Clinical Crumlin shake off Rockmount

GOALS from Gerry Bambrick and Danny Loughran sent Crumlin United through to the FAI Intermediate Cup final at the expense of hosts Rockmount in Whitechurch yesterday.

The visitors were always comfortable against their injury-ravaged Munster Senior League opponents and the superiority of Loughran around the centre circle was key to their victory.

The Republic of Ireland junior international capped a man-of-the-match performance with a beautifully struck second-half free-kick which all but ended the Rockmount challenge.

The Cork side are cruising towards yet another MSL Premier Division title while Crumlin lie six points behind Leinster Senior League Premier Division leaders Bluebell United, who they beat in the quarter-finals of this competition.

Bambrick gave an early signal of intent with just five minutes on the clock when he shot just beyond the far right-hand post.

The home side were unable to get a grip and had they gone in front through John Gaffney’s 22nd minute chance, it would have been against the run of play.

And they would soon rue that missed chance because just two minutes later, the visitors were ahead.

James Lee took control on the left hand side of the Rockmount area before squaring the ball to Bambrick who had time to look up and pick out his spot, curling a lovely strike beyond the motionless Donnacha Murphy.

Rockmount responded well in the 26th minute when winning a free kick with which Willie Byrne almost caught out Crumlin keeper Karl Coleman.

In the 33rd minute, Ross Callaghan did manage to get the ball in the back of the net for the hosts but was ruled offside.

A scrappy period bookended the half-time break before Crumlin extended their lead in the 58th minute after Ray Leahy gave away a costly free on the edge of the box, having elbowed left midfielder Martin Cramer.

Up stepped Loughran who sent the resultant dead ball to the top right hand corner of the Rockmount net.

Billy Cronin reshuffled his side, pushing Ken Hoey forward from his sweeper position, and the switch almost paid dividends in the 82nd minute when the Irish Junior international crossed brilliantly to the head of Butt, who sent the ball just right and wide of the Crumlin post.

The Dubliners were comfortable in seeing out their two-goal lead and went home happy in the knowledge that they have secured a Dublin-based final against the winners of Tolka Rovers and Avondale United.

ROCKMOUNT (3-5-2): D Murphy; S Montgomery, K Hoey (capt), R Leahy; E Buckley, A King, J Gaffney, D Riordan, W Byrne; R Callaghan, C Butt.

Subs: S Yelverton for King, 61; D Welch for Riordan, 73; C O’Shea for Montgomery, 89.

CRUMLIN UNITED (4-4-2): K Coleman; D Griffin (capt), P McCabe, G Kavanagh, C Redmond; S Larkin, D Loughran, J Lee, M Cramer; G Bambrick, T Griffiths.

Subs: A Kavanagh for Bambrick, 86; R Shields for Cramer, 87.

Referee: John Lyne.