This article is from page 61 of the 2011-03-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 61 JPG
Hermitage A 0 – 0 Manus Celtic B (AET) Manus won 4-3 after penalties at the Fairgreen
33 PLACES separate Premier Division high-flyers Hermitage and bottom tier promotion hopefuls Manus Celtic B but the cup is a great leveller as it proved on Sunday when the tage’s flag was lowered.
And with every giantkilling story, there has to be a hero and on this occasion, the dragon slayer was Manus Celtic’s goalkeeper Jason Considine who not only kept his side in the game in open play, saved a penalty in the shoot-out and score the winner himself but was also only playing his first game of the season.
With such a dramatic storyline, you’d have to believe the script was written for Manus to take the Tage’s scalp and it was a plucky performance from the third Division side who may not have had many clearcut chances but more than matched their opponents in what was a dogged midfield battle.
Indeed, Manus started the better side and had a Bernard Scanlon shot inside the opening minutes hit the side netting but the Premier Division side grew into the game and could have snatched a goal just before the break, only for goalkeeper Considine to pull off a superb stop.
Hermitage continued where they left off on the restart and piled on the pressure but aside from a Scott Hennessy effort that hit the bar, they found Manus’ defence difficult to break down.
Contrary to expectations, it was the Premier side who appeared the more tired in the final quarter and as the game drifted into extra-time, both sides were happy to settle for penalties.
Up stepped Considine who saved the Tage’s second spot kick and when Hennessy put the fourth over the bar, the goalkeeper drove home the winner and secure Manus’ passage into the last eight.