Newbridge Town 0-1 College Corinthians

An extra-time winner from substitute Richie Tobin was enough to send College Corinthians through to the second round of the FAI Ford Cup as they defeated ten man Newbridge Town 1-0 at Station Road on Saturday afternoon.

Corinthians started the brighter and created the first opportunity in a game during which both sides would have periods of dominance. Former Dundalk midfielder Rob Waters played Rufus Holmes through after just seven minutes and he brought a good save from Newbridge ‘keeper Kevin McDonald.

The home team responded with a Damien Coogan header that Rory O’Neill tipped over his crossbar and a couple of efforts from Gary Connolly. First he hit a free kick which was held confidently by O’Neill and then he struck a fierce shot that swung just wide of O’Neill’s right hand post.

But it was Corinthians who created the better chances and on 20 minutes Ronan Stanton rounded McDonald only to see his shot from a tight angle bounce away off the Newbridge bar. Peter Moreland then saw his crisply hit effort well held by the Newbridge keeper before the Cork side again hit the woodwork on the half hour mark. Moreland played Evan Browne through on goal with a superb pass but the winger slid his shot past McDonald only to see it bounce back off the post. 

Newbridge manager Paul Kelly took this as his cue to change his side’s formation, sending Fintan Donnelly on for left back Ray Coleman and switching from 3-5-2 to a more defensively solid 4-4-2.

Despite a scare when defender Josh Kra headed over from a Rob Waters cross, the adjustment stemmed the tide and Newbridge almost took the lead themselves a minute before half time when Gary Connolly brought a fine save from Rory O’Neill.

Newbridge came out for the second half with renewed intent and dominated from the restart when Eoin Doyle’s impressive work rate created an opening after just two minutes when he wrestled the ball from Kra. The ball broke to Donnelly and his shot brought an excellent save from O’Neill.

Gradually Corinthians worked their way back into it and Browne’s shot on the turn was saved on 55 minutes before Ricky O’Sullivan’s shot from distance was held at the second attempt two minutes later.

The defining incident came on 67 minutes when Newbridge keeper Kevin McDonald was sent off. Fielding a long ball forward by Gary Drennan, Newbridge defender Damian Coogan tried to head it back to McDonald but the ‘keeper had come racing out of his area to intervene and found himself having to stop the ball with his hands. Referee Colin Duffy had no choice but to show a straight red.

Newbridge brought on sub ‘keeper Jamie Quinn and brought JP McDonagh and Jamie Smith into a reshaped back-line, leaving Doyle to forage alone up front. Remarkably, the Leinster Senior League side continued to dominate and Michael ‘Frostie’ Treacy twice found enough space to shoot but missed the target on both occasions. Willie hayes also had a pop on 85 minutes but after stepping adroitly inside Moreland he saw his shot saved by Rory O’Neill. All this before Waters almost won it for Corinthians in the 90th minuted when he struck the woodwork yet again with a shot that cannoned back off the foot of the post.

Extra time proved too much for the Kildare outfit as they inevitably tired against their more numerous opponents. Quinn had to be sharp to snatch Donnelly’s cross off the toe of Ronan Stanton and on 98 minutes Coogan had to clear Waters’ effort off the line. Three minutes later Corinthians made the breakthrough that would decide the game.

It was created by Waters who rode two challenges in the centre circle befor releasing Browne on the left. His cross was guided by the outside of his right boot to the far post where Richie Tobin stooped to score with a sea-level header form no more than a few feet out.

Newbridge threw everything they had at the final fifteen minute period of extra time but their visitors held out, holding possession when they could and defending in depth when they had to. A jamie Smith free kick on 119 minutes almost produced an equaliser but it was to to be as Doyle couldn’t quite take advantage of the goalmouth scramble that followed.

So Corinthians move forward to the second round draw and a chance to play one of the League’s big names, while Newbridge must make do with the knowledge that they left everything on the park and lost with honour.

Newbridge Town: Kevin McDonald; Damien Coogan, David Lane, Ray Coleman (Fintan Donnelly 33); Willie Hayes, Michael Treacy, Jamie Smith, JP McDonagh, Ian Murphy (Jamie Quinn 69); Eoin Doyle, Gary Connolly (Chris Fenner 60).
Subs not used: Eoin Kavanagh, Ronan Dempsey, Sean O’Brien, David Riordan.

Booked: Doyle (23), Coleman (31), Smith (105).
Sent Off: McDonald (67).

College Corinthians: Rory O’Neill; Gary Drennan (Aidan Gallagher 76), Josh Kra, Ricky O’Sullivan, Peter Moreland; Rufus Holmes (Richie Tobin 78), Gareth Cambridge, Rob Waters, Chris Madden, Evan Browne; Ronan Stanton.
Subs not used: Stephen Carroll, John Donovan, Richard Cronin.

Booked: Drennan (65), Waters (105), Gallagher (115).

Referee: Colin Duffy.

Attendance: 100 (estimate).

Extratime Man of the Match: Rob Waters (College Corinthians).