Medtronic give Cup holders a major fright before bowing out

Date Published: 22-Jan-2013

On the back of an eight match unbeaten league run, Third Division Medtronic hosted the Connacht Junior Cup champions Westport United at Roscam on Sunday and while they suffered the inevitable 3-1 defeat, their honest performance helped make it a contest for much longer than it should.

East United just did enough to see off Conn Rangers by 2-1 in Mayo, while St Bernard’s required late fire power to eventually defeat Bearna Na Forbacha 3-0. Despite scoring three times at home to Charlestown Athletic, Bohemians still exited on a 4-3 scoreline, but a youthful Colga were good 2-0 home winners over Straide & Foxford.

Medtronic 1

Westport United 3

What more could any minnow do, but fancy their chances of a Cup upset on their own tight little patch and for a long time it wasn’t beyond the bounds of possibility as a Craig Cloherty goal on 56 minutes reduced matters to 2-1.

In reality, though, it was never really a runner, for despite the scoreline and closeness of the contest, the holders were always a step above in class and one got the impression that if they showed any great urgency, well they then could have pulled away with a bit of comfort.

It is to the credit of Pat Yeats’ charges that they stuck to their task and with a little more finesse in the finishing stakes, might have made Westport sweat a little more.

Indeed Medtronic should have taken a first minute lead, but Cloherty just couldn’t direct a Ronan Sweeney cross on target from just eight yards.

The visitors appeared content to stroke the ball about in the early exchanges, but once they began to find their feet, Conor Sweeney’s goal began to come under some pressure.

Saves by the custodian kept out a Darren Browne free kick and this was followed up with two saves to thwart Vinny O’Malley. A super reflex save kept out a David Hoban flick, before Westport made it 1-0 on 28 minutes, when Brown tapped home an O’Malley lay off in the box.

They quickly added a second as O’Malley applied the finish on this occasion, following an Alan Carroll cross.

Medtronic responded well and Gary Cunningham twice saved from Cloherty, as well as keeping out a Joe Gibbs header.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.