Fairview on course for historic double

ON Sunday afternoon Fairview Rangers landed the first leg of a potentially historic national double when the club’s under-18 side won the FAI Youths Cup final thanks to Shane Power’s sensational goal which saw off the challenge of Mervue United at Jackman Park.
Now, Fairview Rangers turn their attention to the FAI Junior Cup final on Sunday, June 13.
In that decider Fairview will face St. Michael’s who beat their Tipperary rivals Clonmel Town 3-0 in the semi-finals at Cahir on Sunday - St. Michael’s lost to Pike Rovers (2-4) in the quarter-finals, but earned a reprieve when they lodged an ultimately successful objection against the eligibility of one Pike Rovers player. The Hoops were left heart-broken when they were thrown out of the FAI Junior Cup on a technicality, but their pain was soothed somewhat on Sunday morning when Pike Rovers collected the District League Premier League title for the third consecutive season.
Pike have already won the Tuohy Cup, have now added the league title to their 2009-10 haul, find themselves in the final of the Lawson Cup and next Saturday night will be chasing Munster Junior Cup glory when they face Carrick United in the semi-final of the prestigious provincial tournament at Jackman Park - Tipperary’s Clonmel Town await the winners of that semi-final.
The FAI Youths Cup has not resided on Shannonside since 1975 when Ballynanty Rovers won the coveted title, but Fairview bridged that 35-year gap with a superb performance on Sunday afternoon.
The ‘View had their work cut out for them at Jackman Park with the naming of Rangers goalkeeper Keith McCarthy as the man of the match illustrating how much the pressure the Fairview Rangers defence often had to endure.
Fairview manager Derek Whyte was thrilled by the disciplined performance of his players and even though Whyte enjoyed a decorated playing career he ranked winning this cup final as the absolute pinnacle of his footballing life.
“Absolutely, this the probably the best yet,” Derek Whyte told Leader Sport after Sunday’s thrilling game.
“They’re a great bunch of young fellas and it’s a pleasure to work with them. I think they got what they deserved today. They came up against a very, very good team, but we dug in and held out.”
Mervue United had the better of the opening half, but Fairview improved significantly after the interval before Shane Power, a second half substitute, broke Galway hearts with a stunning 25-yard volley in the 78th minute.
Mere minutes after Milo Corcoran presented Fairview Rangers captain Craig Madigan with the Youths Cup manager Derek Whyte was hoping that the Blues’ senior side could go on to beat St. Michael’s in the FAI Junior Cup decider: “Yeah, hopefully the lads can go on and do it now in what would be a first ever national double for the club.
“At least now I can sit back and let Jason Purcell (manager of the Fairview Rangers junior squad) at it. We’re thrilled to win this. This cup hasn’t come to the city too many times, 1975 was the last time so we’ve bridged a 35-year gap and we’ve made history in our club because we’d never won it before. So, it’s a very special day for everyone involved in the club”.
Meanwhile Pike Rovers winger Eoin Hanrahan was introduced as a second half substitute for the Irish amateur side which played Giovanni Trapattoni’s Republic of Ireland development squad at Malahide on Friday night.

BRIAN MCDONNELL