Awesome Avondale bag four-in-a-row

Avondale United continued their dominance of the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup by claiming a record-equalling four titles in-a-row with a dominating display against UCD at Turner’s Cross yesterday.

John Ryan’s side controlled the game from start to finish and the two late goals put a fair reflection on the scoreline as Avondale matched the record set by Distillery, who won the cup from 1939-42.

It is a remarkable achievement for manager John Ryan, who took over from John Cotter last summer. After losing a manager, who had won so much last season, it was always going to be very difficult for the incoming boss to keep the momentum and the winning mentality going. And to lose three of your better players in Mark O’Sullivan, Liam Kearney and Kevin Mulcahy to Cork City midway through the season made the job even more difficult.

Afterwards an overjoyed Ryan thought Ian Stapleton’s goal on the stroke of half-time was the major turning point: “I felt we were getting a bit edgy towards the end of the first half with all the possession we had but I felt the goal just before the break was crucial,” said Ryan, who had a spell with Brighton and Hove Albion in his playing days.

Asked about the five in a row next year, Ryan said: “We’ll enjoy this one now and we’ll concentrate on winning the league and maybe think about number five come June.”

Brian Fitzgerald had an early chance in the 11th minute but he couldn’t force home Kenny Murphy’s corner kick before Ryan was forced to reshuffle his pack when he lost Roy Long and Karl Caulfield to injuries.

The first half was devoid of much action but the Cork side had a great chance to hit the front five minutes before the break when Graham McCarthy’s shot fell nicely for Danny Long eight yards out but just as Long was about to rifle home, Hugh Davey got back to make a magnificent block to deny the striker.

The champions did go in front in injury time in the first half when Eoin Lougheed picked out Kenny Murphy with a superb crossfield pass and his cushioned header was perfect for the in-rushing Stapleton to touch past Sean Coffey in the UCD goal.

Marc Whelan’s free-kick two minutes into the second half flashed narrowly past keeper Daniel O’Leary’s post for what was the Dublin’s side first effort to threaten the Avondale goal.

Lougheed came close to number two soon after when his powerful header from Michael Mulconry’s cross was tipped over the bar by Coffey, before Danny Long outfoxed three defenders and slipped the ball past Coffey only to see the ball rebound off the post and back into the arms of the grateful keeper.

Michael Whelan then had two chances in quick succession, first sub Michael Arnold neatly laid the ball back to him from Niall Wright’s cross but Whelan blazed over and then the same player could only shoot across goal from a good position.

The game was over as a contest ten minutes from time when man of the match Long was pulled down inside the box by Steve Dillon. Referee Pat Murphy pointed to the spot and sent off the UCD captain for a second bookable offence.

Graham McCarthy stepped up to calmly slot his spot-kick past Coffey .

Long got the goal his performance deserved in injury time when he tapped Brian Murphy’s cross home at the far post as Avondale claimed the cup for the seventh time in their history.

AVONDALE UNITED: O’Leary; Fitzgerald, Mulconry, Horgan; R Long (McCarthy 22), K Murphy (Warren 82), B Murphy, Caulfield (Kelly 33), Lougheed; D Long, Stapleton.

UCD: Coffey; O’Reilly, Davey, Dillon, Wright; Marc Whelan, Timmons (Arnold 67), Moran, Michael Whelan (Feeney 78); Molloy, Cannon (Keohane 80).

Referee: Pat Murphy (Cork).