Hoops retain the Fr Davies Cup with final victory over Camlough

Newry Celtic came from behind against Camlough Rovers to claim a record breaking eighth Fr Davies Cup title and the second on the trot for the club.

After a disappointing week behind them losing out to Cleary Celtic in the Mid-Ulster Shield and the league it was a welcome relief for the Newry Hoops with a second-half penalty proving to be the winner.

Camlough, who were chasing their sixth Fr Davies Cup wasted no time in getting on the scoresheet with a goal in the first minute, but six minutes later the Celts equalised and the match remained in the balance until the second half spot kick that Rovers were certainly aggrieved by.

This was a hard-fought and evenly balanced final which looked to be heading for extra time. This year’s Carnbane League top goal-scorer Kane Rossiter was a constant threat for Camlough, while Celtic’s Paul O’Rourke was awarded Man-of-the-match and Keith Johnston was amongst the Hoops players who also looked dangerous throughout.

It was Tom Magee who opened the scoring however with less than a minute on the clock with a sweet finish to the roof of the Newry net.

Five minutes later Johnston floated a well-taken free from the left into a crowded Camlough box where Ryan Fearon hit the target and it was a level playing field once more.

Chances came and went for both sides with Rossiter and David McKinley coming close for Rovers, while at the other end a free from close to where the Newry goal began, this time taken by O’Rourke, was nodded over the bar by Ronan Byrne.

The best opportunity of the half arrived on 30 minutes when Camlough were on the counter attack and Niall McGivern delivered a super ball to Rossiter whose header pounded off the crossbar.

It was an end-to-end battle but the score remained 1-1 at the break and remained so into the second half until 58 minutes. Just before that, a shot by Eoin McGivern was punched out by Camlough keeper James Boyle. The rebound fell to the in-rushing Conor Shields who stuck the ball in the net, but he was off-side so the goal didn’t count.

Seconds later Byrne was deemed to be fouled in the box, to much protestation from Rovers who felt the tackle was clean and the penalty soft at best. Regardless, the Hoops were more than happy to get the opportunity to go in front and they did just that when Johnston stepped up and shot low straight down the middle past Boyle to make it 2-1.

And while Camlough pressed hard for the equaliser with Newry defending a number of corner kicks and the Hoops coming close to increasing their lead too, the score remained the same and a delighted Newry Celtic retained their title at the final whistle.

After the celebrations and presentations on the Jennings Park pitch weary legs trudged to the carpark but this wasn’t the last time these teams will meet this season, as they play each other again next Tuesday at the same venue in the Bessbrook Cup semi-final and that promises to be another cracker.

MATCH STATS

Newry Celtic: Mark McReynolds, Ronan Byrne, Conor Shields, Ronan McGrath, Stephen Wylie, Paul O’Rourke, Brian Hobden, Keith Johnston, Ryan Fearon, Aaron Downey, Eoin McGivern

Subs: Shane King, Niall Fegan, Stephen Lowry, Ryan Brown, Patrick Magill, Stephen Daly

Camlough Rovers: James Boyle, Niall McGivern, Ethan Power, Tom Magee, David McKinley, John Taylor, Odhran O’Callaghan, Niall Owens, Kane Rossiter, Conor McKeown, Adrian Mee

Subs: Aaron Holland, Niall Murphy, Ronan Murphy

Referee: Tom McGivern