FAI Under 17 Challenge Cup Final
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FAI Under 17 Challenge Cup Final |
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Belvedere Under 17's became the first team to win both the FAI Youths Cup and the FAI Under 17 Cup in the same season, amid emotional scenes, before a huge crowd in Whitehall, on Friday night 27th May 2005.
Having completed the first leg of their "Mission Impossible" by overcoming Sligo Rovers 4-1 in the Youths Cup decider last Sunday, Belvo claimed another page in the Irish football record books by winning 2 - 1 over St Kevin's Boys, to claim the Under 17 trophy.
Little wonder then, that a huge roar echoed around the ground when Mark Healy lifted the
FAI Under 17 trophy, before the squad joyously celebrated, as they posed for photographs with both pieces of magnificent silverware.The team didn't manage to produce an action replay of the five-star show they produced to defeat Sligo Rovers, but there was no denying that they were worthy winners.
Afterwards, Belvedere Chief
Executive Philip Manly, rightly pointed out to the players and management that they had earned
Sporting an eye-catching new white strip, kindly sponsored by O'Neill's, Belvedere began the game very brightly and went ahead inside on minutes, when Mark Keane unleashed an unstoppable shot from all of 25 yards, to bring his tally for the season to 27.
Saint Kevin's responded well to that early set-back and were back on level terms on the quarter-hour mark. The Belvo defence was slow to react as their opponents worked a short corner, and then compounded that error by failing to close the ball down at the edge of the box, allowing Gareth Whelan time to pick his spot past a helpless Belvo 'keeper Shane Roche.
That goal rocked Belvo, who also suffered a further setback when midfielder James O'Sullivan limped out of the action with a foot injury. He was replaced by Conor Lenihan, who was to play a key role in the winning goal.
Although now struggling to play with their normal fluency, Belvedere always looked the more likely to score, as Keane and Shane Fitzgerald both went close before the interval.
With team captain Mark Healy once again the heartbeat of the team, Belvedere resumed in determined fashion and looked certain to regain the lead within a minute of the restart when Timmy Purcell was put through on goal, but he rushed his shot.
Saint Kevin's Boys were reduced to ten men when Stephen Gormley was red-carded for a second bookable offence, and this prompted Belvo to up the tempo.
Sean Fay then went close on 65 minutes, while Conor Powell let fly with a rocket from 30 yards, which also flew inches wide.The all-important winner came in the 73rd minute. Powell released Lenihan, who then made a great run down the left wing, before delivering an inch-perfect cross with his weaker right foot. Purcell did the rest, brilliantly heading the ball home.
Timmy Purcell deservedly received the "Man of the Match" award in recognition of a great display, which was laced with both skill and hard work. But it was really a great team effort, from a very special group of players.
BELVEDERE: Shane Roche, Sean Fay, Michael Mooney, James Lee, Niall O'Reilly; James O'Sullivan, Mark Healy, Conor Powell; Shane Fitzgerald, Timmy Purcell, Mark Keane. Subs: Conor Lenihan for O'Sullivan (30), Derek Swan for Fitzgerald (90), David Lawlor, Gerard McGovern, Rory Brown, John Connellan.