15 April 2008

Annual Representative Game for Irish Life Trophy played at The Mardyke, Cork Tuesday April 15 2008 (report from Irish Daily Star)

Annual Representative Game for Irish Life Trophy played at The Mardyke, Cork Tuesday April 15 2008 (report from Irish Daily Star)

Irish Defence Forces 3

Tom Fitzgibbon 12, 43 Michael Comerford 14

Irish Universities 0

 The arrival of new manager Declan Sheridan certainly helped inspire the Irish Defence Forces to claim their first win in three years over the Irish Universities in the annual clash for the Irish Life Trophy at The Mardyke.

Leitrim born Sheridan has taken over from the formidable duo of Jim Noone and Casey McQuillan who had been at the helm for a number of years.Their major highlight being qualifying for the final stages of last years’ World Military Cup in India where they managed to reach the quarter finals.

Going all out to impress the new boss the Defence Forces powered their way to a comprehensive win with three first half goals that did all the damage and gave the students no way back.

Sheridan’s charges were always in control as their greater physical strength and impressive levels of skill allowed them to hold the upper hand for most of a fairly one sided affair.

The Universities outplayed in the first half did manage a slighty improved performance after the break as Sheridan began to make substitutions but they never really threatened and at the finish could have had no complaints.

Two goals within the first fifteen minutes got the Defence Forces off to a flyer.

Stephen O’Donnell set up the opener on 12 minutes whipping in a free from the edge of the box and when Universities ‘keeper Niall O’Carroll’s weak attempt to punch gifted Tom Fitzbibbon with a free header he made no mistake from close range.

Michael Comerford doubled the lead with a peach of a strike two minutes later as the Defence Forces gained a firm grip on the game.The Kildare County midfielder struck a delightful long range volley past the helpless O’Carroll after another weak clearance fell nicely for him.

The experienced pair of O’Donnell and Comerford were in complete control of midfield as the students struggled to cope with the power and strength of the opposition.

Johnny Reynolds did manage a decent run that gave Portadown striker Gary Liggett a half chance but the ball was scrambled clear by Defence Forces full back Partick Mahon.

Then just before the break the game was finished as a contest with a softly conceeded third goal by the Universities.Mickey O’Shea’s through ball found Fitzgibbon totally unmarked and he cleverly beat the offside trap to run on and cooly steer the ball past O’Carroll for his second goal of the game.

That goal was a hammer blow to any chance the Universities might have had of staging a recovery.Although they did put together some good passages of play on the resumption the result was never in doubt.

UCD winger Ger O’Callaghan had a couple of efforts well dealt with by ‘keeper Lee White and later referee Eddie Foley waved claims for a penalty away when Liggett went down in the box.

For new manager Sheridan it was a dream start, which he put down to a totally committed squad been available to him. ‘ It was great to have such a good strong squad of players around for this game and I cant praise them enough for their committment and effort.This is only the beginning for us as we prepare to meet the French next September and then go on to compete in a military tournament in Canada. After that we will set out on the road to hopefully qualifying for the next Military World Cup in Brazil 2011’ he said.

While Jimmy Cumiskey tasting defeat for the first time since becoming Universities manager three years ago had no complaints ‘They were the best Defence Forces side we have played. In the second half we did had a go but when you’re three goals down its always going to be difficult’ he explained.

Irish Defence Forces: Lee White, Patrick Mahon, Brian Aherne, Eoghan O’Shea, Patrick Conlon, Michael Comerford, John Hayes,Tom Hughes, Michael O’Shea, Stephen O’Donnell, Tom Fitzgibbon.Subs:Ray McCann for Conlon 23,Mark Neeson for Hayes ht,Sean Doyle for Fitzgibbon 63,James Kelly for O’Donnell 56,Robbie Johnstone for Comerford 80.Unused: James Gillen, Ryan Conway, Pierce Delargey.

Irish Universities: Niall O’Carroll (Trinity), Eugene Greaney (UL), Stephen O’Brien (UCC), Colin Hyland (Trinity), Ciaran Forde (UCC), Daniel Duggan (UCC), Johnny Reynolds (Jordanstown), James O’Sullivan (UCD), Paul Walsh (UL), Gary Liggett (Jordanstown), Ger O’Callaghan (UCD).Subs: Pat Mullins (UCD) for Hyland 58, Austin Friel (Magee) for Duggan 67. Unused Seamus Connelly (NUIG), Evan O’Reilly (Trinity), Ciaran Boyd (Jordanstown), Dave McCullough (Queens), Rory Keaveney (UCD), Sean Coffey (UCD).

Referee: Eddie Foley (Cork).