Five star Mullingar Athletic advance in Junior Cup

Stephen Fadian 3, Kevin Keegan, Noel Wall (og)This fourth round Leinster Junior cup game was fixed for Marcevich Park for Sunday morning last. However, with heavy rain falling on Thursday night the Landen United pitch was deemed unplayable on Friday afternoon. Thankfully common sense prevailed and the Dublin AUL Premier League side agreed to travel to Mullingar for a 4.30pm kick off on Saturday. It was a nice evening for football other than for a slight fog and after quite a scare the Mullingar Athletic AFC senior team eventually took full advantage of their home facility.With four minutes gone on the clock Mullingar should have been one up when Michael Fadian raced on to a ball from Kevin Keegan played between the two centre half's. With the Landen 'keeper advancing swiftly Fadian lifted the ball over him only to see his effort go to the wrong side of the left had post. Minutes later it was Stephen Fadian who once again found himself with only the keeper to beat and elected to shoot early on the narrow side and pulled his shot just wide of the same post.With Mullingar well on top the opening goal was to come from the head of Landed defender Noel Wall when under pressure from Michael Fadian he firmly headed a Claudio Nardone cross past his own 'keeper to the corner of the net on twenty minutes. With twenty seven minutes gone Stephen Fadian received a good pass from Enda Matthews and this time he made no mistake when his momentum took him past the 'keeper and he slotted the ball home from eight yards.With Mullingar missing two good early chances and now sitting pretty on a two goal lead one could have been forgiven for thinking that this game was over as a contest, but nothing could be further from the truth. With thirty seven gone on the clock Landen were awarded a free kick on Mullingar's left wing. The Landen number seven delivered a good ball to the six yard box that bounced between defenders and goalkeeper Joe Martin and with the pace on the delivers the ball skipped off the greasy surface and ended up in the top of the Mullingar net and suddenly it was game on again.As is quite normal in these situations the team who has the one goal lead get nervous and the team who have pulled back the goal lift their game. Landen's confidence grew and the Mullingar midfield conceded ground to the Dublin side playing much deeper than in the early stages of the half. Mullingar back four of Kevin Cambell, David Masterson , Mark Syron and Tony Dunne were playing well and were more than capable of dealing with the Landen from two. With the half drawing to a close referee Tony Ward blew a free out for a challenge on the Mullingar 'keeper Joe Martin when the ball ended up in the net, much to the annoyance of the Dublin side. With the Dublin side's game in the ascendancy, Mullingar manager Gerry Hynes will have been glad to see the half time whistle with the score remaining at two goals to one in his team's favour.Within five minutes of the restart Landen were level with a spectacular shot from all of thirty yards from their left winger. The ball sailed like an arrow to the top right hand corner of the Mullingar net leaving keeper Joe Martin no chance at all. Mullingar were shaken and were finding it difficult to get their passing game going and before they could gather breath they were a goal behind. This lead goal for the Dublin side came from a series of headers when the ball ping ponged over and back the Mullingar area before the big number nine headed past keeper Joe Martin to the top right hand corner of the net.Mullingar made a number of on sixty five minutes changes bringing on Dara Kiernan on left side on midfield moving Jimmey McEntee to the right and Tony Dunne to central midfield and withdrawing a very tiered Enda Matthews. Mullingar began to slowly regain a little momentum but never looked like carving out a scoring chance with the Dublin side getting bodies behind the ball to protect their one goal lead. With ten minutes remaining Mullingar went three at the back with drawing young Kevin Campbell from left back and introducing Dalibor to midfield and pushing Jimmy McEntee forward on the right.As Mullingar pressed for that elusive equalizer they were awarded a penalty when referee Tony Ward who was well positioned at the time, adjudged the Landen number six to have blocked a Dalibor shot with his hand. The player was close to or on the eighteen yard line at the time and it was a very marginal call to make.The Dublin side protested vigorously over the decision and Mullingar were just thankful for the lifeline that had been thrown to them. There was to be more drama in the taking of the penalty when David Mastersons strike was saved by the Landen 'keeper only to see that ball spin out to eight yards where the inrushing Kevin Keegan shot first time to the top of the Landen net to spare the blushes of Masterson and take the cup tie to level terms.The Landen side continued to protest with the match referee in the minutes that followed the restart and Referee Tony Ward dismissed their number five with a second yellow. Landen responded well and Mullingar 'keeper Joe Martin had to be at his best diving full length to his right to get a firm hand on a fantastic strike from the Landen number eight.With six minutes left on the clock Jimmy McEntee swept a wonderful cross from the end line to the six yard area where Stephen Fadian had timed his run perfectly and prodded the ball past the helpless Landen 'keeper.Following this goal the Landed number nine was dismissed for persistent abuse by Match referee Tony Ward. Stephen Fadian was to finally seal the cup tie for Mullingar in the eighty ninth minute when his low strike from the edge of the eighteen yard box took a slight deflection past the Landen keeper to give him his hat trick and indeed his fifth goal in last two games.The Mullingar Athletic management will be delighted with the character displayed by the team, however they will be a little concerned at losing a two goal lead in a game that they should have had out of sight by half time.Team: Joe Martin, Kevin Campbell, David Masterson, Mark Syron (Capt), Tony Dunne, Claudio Nardone, Kevin Keegan, Enda Matthews, Jimmey McEntee, Stephen Fadian, Michael Fadian. Subs: Dara Kiernan for Enda Matthews, Dalibor Pesic, Kevin Campbell, Chris Vella (not used).