Form sides meet in first Cup final

[A face]

Form sides meet in first Cup final

The two form sides of the eircom League, St Patrick’s Athletic and Longford Town, meet in this evening’s League Cup final at Richmond Park (7.45pm), when the first piece of silverware of the summer season is handed out.

The Saints are aiming for their fourth straight victory in competitive matches, having overcome Dublin City in the FAI Cup and taken successive league victories, over UCD and reigning champions Bohemians, to move into a close third place in the table, just two points behind leaders Shelbourne.

However, if the Saints are in top form, the same can surely be said of their opponents this evening.

Alan Matthews’s Longford are also aiming for a fourth consecutive win, and have taken victories in six of their last seven matches. Indeed, the only occasion in that spell in which they have failed to take maximum reward was the league meeting with the Saints at Flancare Park on the second day of this month.

The sides played out a 1-1 draw in front of the Longford followers, while their other meeting this season, at Richmond Park in May, also ended 1-1. With 17 draws between them from 36 league games this season, extra-time looks a distinct possibility this evening.

Longford’s Shane Barrett has emerged as one of the league’s most potent attackers this summer, breaking into Matthews’s first XI and quickly becoming his side’s key player.

The Meathman’s pace has seen him become an integral part of the midlanders’ side since breaking up the largely misfiring partnership of Eric Lavine and Sean Francis this season.

The Saints will be hoping that their key attacker - Tony Bird - is fit to play after missing Friday night’s league victory over Bohs with a neck strain. Bird also missed his side’s previous outing, against Dublin City in the FAI Cup, through suspension.

In his absence, big Englishman Jamie Harris has stood in to good effect, scoring one and making another against Bohs three days ago, and he will deputize once more if Bird fails to recover in time.

Pats second-string goalkeeper James Gallagher, who has been an ever-present in this competition as manager Eamonn Collins opted to use his fringe players, is likely to miss out this time with a hip complaint, so first-choice Chris Adamson is expected to remain in goal.

Right back Stephen Quigley, another of the Saints’ fringe men, is doubtful, as is first-choice right back Barry Prenderville, so Trevor Croly could come in.

For Longford, midfielder Philip Keogh returns after suspension, but centre half and captain Barry Ferguson needs a late fitness test on a knee injury and Sean Prunty, Tom Silke and recent signing Stephen Paisley are all doubtful. Winger Brian Byrne, meanwhile, serves a suspension and so misses tonight’s decider.

Manager Matthews is adamant that his side will be intent on taking a rare piece of silverware back to the midlands. "It’s of great significance to us," he said. "It’s an opportunity to springboard the club to the next level by winning a trophy and increasing our profile."


www.eleven-a-side.com

[A face]

High drama as Pats seal late win

St Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 Longford Town
There was high drama on Monday night at Richmond Park as St Patrick’s Athletic claimed the League Cup, David Freeman netting the winner three minutes from time before Longford captain Barry Ferguson missing a penalty with the last kick of the game.

Freeman, the former Nottingham Forest trainee, finished to the Longford net with goalkeeper Stephen O’Brien left stranded after a free kick from Paul Osam had rebounded off a post.

The goal came in the 87th minute of the match, although much of the real drama had yet to unfold.

That came deep into injury time, when the midlanders were awarded a penalty by match referee Eddie Barr after Eric Lavine was deemed to have been fouled inside the area.

Ferguson, with an excellent record from spot kicks, stepped up to try to send the match to extra-time, but his kick spun wide to hand the Saints the first piece of silverware of the new season.

In an evenly balanced final, the home side had had the best of the chances of the first half, but Longford largely dominated the second.

Pats pair Charles Mbabazi Livingstone and Keith Fahy both came close in the first half, but neither were able to find the target with a header and shot respectively.

Lavine had Longford’s first real effort in the tenth minute of the second half, and two minutes later Town midfielder Vinny Perth rounded Saints keeper Chris Adamson only to see his effort cleared off the line by Jamie Harris, who took his place in defence after impressing at centre forward against Bohemians on Friday night.

Philip "Pip" Keogh brought a good save from Adamson as Longford aimed to make their territorial dominance tell, but the introduction of veteran midfielder Paul Osam gave the Saints a real impetus going into the last 25 minutes of the tie.

And it was from Osam’s free kick that the winner came, his cracking effort rebounding for Freeman to tap home for the winner, although the game will be remembered as much for Ferguson’s late, late miss.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Adamson, Quigley (Osam, 61), el-Khebyr, Prenderville (Foley, 16), Harris, Fahey, Murphy, Donnelly, Livingstone, Bird, Freeman (Dunne, 89).

Longford Town: O’Brien, Murphy, Dillon (Mulvihill, 88), McGovern, Ferguson, Perth, Sheridan, Kirby, Keogh, Lavine, Barrett (Francis, 35).

Referee: E Barr (Dublin).


www.eleven-a-side.com