ARC Rovers Triumph in Thrilling Jackie O’Driscoll Cup Final

ARC Rovers 3 – 3 Swift  (ARC Rovers win on penalties)

Man of the Match: James Moynihan

ARC Rovers secured the Jackie O’Driscoll Premier Division Cup after winning a thrilling cup final over the Premier Division winners Swift in the Mardyke.

The game was cagey right from the off and ARC Rovers went close to taking an early lead five minutes in. Adam Carroll whipped a ball over the top to Padraig Cotter who burst through on goal, but he put his effort over the bar and the game remained level.

They would be made to rue that chance as Swift took the lead with eighteen minutes gone. ARC Rovers failed to deal with a cross from Eoghan O’Sullivan and the ball broke to Michael Peters on the edge of the box, who rocketed a shot into the bottom right corner to give his side the lead.

Despite being a goal down, ARC Rovers kept the pressure on and brought the game back level six minutes later. Padraig Cotter got down the right wing and hooked a ball towards the back post where Dylan Cruise O’Shea guided a header into the far corner to snatch an equaliser.

Both sides went back and forth for the rest of the half but it was Swift who took the lead for the second time on the stroke of half time. Damien O’Mahony sent a cross from the right hand side that bounced through the box before falling to Eoghan O’Sullivan who struck it low into the back of the net to give Swift the lead going into half time.

ARC Rovers came out for the second half firing and it only took them six minutes into the half to once again level the game. A ball into the box caused Swift trouble with the ball pinballing around the box, before it fell to James Moynihan who struck the ball on the volley into the far right corner to  tie the match up for the second time.

Swift managed to take the lead for a third time ten minutes later. A corner wasn’t cleared fully and it landed to Eoghan O’Sullivan who fired a shot into the bottom right corner to grab his second of the game and Swift’s third.

But, once again, Swift’s lead didn’t last long and three minutes later ARC Rovers equalised for the third time. A ball into the box caused havoc with Tyrese Raheem hitting the bar from close range, and picking up the rebound and laying it off to James Moynihan who rifled the ball into the back of the net to provide yet another turn in the game.

The game continued the chaos but neither side could find that winning goal in the last twenty minutes of normal time as the game headed into extra time.

Extra time proved to be just as mad as the normal time as the game continued to be end to end, and ARC Rovers had the best chance of the first period on the stroke of half time in extra time. The ball bobbled around the edge of the box before flicking up for Conor Ryan who sent a shot towards goal, which bounced up before reaching the goal to force William Murphy into a good reaction save to keep his side level.

The best chance of the second period went the other way, with ARC Rovers hitting the woodwork five minutes from time. Padraig COtter picked up the ball in midfield and advanced brilliantly before letting fly from outside the box, but he saw his effort crash off the post as the game went to penalties.

Penalties it was in the final, and it was a nightmare start for Swift as they’re first two penalties were saved and skied over the bar while ARC Rovers buried their first two. ARC Rovers then scored to put the pressure on Swift who had to score, but they did to make it 3-1 on penalties after three pens each. This meant ARC Rovers could score to win it, but they missed while Swift scored to make it 3-2 with one pen left each. ARC Rovers could once again score to win, and it was Padraig Cotter who stepped up and buried it to secure ARC Rovers the Jackie O’Driscoll cup after a hearty fight from a goal down three different times. Congratulations to everyone at ARC Rovers.

ARC Rovers: D. Cummins, A. O’Connor, S. Herlihy, S. O’Connell, B. Kelly, J. Moynihan, P. Cotter, G. Harrington, T. Raheem, A. Carroll, D. Cruise O’Shea, T. Carroll, D. McGuire, D. Hosford, C. Ryan, L. Hart, D. Cullinane, A. Maher.

Swift: W. Murphy, D. Kelleher, I. Skillington, T. McSweeney, M. O’Connor, J. Cambridge, D. O’Mahony, M. Peters, E. O’Sullivan, J. Corcoran, W. Corcoran, A. O’Sullivan, R. Twomey, S. Coleman, N. Nolan, A. Cambridge, J. McCarthy, I. Kent