NEWSFLASH

Under 17 Cup Semi Final
Newtown FC 7 Turnpike Rovers 2

Heavy rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm and skill of 2 excellent sides at Ballycasey where the pitch also stood  up  to the heavy rain.
The home side opened brightly with Brian McGorrian breaking down the right and Ken Buckley unlucky with a snap shot. Newtown went ahead on 10 minutes when a brilliant 20 yard defence splitting pass put Adam McMahon through and and he slotted home from 10 yards past  namesake Niall McMahon with similar slide rule precision. The keepers long kick out was not dealt with in the centre of the home defence 5 minutes later and Daniel Gimartin expertly beat Gary Whelan to level matters. What happened next was Maradonaesque versus England without the handball when Kennya Ogedengbe picked up a ball just inside  the home sides half beat 6 Newtown men, turning left then right, across the pitch before calmly beating the despairing dive of Whelan in the home net. A goal to grace any game and a just reward for the good crowd who braved the weather in Shannon. This shock jolted Newtown into action and 15 minutes later the responded fittingly with Aaron Leahy laying on a great pass for Hackett to beat McMahon from 10 yards. The breathtaking action came to a temporary halt as referee Dave McCarthy blew for half time with the sides level.

The second half continued in the same vein with Peter Barron's aerial battle in midfield with Thomas Cronan an intriguing affair. The breakthrough  came on 60 minutes  when Adam McMahon rounded his man and gave the Ennis keeper no chance to give his side the lead. Hackett, in inspiring form throughout received a one-two from Buckley and his advance on goal was illegally impeded by a Turnpike defender which was duly punished by a penalty converted by the same player. This was the 67th minute. The Ennis men now exposed their defence as they went in search of an equaliser and the sucker punch was struck when Peter Barron lobbed Mc Mahon from twenty yards. Number 6 came shortly afterwards  when McMahon's lobbed  cross was tapped home by Brian McGorrian. The good wine was saved till last as   Aaron Leahy hit a shot from fully 28 yards to beat Turnpikes keeper in the top left hand corner. Despite the final score the Ennis side contributed greatly to a brilliantly entertaining game which augurs well for the future

Newtown: G Whelan P Madden S Thompstone K O Shea S Hynan B McGorrian A Leahy P Barron cpt A McMahon K Hackett K Buckley. Subs: S Brennan for Buckley Nygaruja for McGorrian

Turnpike Rovers: N McMahon C O  Riordan N Cassidy E Coote M Molloy T Cronan  D Matha  K Ogedengbe C Russell D Gilmartin  E McCarthy. Subs: G. Dormer for  Russell C O'Grady for Ogedengbe  R Niland for Gilmartin

Referee: Dave Mc Carthy

Man of the Match:  Kieran Hackett