WICKLOW CUP QUARTER-FINALSt Anthonys 2Glencormac United A 0Finn Park St Anthonys have joined Wicklow Town, Ashford Rovers B and Rathnew in the Wicklow Cup last four after a 2-0 win at home to Glencormac United A in the quarter-final. There was a lot of nice attacking play on display throughout this match, despite it being played in 21 degrees heat. The wind blew strongly in the direction of Greystones, and Glencormac played with that wind in the first half, and often times the ball travelled
further than hoped. The away side played a lot of long balls looking for the head of Paul O’Reilly or over the top looking for runners, only for the ball to end up bouncing wide or out for a throw in. The game was end-to-end early on. Anthonys played a more free-flowing game with little touches from players with their backs to goal, into the path of a forward runner. Glencormac’s best chances came from the left boot of Alan Acres, crossing the ball into
the box; Graham McCormack headed away one of these chances as when Nathan Waters snuck in behind him, while O’Reilly sent in a ball that was too high and missed all defenders, failing to trouble Jesus Verdú in the home net. Dan Lacey looked the biggest threat for Anthonys up top with a few early chances going wide or too high. His best chance came 15 minutes in, from a free-kick; he hit the right post and, on the rebound, Glencormac centre-back Colm Nolan slid
in to send a Cian Davis chance out for a corner. Ryan Nolan stabbed a shot over the bar after O’Reilly cut the ball into the box, while Waters almost created an open-goal chance for himself. Paul Mooney’s kick-out was low to Simon Doyle, deep in the Anthony’s half, he flicked with his head through to Water, running onto the ball, who touched it past Verdú. McCormack recovered well ,stopping the chance. Kevin O’Connor came into the game nicely toward the end of the first
half. He sent a ball to the back post, where Michael Gray was running toward. The shot was hit first time, and Mooney made the save, getting strong hands on the ball as it was about to trickle over the line. O’Connor hit the crossbar with a header a few moments later from a Lorcan Kenna free-kick into the box. The rebound was headed wide, and though Callum Jones kept it in play, he was flagged for offside. These late chance in the first half
showed the momentum was with the home side, and they finally got their goal in the 45th minute. Kenna sent a ball to Matthew Kennedy wide of the box on the left, and he flicked it to Blake Ryan on the right side of the box. He hit first time and sent it across and into the bottom-right corner, and they went in at the break a goal to the good. Glencormac went looking for an immediate response in the second half and had a
good chance from a free. Acres took it, it deflected through the wall, and Verdú showed composure to smother the ball as it came through to himself. Ryan Nolan had a chance not long after this from outside the box, but he stabbed over. St Anthonys were quick to break after Glencormac attacks broke down, and this was key to the home side breaking their resilience. It was noticeable how exhausted the travelling side started to look as the half wore on. Anthonys’ O’Connor was
doing well to create chances, and he sent a ball low across the box for Lacey to get to the end of midway through the half. This shot had beaten the keeper but also the far post as it went wide. O’Connor hit the post again not long after that Lacey chance. Blake Ryan sent him through, and the big man unleashed a powerful drive that cannoned off the far post. After a few chances missed with 20 minutes to go, St Anthonys found their
second goal. O’Connor sent Gray into the box on the right side, and the wide player sent the ball across and in. Being a warm day, substitutions were rolled on from both sides. The likes of Danny Webb and Peter Burke were introduced for Anthonys to add some stability midway through the second half, and they played a key role in tiring out Simon Doyle and Ryan Nolan in the Glencormac midfield. Bradley Walsh came on in defence for Glencormac and made a few good
interventions to keep his side in the game late on. He headed an O’Connor chance off the line from a corner while, in added time, he got back and stopped Blake Ryan from getting his second after the Anthonys man brought the ball past Mooney and shot from wide in the box. Glencormac put up a good fight, but Anthonys were well deserving of their two-goal win. St Anthonys: Jesus Verdú; Louis Thomas, Graham McCormack, Lorcan Kenna; Blake Ryan, Matthew Kennedy, Cian Davis, Michael Gray;
Callum Jones, Kevin O’Connor, Dan Lacey. Subs: Danny Webb for Kennedy (70), Peter Burke for Jones (70), Jamie Rico-Ruda for O’Connor (80), Mikel Cullinan for Kenna (80), Emmet Kenna for Davis (80). Glencormac United A: Graham Mooney; Sam Condon, Nicky Sweeney, Colm Nolan, Alan Acres; Conor O’Donnell, Simon Doyle, Ryan Nolan, Sam O’Callaghan; Nathan Water, Paul O’Rielly. Subs: Evan Brack for O’Donnell (61), Luke McEvoy for Condon (70), Luke O’Callaghan for Nolan (77), Bradley Walsh for Acres (77), Paul Duffy for O’Callaghan (88). Referee: Joe
Byrne
Wicklow Cup, St Anthonys, Glencormac United A, Finn Park, quarter-final, Joe Byrne, Jesus Verdú, Kevin O’Connor, Dan Lacey, Wicklow Town, Ashford Rovers B, Rathnew