Limerick's Regional United celebrate thrilling Munster Junior Cup final win

MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP FINAL:

Regional Utd 2 Newmarket Celtic 2
(Regional Utd won 4-2 on pens, aet)

REGIONAL United were the toast of Limerick soccer on Saturday evening when they became the 12th Limerick club to put their name on the Munster Junior Cup in its 100-year history, following a thrilling penalty shoot-out win over FAI Junior Cup champions Newmarket Celtic.

Rank outsiders in the bookies, few would have given Regional a chance against a formidable Celtic side and when they fell two goals behind early in the first half the writing looked on the wall.

However, Regional hung on for the remainder of a poor opening 45 minutes but they emerged after the restart a different prospect and second half goals from Kieran O’Connell and Eduardo Almeida tied the game.

Penalties were required to decide the tie and goalkeeper Peter Healy put his name on the record books saving two penalties to secure the win.   

It is a hugely popular win for the Dooradoyle club among the local soccer fraternity.  For none more so than captain Kieran O’Connell. The towering skipper has stuck by his own club all through his career despite being courted by a host of clubs across the region. 

His work rate and his love for the club, highlighted in his acceptance speech, is an example to all. O'Connell was in the thick of the action all day, and his goal to bring Regional back into the tie was critical.

Eduardo Almeida was brilliant on the day for the winners. He had the envious job of keeping tabs on Irish striker Eoin Hayes and to keep him scoreless while chipping in with the equaliser at the other end, marked him as my man of the match. 

Joey Rushe was also excellent at left full while the experienced David Cowpar kept things together when you feared the worst for United. 

Regional were out of the blocks like a sprinter and had a number of chances in the opening five minutes.  O’Connell flicked on for Filip Mostowy but his well struck shot was turned away by Celtic ‘keeper Cusack.

Minutes later Ewan O’Brien had a volley deflected for a corner from which Tommy Frawley was denied by a goal line clearance from Conor McDaid.

Another corner saw Mostowy deliver into the area where Frawley forced a shot through that struck the upright before Ruairi Casserly fired the rebound wide. 

Wasting chances against a side the calibre of Celtic will cost as Regional found out three minutes later when with the visitors first real chance Gearoid O'Brien played Darragh Leahy through and he fired across Healy into the far corner to open the scoring.

With Regional still reeling they looked like they had pressed the self-destruct button when David O’Grady picked out the unmarked Ethan Fitzgerald whose shot was cleared off the line by Frawley but his clearance struck keeper Healy and rolled into the net. 

Regional were glad to get to the break without any further damage particularly as their best player this season Tommy Frawley also hobbled out of the action.

Whatever was said had the desired effect as they took the game to their opponents from the off. 
Casserly blazed over from O’Connell’s flick on and at the other end Hayes lost his marker momentarily but the alert David

Cowpar read the danger and got in a crucial block. 
The Limerick side pressed on an Mostowy tried a snap shot that forced Cusack to turn the ball over and O’Connell fired over from a good position. 

The pressure told just after the hour mark. An innocuous looking ball into the area caught Cusack waiting for the arrival when O’Connell nipped in front of the keeper to finish to the net. 

Regional smelled blood. Ewan O'Brien’s free kick into the area was met by Eduardo Almeida but his header was inches wide of the upright. 

The equaliser arrived on 72 minutes. Mostowy’s corner saw Almedia’s diving header blocked on the line. The rebound fell to Ewan O'Brien on the edge of the box and when his shot was stopped by McDaid, Almedia was on hand to fire in the rebound.  

Regional had a great chance to win it when Almedia’s long ball saw Fitzgerald slip allowing O’Connell a free run-on goal but he opted to try round Cusack but the keeper did well to smother the danger. 

With time running out, a back pass gone bad, presented Hayes with a chance but he was taken out by a challenge from Healy that the Referee saved United’s blushes by waving play on. 

Celtic had a great chance to take the lead in extra time when Hayes picked out Ronan McCormack unmarked at the back post but his shot from eight yard out struck the angle of post and upright. 

The last real chance of note was another effort from the excellent Hayes but his rasping drive was turned away to safety by Healy at full stretch. 

The penalty shoot-out saw Healy make superb saves from Cusack and Hayes while successful kicks from Kieran O'Connell, Eduardo Almeida, Eoin Duff and Oleg Vysochan ensures the cup stays in Limerick for another year. 

Regional Utd: Peter Healy; Tom Frawley; Joey Rushe; Eduardo Almeida; David Cowpar; Ewan O'Brien; Brian O'Connor; Shane Carmody; Filip Mostowy; Kieran O'Connell; Ruairi Casserley. Subs: Luke Ryan; Oleg Vysochan; Pat McDonagh; Eoin Duff; Andrew Cowpar.

Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; Conor McDaid; David O'Grady; Harvey Cullinan; Ethan Fitzgerald; Jack Kelly; Aaron Rudd; Gearoid O'Brien; Darragh Leahy; Eoin Hayes; David McCarthy. Subs: Eunan Doherty; Ronan McCormack; Stephen Kelly; Kevin Hartnett; Gary Higgins.