Even those who plan and plot can come to grief, victims of teams who eye the tiger and battle with an unshakable belief that carries them above the call of duty. The second round of the Coca Cola Irish Cup produced such greatness. During an incident-packed dramatic evening of knock-out football shock results were carved out all over the province; ‘little’ teams starring as they scorned the status of sides who ‘failed’ to turn up – reputations were shredded! It was pure Cup theatre.
Amazingly only one Championship side and one Division 1 side remain in the competition – Cliftonville and Derry City – as the rest crumpled to teams from divisions below them.
The David and Goliath scene was played out at Drumahoe where Championship pacemakers YMCA committed the crime of misjudging the quality of League newcomers, Division Four leaders Newry City. It cost them their pride and place in the majestic surroundings of the third round when the Premier clubs make their entry.
Maybe manager Greg McKeever viewed the Coca Cola as irrevalent in his club planning, viewing promotion to the Premier and the winning of the division cup being more important and probably more realistic. He stepped outside his usual line-up. It was a cataclysmic mistake.
The South Down ladies seized their chance. As they leapt into a 2-0 lead YMCA’s Cup candle was burning low. Kendra McMullan and Aine McKeever flickered but Aimee Mackin’s double strike and one apiece from Moya Feenan and Aoife Lennon snuffed out the YMCA flame.
There was misery, too, for Limavady as a slick Sion Swifts team banished them to the Cup scrapheap, humbled 5-0 at the Melvin Sports Complex. The Division Three outfit had already exiled Donegal Celtic in the first round, so perhaps this was a slightly lesser upset, but a marvelous one nevertheless. The Derry side should have taken notice of Lauren Brennan’s scoring prowess.
The leading scorer in her division (11) she had scored four hat-tricks in her previous four matches, including five against Abbey Villa. It was her treble that disposed of Donegal Celtic in the first round of the Cup. Her amazing marksmanship was to the fore again as she snapped up another three goals, an o.g. and a Maria Quinn goal clinching a tremendous victory.
And the third Championship side to vacate the tournament was Dromore Amateurs, beaten 4-2 by division companions Cliftonville, the irrepressible Marissa Callaghan restoring some sanity to the evening with a double hit in a 4-2 success, Lauren Gibson and Rachel Cromie sticking in the others. Goals from Tracey Orr and Kerry Taggart maintained the home interest but they became another Cup casualty.
The magic of the Cup was there again when another Division Four side, the unknown Craigavon, battered Division Two’s Bangor Ladies into submission at Bloomfield in a 6-3 sensation. It was a case of doubles all round as Rebecca Lavery, Joanna Black and Julie Robins cracked in two apiece. Natasha Lee, Division Two’s leading scorer (11 goals), fired in two for her under-siege side with Leanne McGarry netting, but this was another startling knock-out.
In the duel of the Division One sides, Derry City eclipsed Blackieville 3-2., thanks to two goals from the attack-minded Molly McBride and one from Bronagh McKinley. All credit to the visitors who clung on with a brace from Siobhan Bell, but who couldn’t find a Cup saver despite their best efforts.
Don’t put Valley Rangers on the spot. They love it! The Division Two pacesetters tossed the Championship’s Downpatrick out of the Cup in a marathon penalty shoot-out. They did it again, this time bettering Division One side Larne after their tie had ended in a 1-1 draw, Leanne Forsythe scoring their goal.
Portadown Integrated was yet another side to overturn the odds. The Division Two ladies edged out Division One’s Banbridge 1-0.
(Round 3) Crusaders Strikers v Ballymena All-Stars; Newbridge Predators v Glentoran BU; Mid Ulster v Derry City; Valley Rgs v Loughgall Lakers; Fermanagh Mallards v Linfield; Sion Swifts v Craigavon City; Cliftonville v Newry City; Portadown Integrated v 1st Bangor. (Matches Monday 20 June).
Report -: Sammy Martin
