Cork City & Shelbourne to meet in Airtricity U19 Cup Final

Cork City will bid for a unique double-double on Tuesday night when they face Shelbourne in the Airtricity U19 League’s Enda McGuill Cup Final at Turner’s Cross (7.30pm).

Cork won the 2011-12 Airtricity League and Cup and last weekend they retained the league title and Dr Tony O’Neill Cup having just edged out Shelbourne at the top of the Elite Division. Now they stand just 90 minutes away from copper-fastening their dominance of the first two seasons of the Airtricity U19 League.

Manager Stuart Ashton, who looks after the Cork U19s with Paul Bowdren, admitted that they are well aware of the significance of Tuesday’s game

“A double-double would be pretty impressive and would be a very special achievement but having said that we have won nothing yet and we certainly won’t be taking Shelbourne for granted because they have had a great season and pushed all the way to the wire in the League. Indeed, the two matches we played against each other both ended in draws so there is really nothing between the teams,” said Ashton.

Shelbourne were victims of their own success in the final weeks of the League campaign as five of their U19 squad were promoted to the first team squad by manager Alan Mathews but U19 manager Martin Murray believes that is worth more to the club to see the likes of Robert Cornwall, Adam O’Connor, Alex Prizeman, Stephen Sheerin and Eoin Comerford playing in the Airtricity League Premier Division

“It would have been nice to win the league but my job is to develop players for the first team and to get five through so quickly is satisfying. Because they have moved up it has opened the door for five U16s to come into the squad so that’s a big boost for them. We did miss their experience in the final league game against St Patrick’s Athletic when we were 3-1 up and then lost two players to injury but all five will be travelling to Cork with us after the first team’s game against Bohemians on Easter Monday. “

Four of Cork’s U19 squad from last season are now in Tommy Dunne’s first team panel and the likes Colman Kennedy, Alan Browne, John Kavanagh, Jason Forde, Chris Dineen and Rob Lehane are certainly among those with the ability to make similar progress. 

Twice on the road to the final Cork have been taken to extra-time.  After a comprehensive 4-0 win away to neighbours Cobh Ramblers in the First Round, Cork saw off Waterford United 4-3 after extra-time. They had another emphatic win in the Quarter-Final against top Southern Division side Athlone Town whom they defeated 5-1 but then again needed extra-time in the semi-final to see off Salthill Devon 2-1 in Drom.

After getting a bye in the First Round, Shelbourne beat St Patrick’s Athletic 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw which went to extra-time. Having survived that close shave they then beat UCD 2-0 in the quarter-finals before scoring an impressive 4-0 win over Wexford Youths in the semi-final at Tolka Park.

The sides have met twice this season with both games ending in draws and both managers accept that this is a game which could go all the way.

“There is no doubt about it,” says Stuart Ashton, “it could all come down to a penalty shoot-out. Hopefully the game will be decided by a piece of magic from somebody on either side because penalties are not a great way to lose a game.

And Martin Murray believes that having gone so close to winning the League will fire his team up to end the season with a trophy

“We would love to put one over them after losing out so narrowly in the league and the fact they are going for the double-double is another reason to try and stop them. It would be great for the club to win a trophy so hopefully we can do that on Tuesday.”

Paths to the Final

Cork City

Round 1: Cobh Ramblers 0 Cork City 4

Round 2: Cork City 4 Waterford United 3 (AET)

Quarter-Final: Cork City 5 Athlone Town 1

Semi- Final: Salthill Devon 1 Cork City 2 (AET)

Shelbourne

Round 1: Bye

Round 2: Shelbourne 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 1 (Shels won 4-1 on pens)

Quarter-Final: UCD 0 Shelbourne 2

Semi- Final: Shelbourne 4 Wexford Youths 0