NEWTOWN FC           7
TURNPIKE ROVERS  2

Heavy rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm and skill of 2 excellent sides on Wednesday
night at Ballycasey where the pitch stood up well to the heavy rain. The home side
opened brightly with Brian McGorrian breaking down the right and Ken Buckley
unlucky with a snap shot. Newtown went ahead on 10 minutes when a brilliant 20
yard defence splitting pass put Adam McMahon through and and he slotted home
from 10 yards past  namesake Niall McMahon with similar sliderule
precision. The keepers long kickout was not dealt with in the centre of the
home defence 5 minutes later and Daniel Gimartin expertly beat Gary Whelan
to level matters. What happened next was Maradonaesque versus England without
the handball when Kennya Ogedengbe picked up a ball just inside  the home
sides half beat 6 Newtown men, turning left then right,across the pitch
before calmly beating the despairing dive of Whelan in the home net. A goal to
grace any game and a just reward for the good crowd who braved the weather
in Shannon. This shock jolted Newtown into action and 15 minutes later the
responded fittingly with Aaron Leahy laying on a great pass for Hackett to
beat McMahon from 10 yards. The breathtaking action came to a temporary halt
as referee Dave McCarthy blew for half time with the sides level.
The second half continued in the same vein with Peter Barrons aerial battle
in midfield with Thomas Cronan an intriguing affair. The breakthrough  came
on 60 minutes  when.Adam McMahon rounded his man and gave the Ennis keeper
no chance to give his side the lead. Hackett,in inspiring form throughout
received a one-two from Buckley and his advance on goal was illegally impeded
by a Turnpike defender which was duly punished by a penalty converted by the
same player. This was the 67th minute. The Ennis men now exposed their defence
as they went in search of an equaliser and the sucker punch was struck when
Peter Barron lobbed Mc Mahon from twenty yards. Number 6 came shortly
afterwards when Mc Mahons lobbed  cross was tapped home by Brian
McGorrian. The good wine was saved till last as Aaron Leahy hit a shot from
fully 28 yards to beat Turnpikes keeper in the top left hand corner. Despite
the final score the Ennis side contributed greatly to a brilliantly entertaining
game which augurs well for their future.

Newtown: G Whelan P Madden S Thompstone K O Shea S Hynan B McGorrian A Leahy
P Barron cpt A McMahon K Hackett K Buckley
Subs: S Brennan for Buckley Nygaruja for Mc Gorrian

Turnpike Rovers: N McMahon C O'Riordan N Cassidy E Coote M Molloy T Cronan
D Matha  K Ogedengbe C Russell D Gilmartin  E McCarthy
Subs: G Dormer for  Russell C O Grady for Ogedengbe R Niland for Gilmartin

Referee: David McCarthy
Man of the Match: Kieran Hackett