Centenary Challenge: Waterford United 3 Sporting Fingal 1

Liam Buckley, manager Sporting Fingal with Keith Edwards, Pakie Halley, Billy Purtill and Ger Halley, all Cahir Park committee......
With a fine day dawning over a pristine Cahir Park pitch, the scene was set for an entertaining day’s football to mark the Centenary Challenge, another event in the calendar to mark 100 years junior football in Cahir. Both teams were lead on to the pitch by Conor Cotter of the current Park under -11 squad and Megan Ward, from the girls under 13 squad – descendants of those who previously wore the Park jersey with pride. First Division United were first to press and had a couple of goal chances early and it wasn’t really until the early part of the second 45 that the Dublin side began to take control to made any real inroads in the Blues’ rearguard.

With American Chris Konopka, a former Kansas player in US Major League football signing for Waterford from Fingal, many on either side had the measure of each other from very early on. Waterford lead 1-0 at the break, scoring after 25 minutes from the penalty spot through Paul McCarthy - something to discuss as luminaries from past and present in Cahir Park’s history took full advantage of the catering in the plush new clubhouse, open for the day, before the official opening on May 15 next. A cup of tea on the veranda now takes on a whole new meaning at the Park. What a credit to the committees from the last few years that such a fine building, fitting so neatly in the landscape, could come to fruition to add to the facilities in this, the club’s hundreth year.

On the pitch the Fingal defence, marshalled by an impressive Lorcan Fitzgerald, soaked up a lot of pressure with ex-Cork City and Derry City player, the Conna Maradona, Liam Kearney always involved. Liam Buckley’s side got the equalizer when awarded a fortunate penalty-kick by ref Jim McKell when ex-Ireland international Glen Crowe tangled legs with Alan Carey 14 minutes into the second period. Waterford right-back Carey, cahirparkafc.com’s man of the match, scored a fabulous second on 78 minutes when he placed the ball to the right of Brendan Clarke in the Fingal goal after a neat interchange with one of his strike partners, Vinny Sullivan.

There was still time for Stephen Henderson’s Suirsiders to turn the screw and add a third with Vinny Sullivan providing the goal just before the final whistle to make it a happy day for them before the new season starts this coming Friday. To Waterford United and to FAI Cup holders Sporting Fingal, added to the bill at short notice – the thanks of Cahir Park AFC. You made our celebrations just a bit more special.

Waterford United: Chris Konopka, Josh Byrne, Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, John Kearney, Kevin Waters, Paul McCarthy, Gary Dunphy, Liam Kearney, Vinny Sullivan, Dave Grincell. Subs: William Kiely, Paul Carey, Gary Keane, Declan Woodgate, Seamus Long, Gareth Cambridge. Sporting Fingal: Brendan Clarke, Shaun Maher, Keith Quinn, Stephen Paisley, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Shane McFaul, Shaun Williams, Ronan Finn; Conan Byrne, Gary O’Neill, Glen Crowe. Subs: Shane Barrett, Alan Kirby, Darren Quigley, Brian Gannon, Ger O’Brien, Kenny Browne.