Impressive victory ensures Cup joy for super Inny FC

Inny FC 4, Knocknacarra 0

By Patrick Hennelly

HISTORY was created at a sun-splashed United Park Westport on Saturday afternoon as Inny FC captured a coveted provincial title.

The proud club, based out of Streete, produced a swashbuckling display and played with plenty of vim and invention, and no doubt this success is a timely boost ahead of their National Cup Final next weekend. The Connacht Cup success is a very significant achievement for Inny Football Club and this talented group of players.

The embryonic stages of this clash were keenly contested, as both sides were wary of making any errors early on.

However, the loyal band of Inny FC supporters who travelled in their droves to the excellent Mayo venue, had something to cheer about as early as the ninth minute. An in-swinging corner-kick from Ben Loughlin found the hovering Darragh Orme and the centre-back’s powerful close-range header rustled the back of the net.

The yellow and black began to move the ball around the pristine surface with great ingenuity and the Longford boys almost doubled their advantage when a chance fell to Cian Lawlor, but his strike was expertly saved by the alert Ronan Henihan.

Knocknacarra struggled to test the Inny defence and the leaders doubled their advantage on 16 minutes. An intricate attacking foray culminated in Antonio Bertolo teeing-up the raiding Senan Brody and the latter’s crisp strike from inside the box flew into the bottom corner of the Knocknacarra net, much to the delight of the Inny bench.

Indeed, Bertolo was impressive on the right-wing and he was always trying to find that vital pocket of space for his team-mates.

Knocknacarra regrouped and they displayed their attacking capabilities on 21 minutes (35 minutes per-half) when Kevin Morley’s long-range drive forced Colm O’Rourke into action.

At the other end, Inny’s Bertolo evaded the Knocknacarra defence and he skipped into the danger zone before seeing his drive fly narrowly over the crossbar.

The red, white and blue were eager to find a way back into the contest and the West Galway City side very nearly pulled a goal back when some slick build-up play resulted in a chance being conjured up for Theo Cullinane Vaux, however, the midfielder’s drive from outside the box whooshed narrowly wide.

Relieved at the let-off, Inny could well have been out of sight just before the break, but Orme’s deft header came back off the crossbar.

The Inny half-time pep-talk seemed to have worked and the yellow and black trebled their lead two minutes into the new half. This time Brody turned from goal poacher to provider, with his tidy pass setting-up Bertolo and the latter finished with panache.

Knocknacarra were shell-shocked and they very nearly conceded a fourth on 45 minutes. A throw-in from the busy Conor Fox found Cian Lawlor, whose left-wing delivery was snaffled up by Brody, but the latter’s snapshot failed to find the target.

Bertolo continued to pose problems for the Knocknacarra defence and he could well have ended the tie as a contest on 56 minutes, but he dragged a gilt-edged opportunity narrowly wide.

A doughty Knocknacarra tried their level best to get back into the tie, but could find no way past a watertight Inny defence who remained on high alert for the remainder of the joust.

With just five minutes of normal time remaining, the lively Inny FC very nearly mustered an unassailable lead when Bertolo set-up Oisin Keena, with the latter’s swerving drive expertly saved by Henihan.

Inny continued to up the tempo and their persistence paid dividends two minutes into second half injury-time. An attacking foray ended with Keena teeing-up substitute Adam Bracken and the latter rustled the back of the net, to help bring the curtain down on what was a memorable and historic day for the yellow and black.

Knocknacarra: Ronan Henihan, Kevin Morley, Leo Quilty, Kian McEvoy, Jules Connors, Theo Cullinane Vaux, Noah Mooney, Darragh Lynch, Henry Heaslip, Richard Christie, James Coll.

Substitutes: Max Mannion, Alberto Wjan, Darcy Noel, Ben Lynch, Peter Hollo, Patrick Collins Mallard, Max Thornton Byrne, Liam Hartigan.

Inny FC: Colm O’Rourke, Liam Doyle, Darragh Orme, James Nea, Oisin Keena, Antonio Bertolo, Patrick Wallace, Senan Brody, Cian Lawlor, Conor Fox, Ben Loughlin.

Substitutes: Jack Hegarty, Adam Bracken, Oisin O’Farrell, Harry Brennan, Robert Whelan, Jack Cahill.

Referee: Pearse Concannon (Mayo).