.

Aisling took the lead for the first time when Sean O'hAodha scored a second goal from a free kick on the edge of the area and minutes later defender Callum Murphy volleyed home a beauty from 20 yards to make it 4-2.

Fairview went chasing a reply and were hit with a sucker punch when the speedy Keating scored his second following a surging run from inside his own half.

To their credit Fairview did not throw in the towel and got some home when Matt Te Pou crossed for Aaron Haugh to score from close range.

The same pairing struck again minutes later when Haugh netted his second to make it 5-4.

Try as they might Fairview could not find an equaliser so Aisling collected the coveted Boland Cup.

For those who missed the action, these two sides, joint leaders, meet again on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the League in a game well worth a visit.

Aisling Annacotty A: Mark Forde; Ben Moylan; Sean O'Brien; Jack Dolan; Callum Murphy; Sean O'hAodha; Sean Hartigan; Cian Arthur; Alex Keating; Donnacha Hogan; David Moloney. Subs: Daniel Ryan; Sean Quinn; Andrew Kearney; Adam Melikehi; Colm Kinehan.

Fairview Rgs: Jonathan Mullaney; Adam Keating; James Young; Fintan O'Kelly; Mark Ward; Emmet Hehir; Stephen Young; Josh McCarthy; Jamie Hannon; Calum Murphy; Aaron Haugh. Subs: Matthew Te Pou; Cameron O'Grady; Leon Johnson; Jake Stack; Jack Flanagan; Conor Eybulain.