Cruel luck for Celtic as FAI Cup dream ends

Spot-kick drama denies Trim final spot

Trim Celtic 1

Coachford (Cork) 1

There are many heartbreaking ways to lose a football match, but few are crueler than a semi-final defeat on penalties after a game where you have created the majority of the clearcut chances.

However, that was exactly the fate that greeted Trim Celtic at the final whistle of Sunday's pulsating FAI Junior Cup semi-final at a hopping MDL Grounds in Navan.

When Cathal O'Neill converted Cork side Coachford's fourth penalty in the shootout it prompted the Trim players to collapse to their knees in a combination of pure exhaustion and frustration.

Unfortunately they left their shooting boots at home and with Brian Fauklner, called back from retirement following Colm Carney's recent leg break in a NEFL Premier win over Duleek, hitting the crossbar with Celtic's first penalty and Ger Murray having his effort saved after Dean Courtney had scored, Coachford converted all four of their spot kicks to advance to the final.

It was a missed opportunity for Trim Celtic to become the first side from Meath ever to reach the final of the biggest amatuer cup competition in Europe and the penalty shootout defeat will hurt for a little while because they were the better team and would have fancied their chances in the final against Kilkenny side Evergreen.

Setting out with 357 other teams on the quest for glory Trim Celtic could hardly have envisaged reaching such heady heights when they saw off Kingscourt Harps in round one, but after wins over Athy, FC Moldova, Ronanstown and Villa FC they dared to believe and a 2-1 win over Portmarnock in the quarter-final left them just one step from history.

However, that proved to be a step too far for the Hoops, but it was one they took on bravely and deserved more from.

Even though he scored the 94th minute equaliser that forced extra-time and eventually penalties, Sam Murray will wonder how he didn't have a hat-trick to his name.

The bewildering and elusive winger was sensational throughout and turned the Coachford defence inside out and upside down that many times that their heads are probably still spinning today.

However, he just couldn't find a way to hit the net as he was denied by last ditch tackles, great saves, goal saving blocks and the width of a post.

Faulkner was also denied a late, late winner when his dinked effort in extra-time hit the butt of the post and was cleared - in hindsight it was never meant to be Trim's day as Coachford lived on their luck for spells.

The Cork AUL outfit huffed and puffed in the opening half and created few clearcut chances with Celtic goalkeeper Niall Brady dealing comfortably with tame efforts from Jamie Griffin and Cialan O'Sullivan.

Trim also struggled to find a clear path to goals and despite some neat touches from Ian Byrne leading the attack and strong work in midfield from Cian Lee and Paul Mee chances were few and far between.

There were 32 minutes gone before Trim eventually went closest to opening the scoring when Byrne set Sam Murray free and after a neat turn the lively winger drove a low shot narrowly wide.

That was as close as either side got in a tight opening half, but after the break the game opened up with and the intensity rose with the referee issuing seven yellow cards in a contest that simmered at boiling point throughout.

Just shy of the hour mark Sam Murray was set free by Byrne on a lightning break, but as he bore down on goals his next touch knocked the ball slightly too far in front of him and Keith Linzell made a brilliant goal-saving tackle.

Three minutes later Sam Murray left the Coachford rearguard for dead again with another blinding run, but this time his shot was tame and blocked out for a corner that came to nothing.

A brief skirmish that saw one of the Coachford management team end up on his backside caused the blood to boil again, but it was the Cork men who got the positive reaction as Lee conceded a corner and from Matthew Bradley's delivery Adam Murphy climbed highest at the back post to head back in the direction of the near post and beyond the helpless Brady.

It was cruel luck for Celtic, but they moved through the gears again with Lee immense and Aaron Williams outstanding at the heart of the 'home' side's defence alongside captain Sean Fitzgerald and Ciaran O'Connell.

The ever dangerous Sam Murray was hacked down by Coachford captain Mark Murphy as he bore down on goals again, but Lee's free kick was straight down the throat of goalkeeper Stephen Murray and he tipped over for a corner which came to nothing.

Faulkner and Courtney were introduced as fresh legs for Byrne and Wictor Ferriera Dias and Fitzgerald was forced out of the action with a calf injury, but Trim continued to press with Courtney bringing a different problem for the Coachford rearguard to deal with.

With eight minutes remaining Courtney was fouled 25 yards out, but his free didn't clear the wall and even though Faulkner and Robbie Johnston had half chances neither were clearcut and it appeared Trim were running out of ideas.

However, just when all seemed lost a Paul Munnelly long throw was flicked on to Sam Murray and as the Coachford defence panicked the Trim winger held his nerve to steer the ball to the net for the 94th minute equaliser.

As is often the case extra-time was a cagey affair, but it was Trim who had the best of the chances with Sam Murray taken down by his namesake goalkeeper. However, the referee deemed the 'keeper to have won the ball first and the penalty claims were waved away.

A minute into the second period of extra-time Faulkner saw his dink over the advancing goalkeeper hit the butt of the post and away from danger with what proved to be the final chance.

The dreaded lottery of penalties went against Celtic. Coachford went first with Adam Murphy converting and when Faulkner saw his kick hit the crossbar it put Trim on the back foot and there was no way back as the Cork men clinically converted their spot kicks to advance and leave Celtic heartbroken.

Trim Celtic: Niall Brady; Ciaran O'Connell, Aaron Williams, Sean Fitzgerald, Ger Murray, Sam Murray, Paul Mee, Cian Lee, Gary Gibney, Wictor Ferriera Dias, Ian Byrne. Subs: Brian Faulkner for Ferriera Dias, Dean Courtney for Byrne both 78m, Robbie Johnston for Fitzgerald 81m, Paul Munnelly for Mee 90m.

Coachford: Stephen Murray, Dara Lynch, Matthew Bradley, Mark Murphy, Keith Linzell, Sean O’Sullivan, Alan Murphy, Mark O’Connell, Jack O’Sullivan, Jamie Griffin, Cialan O’Sullivan. Subs: Cathal O’Neill for S O’Sullivan 63m, Ryan Leahy for J O’Sullivan 67m.

Referee - Adam Conroy; 1st assistant - Paul Shelley; 2nd assistant - Joseph O'Hanlon.