Pike Rovers beaten in FAI Junior Cup final

Pike Rovers FAI Junior Cup dream was dashed in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Sheriff YC claimed glory for the third time in five years.

Played in glorious sunshine, the Dublin side got the decisive goal just after the half hour mark when Sean Murphy’s cross headed past Pike keeper Gary Neville by the inrushing Mark Higgins.

It remained 1-0 at the break and although Pike had plenty of possession in the second half they couldn’t forge an equaliser.

PIKE ROVERS: Gary Neville; Wayne O’Donovan, Pa Mullins, Sean O’Callaghan, Edward O’Donovan; Wayne Colbert, Shane Walsh (Jason Mullins, 46); John Connery, Steven McGann (Paddy O’Malley, 62), Cian Collins; Garry Higgins (Colin Daly, 57).

SHERIFF YC: Lee Murphy; Paul Murphy, Anthony Kavanagh, Joe O’Neill, Kevin Lynch; John Lester; Sean Murphy (Stewart Glen, 83), Darren Dunne, Darren O’Brien, Mark Higgins (Thomas Dunne, 81); Jonathan Rock.

REFEREE: Jonathan Walsh

- For a full report on this game and more from the Aviva Stadium, see Pat Sheehan’s report in the weekend print edition of the Limerick Leader