Kelly nets only goals as New Oak clinch fifth successive Premier Cup
New Oak captain David O’Shea celebrates with teammates after defeating Parkville United to win the Keating Memorial Premier Cup. Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
Dean Kelly was the hero for New Oak on Friday night as New Oak picked up their fifth successive Premier Cup. Kelly missed a penalty the last time these two sides met, in Hawkins Lane in the league earlier in the season, and he was in the thick of the action here again with the only goal to give New Oak their 12th trophy of the Gavin Dowling era.
Although, they weren’t at their best, Parkville dominated the game and had most of the chances, but couldn’t find a way past a dogged New Oak defence and Craig Kearney in the goals who once again bailed his side out and kept them in the game. New Oak were likely feeling a lull after their Leinster final defeat the previous Sunday and struggled to properly get into the game, but they know how to win and that experience got them over the line.
Parkville showed flashes of their intent early on, Mike Dobosz having an effort saved with the resulting corner from the right being hit into Kearney. With eight minutes gone, a Jack O’Neill free from the right was hit to the back post found Paddy Hickey at the back post but he found his effort saved. A minute later, Kelly struck from the edge of the box, 20 yards out on the right and fired into the far bottom corner to open the scoring. With 13 minutes on the clock, a Mitch Kelly free from the right was cleared. David Doyle had an effort from the left, saved.
Dobosz put an effort wide from the left. A Jake Hickey free from the left was missed by everyone and saved by Kearney at the back post. With 20 minutes gone, an O’Neill free was hit off the wall. Three minutes later, a Cian Cleary cross from the left was saved before a Jordan Harmon free was cleared, with the resulting corner from the left from Ramsbottom finding Kelly who hit wide at the back post. With 11 minutes to go in the half, a Ciaran O’Sullivan effort from the left was hit wide. Five minutes later, Owen McCormack tried an ambitious effort from distance and it went just wide on the right. With five minutes to go until the half-time break, a Ramsbottom effort was hit wide on the right. Two minutes later, a Doyle effort from the left was hit wide on the right from distance. In stoppage time, a Kelly effort from the left was hit wide on the far side, whilst a Dylan Keightley effort from the left was hit wide.
Parkville went close through a Kelly free which was hit over the bar. A minute later, an O’Neill effort was hit at the ‘keeper. A Harmon free from the left was hit into the ‘keeper. Just shy of the hour mark, an O’Neill free from the right was saved whilst a Rob Bulmer effort was saved. New Oak went close just after the hour mark as a cross from the right saw a Walker effort saved. O’Sullivan hit an effort from the right across the box, an O’Neill free was cleared by David O’Shea, and a Tom Pollard effort was hit over the bar. With 16 minutes to go, a Harmon free from the right was cleared. With four minutes to go, an Eoghan Cunnane free was hit off the wall. With a minute to go, a Kelly cross from the left was headed wide at the far side by Roy Byrne.
Cathal Bailey, Lorcan Canavan, Jake Hickey, Mitch Kelly, Ronan Byrne, Paddy Hickey, Rob Bulmer, Tom Pollard, Michael Dobosz, Jack O'Neill, Ciaran O’Sullivan. Subs: Cillian O’Neill, Eoghan Cunnane, Lee Kavanagh, Rory O'Connor, Adam Cleary, Nicholas Nolan, Conor Sutherland.
Craig Kearney, Dylan Keightley, Cian Dowling, David O’Shea, Owen McCormack, Lee Murphy, Jordan Harmon, Dean Kelly, David Doyle, Cian Cleary, Luke Ramsbottom. Subs: David Keating, Kyle Foley, Lee Gordon, Roy Byrne, Lee Walker, James McGrath
