
Report & Picture: Anthony Horgan.
Youghal United 1 – Carrigaline United 3 Ardrath Park Wed 22nd Oct 19:45.
It was a disapointing finish for the lads in the quarter final of the league cup as they went down 3-1 to a Carrigaline team who play in a division above them in the premier junior league.
The game was only minutes old when Damien Linehan in the Youghal goal was called into action to tap over a header from a corner kick. Minutes later at the other end Tony Dempsey tried his luck from long range only to see his effort to be picked up by the keeper. Carrigaline did have the ball in the Youghal net after 10 minutes only for the referee to blow for offside.
The next 20 mins saw Youghal press on and have a load of long range chances but none really troubled the Carrigaline keeper. On the rare occasion of a break away from the visitors they nearly took the lead , good play down the right wing to the end line and a ball pulled back across the square found the centre forward whos shot was just wide.
Youghal finished the half very strong and had a number of good chances to take the lead. The first falling to Tony Dempsey when David Kenneally linked up with Anthony Daly who whipped in a cross only for Tony’s contact to be slight and fell into the keepers hands. But with the last kick of the half Barry McCarthy unleashed a bullet from the edge of the box only for it to hammer back off the upright with everyone beaten including the keeper. Half time 0-0.
Fives minutes into the second half Ian Scott won a free at the edge of the box , Barry McCarthy stepped up only to fire over the bar. Carrigaline took the lead on 57 mins when their forward ran the ball down the right wing and before he knew it he was inside the box and beat two defenders unchallenged , his effort deflected off a defender and found its way to the back of the net. This rattled Youghal but to their credit battled on to try and break the away team down. It eventually came on 75 mins when Ian Scott was upended in the area when trying to create some space to shoot , the referee pointed to the spot without hesitation. Again, Barry McCarthy stepped up and shot low to the right hand corner to level the game.
Both teams going for it now and Carrigaline were unlucky with a header off a corner was saved by Damien. It seemed to be all the away team piling on the pressue in the final minutes and they were awarded when they found the net in the 91st minute. A free crossed into the box caused all sorts of confusion and again the ball found the net off a Youghal defender. Youghal pushed one more time but could not break down the Carrigaline defence. Carrigaline in turn sealed victory in the 93 minute with a penalty kick after the forward was fouled in the box.
Youghal can take real heart out of this game remembering they were playing a team in a division above them. They showed they could compete with the best of them and lets hope they can take this form into the league games.