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Sat, May 7th: FAI Senior Cup, 2nd Round. Blarney SenAs 1, Derry City 3. O'Shea Park. KO 18:00.

On Saturday, Blarney's Senior squad bowed out of the FAI Carlsberg Cup losing 3-1 to Eircom League contenders, Derry City. This was an important day for the club, the village and indeed all non - league clubs around the country. Despite the disappointing result, the lads and the club did themselves proud. A large crowd watched as the senior squad went two goals down in the first six minutes. This was the impetus for the lads to shed their nerves and it was a Stephen Jennings penalty, just before half time, that brought the score line back to 2-1. Derry's back four were strong and resisted Blarney's attack. A late penalty to Derry city brought the final score to 3-1 which was how it finished. This was a super achievement for the lads who were out the following day to cheer home the U9s and U11s who each won their age groups in the Cork International Tournament. A great weekend for the club and the village.

GOALS from Ciaran Martyn and Mark Farren inside the opening six minutes effectively ended this Carlsberg FAI Cup, second round tie in Derry City's favour at O'Shea Park in Blarney. Derry, who beat the league champions Cork City in the League in the Brandywell last week, were, in truth, stronger than their opponents from the Munster Senior League. Derry scored in their first attack when Ciaran Martyn netted after Mark Farren's drag back from the end-line with just two and a half minutes gone. Derry’s second came when Farren scored with a tap-in on six minutes after Brian Cash's drive was parried by goalkeeper, Paul Collins as the Candystripes coasted into a two-goal lead. Martyn was close to a third on 27 minutes but pulled his shot wide of the far post and then Blarney's Paul Fitton blocked down a shot from Farren as Derry threatened again. But five minutes before the break Blarney gave the home 1,000 plus crowd something to cheer about when they reduced the deficit. Eddie McCallion handled John Hogan's cross in the box and Cork referee Anthony Buttimer pointed to the spot. Stephen Jennings sent goalkeeper David Forde the wrong way from 12 yards to make it 2-1 at the break and give the FAI Intermediate Cup finalists a glimmer of hope. Derry had to reshuffle their ranks when Peter Hutton broke his nose in a
midfield clash after 35 minutes and he was substituted by Eamon Doherty with Eddie McCallion moving into to play at centre-half. Derry, who last won the Cup in 2002 but lost to Cork in the semi-finals last year, were close to a third goal when Brian Cash tried his luck but his effort carried over the bar. Blarney won their first corner of the game in the 60th minute and it so nearly produced an equaliser. Ray O'Leary’s corner kick to the back post was met by Cormac Hayes but his effort went into the side netting to the disappointment of the home fans. Derry made the game safe with a third goal from Mark Farren's spot kick in 82 minutes. Farren was clipped by Neil O’Riordan as he ran through the defence. The referee showed O’Riordan the red card and Farren stepped up to score from the penalty.
Teams: Blarney United (4-4-2) - Collins; Crowley, Fitton. Hayes, P.Hogan; J/ Hogan, Moynihan, O'Leary (capt), Jennings; O'Riordan, O'Sullivan. Subs. McCann, Corkery, McSweeney, Goggin, Healy & Byrne. Derry City (4-4-2) - Forde; McCallion, Hutton, McChrystal, Brennan; Cash, Martyn, Deery,McCourt; Farren, McHugh. Subs. Doherty for Hutton (injured 35 mins), Beckett, Hargan, O'Flynn, Molloy, Higgins & Jennings.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork)

... Courtesy www.fai.ie