Abbey FC Come from Behind to Claim Frank Linehan Cup Crown

Abbey Business 4 – 1 ISF Ballyphehane

Man of the match: Ronan Twomey

It was the first of a double header of finals in St Colman’s Park as Abbey FC emerged victorious in the Frank Linehan Cup final after defeating ISF Ballyphehane 4-1, writes Donncha Noonan.

It only took two minutes for the first big moment of the game, and it went Ballyphehane’s way. A long free kick from the right hand side fell kindly to Craig Williams at the back post who managed to angle a volley goalward, but Timothy Connolly got down and pushed the shot away.

Buoyed off their good start, Ballyphehane capitalised and took the lead after half an hour. Robert Lynam rose highest to an outswinging Sean Moynihan corner and glanced a header into the far corner to give his side the lead.

That lead only lasted five minutes though, as Abbey drew level. An inswinging corner forced Alan Murphy into a save, and the rebound landed to Rory Kelly who was able to tuck it home and grab his side an equaliser.

Abbey completed the turnaround and took the lead just a few minutes later. A quick free kick went wide to Shane Murphy, who got down the line and lifted a ball into the box, where it met the head of John McLoughlin who nodded the ball into the back of the net to send his side into the break with a one goal advantage.

Abbey kicked on at the start of the second half and had two back to back chances to grab a third after an hour. McLoughlin fired a volley off the crossbar after getting in the end of a Jason Cullinane cross, and then rattled the bar again with a header a minute later.

Abbey finally found their third in the sixty eighth minute. Ronan Twomey played a defence-splitting pass through for Fran O’Callaghan to chase, and O’Callaghan latched onto it and coolly slotted it into the bottom right corner to further his team’s lead.

The substitute wasn’t done there though as he grabbed his second of the night with four minutes to play. He stepped up to take a free kick wide on the left hand side and whipped a stunning effort into the top right corner to bury the game. 

O’Callaghan almost got his hat trick late on, as he rattled the bar but it wasn’t to be, as he had to settle for two as his side saw out the win and claimed the Frank Linehan Cup. Congratulations to everyone at Abbey Business.

Abbey Business: T. Connolly, C. Philpott, J. Cullinane, S. Murphy, C. Lucey, J. McCleverty, R. Twomey, R. Kelly, J. McLoughlin, K. O’Driscoll, M. Sheehan, B. Kent, L. Daly, J. Ryan, F. O’Callaghan, D. Crotty, N. O’Donovan, P. Scully.

ISF Ballyphehane: A. Murphy, P. Mealy, C. Williams, O. O’Sullivan, R. Tier, T. Shanahan, M. Barry, G. Singh-Hennessy, M. Moxamed, R. Lynam, S. Moynihan, A. Moynihan, G. Smith, J. Hooley, L. Forde, M. Vangahun, J. Thompson, S. Keating.