Goodwick class shines through
PHOTOS:
Winners Goodwick United
Runners up Clarbeston Road
Scott Delaney holds the cup aloft
Matthew Fox presses forward for Clarbeston Road
Johnny Horgan sprays the ball wide for Goodwick
Referee Seaon O'Connor
John Bailey Memorial Cup Final:
Goodwick United 8 - Clarbeston Road 1
Venue: Phoenix Park
Referee: Sean O’Connor
Goodwick United announced the fact that they have a strong squad for the forthcoming season with this excellent all-round performance against a battling Clarbeston Road side which never gave up trying and played their part in an entertaining final of the John Bailey Memorial Cup, held in memory of their popular young full back who died tragically young.
Clarbie started off well with some early chances and midway through the first half were level at 1-all but with Jordan Griffiths showing them how to finish Wayne O’Sullivan’s boys scored five unanswered goals after half time.
Goodwick reached the final with a 10-0 slamming of Prendergast Villa but Clarbie had a much tougher semi-final as they went through by 4-2 on penalties after Fishguard Sports had held them to 1-1 at fill time.
Clarbie miss early chances before Jordan shows them how
But Clarbie showed they weren’t there to make up the numbers and should have taken the lead in one frenzied attack in which Richard Bevan almost put them ahead but Carl Woodhouse blocked his shot and did well to parry the rebound attempt by Ben Stevens before Ben Barrett’s third attempt in 15 seconds went inches wide of the far post.
But Jordan Griffiths showed them how to finish as his superb left-foot valley rattled Lee Scott’s net – before Clarbie equalised from an inswinging corner by player/manager Matthew Ellis which beat Woodhouse as Richard Bevan got the finest of deflections.
It wasn’t long before Goodwick went in front again as Steve Dockerty was up-ended inside the box and Lee Griffiths sent Scott the wrong way with a superbly-taken low penalty.
Whenever Clarbie tried high balls into the box they were dealt with by Wayne O’Sullivan, whilst new captain Scott Delaney covered well alongside Steff Hayes and Llyr Tobin – and Goodwick grabbed a good third when Lee Hudgell swept play out to the right flank and Dockerty did well as he managed to fire a low shot into the far corner despite a heavy tackle.
Goodwick too strong in second half
Whatever coach Chris O’Sullivan said at the interval Goodwick came out of their changing room with a sparkling move that deserved a goal as Hudgell, Dockerty, Luke Raymond, Kieran O’Brian were involved before Griffiths’ goal-bound drive was tipped wide by Scott in the first minute.
But there was no denying Goodwick as within a minute they were 4-1 up when Johnny Horgan’s shot took a deflection and this time beat Scott.
Griffiths completed a deserved hat-trick with a right-foot drive and a clever low cross by Hayes allowed sub Tony Evans to drill home from close range before another sub in Mattie Delaney went through but Scott tipped his neat little dink onto the post and it was scrambled clear.
Rowan runs riot late on
Clarbie had their chances but didn’t take them before another Goodwick sub in Rowan Nicolson played an influential role out wide on the left with a string of crosses as Hudgell and Dockerty provided the ammunition, and a neat little chip gave Tony Evans his second before Johnny Horgan added Goodwick’s eighth goal.
Richard Bevan had a late chance for the visitors but was off target and so Goodwick United were worthy winners before club official Rob Cousins presented the trophy to Scott Delaney as reward for a good all-round display from his team.
Goodwick United: Carl Woodhouse: Steffan Hayes; Wayne O’Sullivan; Scott Delaney; Llyr Tobin: Steve Dockerty; Luke Raymond; Kieran O’Brien; Johnny Horgan; Lee Hudgell; Jordan Griffiths. Substitutes: Mattie Delaney; Tony Evans; Rowan Nicolson.
Clarbeston Road: Lee Scott: Matthew Fox; Rheinallt George; Charlie George; Miles Morgan; Owen Edwards; Jacques Montague; Ben Barrett; Mathew Ellis; Ben Stevens; Richard Bevan. Substitutes: Kern Cunningham; Ieuan Cooke.