Kilnamanagh players celebrates one of McBride’s goals and (inset): David McBride with the match ball
Photos by Leslie Evans
Kilnamanagh march into semis of Noel Ryan Cup
KILNAMANAGH AFC have reached the semi-finals of the Noel Ryan Cup following an impressive 3-1 win away from home to St Francis last week.
Both sides had reason to be confident coming into the game, Kilnamanagh had recorded a 4-1 win over Mount Merrion as well as a 2-1 victory in the previous two rounds to book themselves a place in the quarter final.
St Francis had impressed also and had scored seven while conceding zero in their previous two games of the competition.
These included a decisive 4-0 victory over Bluebell United as well as a 3-0 win against Ashbourne United.
After a quiet first half, the deadlock in the game was broken through David McBride who scored the first goal of the evening in the 40th minute to give Kilnamanagh a slender lead as it headed into half time.
It was never going to be easy at John Hyland Park however as St Francis bit back in the second half with a goal in the 68th minute courtesy of Fionn Forkan to level the game.
Now with the scores evened up the tie was anyone’s game but it would be Kilnamanagh to grab that decisive next goal with David McBride again stepping up to the plate and scoring his second of the day with just ten minutes remaining on the clock.
Despite the best efforts of St Francis, they were unable to break down the robust Kilnamanagh side and the win was truly cemented in the 92nd minute with David McBride completing his hattrick making Kilnamanagh comfortable winners in the end on the right side of a 3-1 scoreline.
