Cliffoney Celtic won their first trophy in 22 years on Saturday night when they beat Real Tubber 5-2 in the Cleary Landscapes & Pitch Maintenance cup final at Ray MacSharry Park in Cranmore in Sligo.
The game was ten minutes old when Alan Gregg finished off a good move to put the ball past Griffin Gallagher in the Real Tubber goals. Cliffoney started the brightest and had Real Tubber under the cosh. But good defending by the back four of Dylan Henry Jack Flatley Mark Bourke and Joe Moran kept the Cliffoney attack in check.
On twenty-three minutes Jason Perry stepped up to fire past the Cliffoney Celtic net minder Conor Jack Mc Manus and the sides were level. However, celebrations were short lived when three minutes later Alan Harrison rattled the back of the Real Tubber net to restore order. Real Tubber fought back and a great midfield battle between Cian Ginty Real Tubber and Brian O Connor was a joy to watch.
Then, eleven minutes from half time Real Tubber struck again to level matters this time courtesy of Peter Wynne. This was breath-taking stuff with both sides playing an opening attacking game and six minutes from the break the elusive and dynamic Alan Harrison was on hand to crack home the third goal for Cliffoney that left them just ahead at the break.
The second half was nip and tuck and on seventy minutes it was Cliffoney who struck again a beautifully through ball found Alan Gregg who kept his composure to lob the ball over Griffin Gallagher and give the north Sligo club real breathing space with his second goal for Cliffoney.
But more was to come when on the stroke of full-time Diarmuid Gallagher cracked home a glorious fifth goal and after a wait of twenty-two years Cliffoney Celtic lifted the Silverware.
Real Tubber:
G Gallagher D Henry J Flatley M Burke J Moran C Ginty B Morahan P Wynne E Walsh J Perry J Dwyer M Mulhern R Forkin R Henry R Bailey J Burke F Cretaro G Perry.
Cliffoney Celtic:
C J Mc Manus M Burns J Mc Sherry C O Connor (Capt) K Gavigan B O Connor B Clancy N Sheerin A Gregg A Harrison J Brennan C Kelly C Keaney J Duffy E Hever D Gallagher.
