ISF Ballyphehane Battle Back to Clinch Shandon Cup on Penalties

ISF Ballyphehane Celtic 1 – 1 Sabor Brazil Giants

(ISF Ballyphehane win on penalties)

Man of the Match: Jamie Thompson (ISF Ballyphehane Celtic)

ISF Ballyphehane Celtic came from a goal down to win the Shandon Cup after a highly contested battle with Sabor Braziil Giants in the Mardyke.

It was a tense and controlled start to the final with neither team giving the other much to work with, but it was Sabor Braziil Giants who had the first chance with nine minutes gone. Kaique Capecci provided a great cross which was latched onto by Flavio Cassiano, but Cassiano couldn’t keep the ball down and his first time effort went narrowly over from eight yards out.

Ballyphehane had chances of their own, and could have got the opener after twenty three minutes. A floated corner was met by the leaping Robert Lynam, but Lynam’s header went inches wide of the far post.

The game’s deadlock was finally broken on the stroke of half time, and it was Sabor Brazil Giants who took the lead. A corner caused carnage in the box before the ball broke to Hugo Monteiro, who laid it off at the edge of the box for Rafael Barreiro who sent an absolute rocket into the top right corner to give Sabor Brazil Giants the advantage going into half time.

Ballyphehane came out of the break with a point to prove, and did just that with eight minutes gone in the half. A corner to the back post was headed back across goal and came off the post after a Sabor Brazil Giants player headed it off his own post. The ball rebounded to Liam Coleman who tucked the ball away to level the final.

Ballyphehane almost took advantage of their momentum and went very close to doubling their lead two minutes later. A long ball over the top allowed Robert Lynam to chase it as he bore down on goal, but he dragged his shot just wide of the far post.

Both teams were very wary of the other’s threat so both teams struggled to create any big chances, but Ballyphehane got a huge chance with eight minutes to go. Robert Lynam was slipped down the left channel and tripped over in the box, with the referee pointing to the spot with no hesitation. Lynam himself stepped up to take it but crashed his penalty off the left post and the game remained level. That would be the last big action of normal time as the game headed to extra time.

Extra time was fairly uneventful as both teams tried to keep themselves safe in the game and that, combined with both teams legs being worn down, meant the game fizzled out as we headed for penalties.

Sabor Brazil Giants took first but put their pen wide. Ballyphehane took next and had their pen saved, but a retake was ordered and they buried the penalty at the second chance of asking. The next two penalties were scored to leave it as 2-1 after two each. Sabor Braziil Giants missed their next penalty, but so did Ballyphehane and it stayed 2-1 after three. Sabor Braziil Giants missed their fourth penalty, which gave Jamie Thompson the chance to win it, and he tucked it away to ensure that Ballyphehane are the Shandon Cup champions. Congratulations to everyone at ISF Ballyphehane Celtic.

ISF Ballyphehane Celtic: A. Murphy, A. Moynihan, C. Greene, W. Dridi, L. Coleman, G. Singh-Hennessy, M. Barry, N. Kennedy, M. Vangahun, R. Lynam, J. Thompson, C. Williams, T. O’Mahony, C. Noonan, M. Moxamed, J. Hooley, P. Mealy, P. McCarthy.
Sabor Braziil Giants: A. Batista, M. Martins, R. Barreiro, Arthur, W. Mendonca Oliveira, F. Cassiano, K. Capecci, F. Ramos Cordeiro, H. Monteiro, Thiago, Adriano, D. Capelao, S. Moraes, G. Giovanardi, J. Dos Santos Enz, K. De Jesus Ribeiro, D. Sikora, L. Scatolin.