Disappointment for Midlands boys as Kennedy Cup goes west

THE Midlands were left disappointed after a battling performance in the final could not bring the Kennedy Cup home from the University of Limerick this afternoon.

SFAI Kennedy Cup final

Midlands 1

Galway 2

Tullamore Town's Dara Waldron hit a sensational injury time strike for the Midlands but it was scant consolation as a goal in each half earned a very strong Galway side the coveted title.

The westerners hit the front 12 minutes into the first half when Voux, always dangerous on the left wing, whipped in a cross to Abdulmajiad who smashed into the net from inside the six-yard box.

The concession of that goal really woke up the Midlands Schoolboys League and in 16th minute they nearly scored when an attempted clearance from Galway goalkeeper Hanniffy struck Peter Duggan of Portumna Town and flew back towards the goal frame but failed to find the net.

Tullamore player Mark Monaghan, the footballer who gave Galway the most trouble throughout, was nearly in on goals with a mazy run and and the eventual champions were in difficulty again when Waldron swept a probing ball into the box.

Duggan then set up a goalscoring chance in the 22nd minute with another ball forward and though it was finished to the net, the offside flag went up.

At the other end Abdulmajiad for Galway also hit the net but play was called back for a foul in the box and the Midlands went into the half-time interval a goal down.

Duggan was wide with a left-footed strike shortly after play resumed but Galway were never too far away and goalkeeper Zac Mullally from Athlone made an important save to keep the deficit at just one.

However, Galway centre forward and man of the match Lofenmacken put his side two ahead with a super darting run and strike from just outside the box in the 40th minute after he had taken control of a searching ball in from Abdulmajiad.

The Midlands boys were still having plenty of the play but the cutting edge was missing but they went desperately close when a Monaghan shot was pushed away by Hanniffy with a full length diving save to the right.

Then Monaghan's turn in the 52nd minute earned a free kick which was spilled by Hanniffy for a corner.

Monaghan even had a header over the bar with three minutes left and when Tullamore's Adam Malone ball found the head of Sean Conka from Portlaoise he also nodded off target.

With four-and-a-half minutes of added time gone Dara Waldron hit the goal of the tournament contender with a strike which crossed the line after hitting the underside of the crossbar.

John Nelson was the head coach for the Midlands but it was another of the side's coaches, Alan Corboy, who could really turn the clock back to when a side from the region also went close to Kennedy Cup glory.

His son Daniel played throughout this year's tournament, including in the final. Back in 1986 Daniel's grandfather John Corboy was the manager of the Offaly Schoolboys League team which reached the Kennedy Cup final only to be beaten by a Cork side which was captained by a youngster who went on to become one of Ireland's greatest ever – Roy Keane.

After topping their group in this week's Kennedy Cup, the blue riband inter-league tournament for the Under 14 age group, the Midlands went on to knock out the holders Cork in the quarter-final 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

They then eliminated West Cork 1-0 in the last four with a long range strike from Bobby Lenehan of St Joseph's, Athlone.

They ended up meeting a Galway side which had been scoring freely all week and which had defeated Wexford 3-0 in the other semi-final.

The Midlands Schoolboys/Girls League had also seen its girls squad beaten in the 2023 Gaynor Cup final but reaching both deciders still made it a season to remember.

Midlands squad: Adam Malone (Tullamore), Steven Murrihy (Tullamore), Scott Halloran (Tullamore), Jamie Harvey (Tullamore), Dara Waldron (Tullamore), Michael McAndrew (Tullamore), Ronan Guinan (Tullamore), Mark Monaghan (Tullamore), Peter Spain (Birr Town), Daniel Corboy (Birr Town); Zac Mullally, Jacob Zalewski, Rhuon Sousa, Bobby Lenehan (all St Joseph's, Athlone); David Timmons, Sean Conka (Portlaoise); Eoghan Nelson, David O'Reilly (Mountmellick); Peter Duggan (Portumna Town).

Galway: Hanniffy (Maree Oranmore); Mulkerrins (West Coast United), Voux (Knocknacarra), Mannion (Maree Oranmore), Hanrahan (Maree Oranmore), Treacy (Ballinasloe Town), Abdulmajiad (Maree Oranmore), Fahy (Mervue United), McDonagh (Maree Oranmore), Lofenmacken, Poinard (Athenry).

Referee: Shane O'Donoghue.