Newmarket Celtic B 4-0 Shannon Hibs A
For the first time in club history, Newmarket Celtic B took part in the FAI Junior Cup which was previously a one team per club competition and took very nicely to life in the cup.
The first half was a rough and tumble affair with the early days of marriage affecting newlywed goalkeeper Niall Quinn. He reacted unkindly to a couple of little brushes from the Hibs strikers indicating that the new ring on his finger has softened him.
The best of the chances fell to the away side early on but the ageless Seamus Considine was reading from his own script and fired the home side in front from all of 25 yards after ten minutes. I would expect a couple of yards to be added to the distance of that shot as the night goes on.
At the other end there was some nervy moments. Whispers on the sideline suggested that Conor Ryan was disinterested having already gotten the win he desperately wanted in the golf classic last weekend.
When the second half came, the play was more open and this suited the B team who started to get into their groove a little bit.
Ronan McCormack got the second after a quick free kick was smartly taken. Ciaran McCoy crossed the ball to the far post where McCormack took his time and smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
A third followed soon after and the provider turned scorer with Ginga getting on the scoresheet.
After scoring his 12536th goal for the club, Ginga watched on as new recruit Gavin O'Donnell picked up his first in a Newmarket shirt to finish out the scoring.
O'Donnell, a true Shannon man at heart, headed home from two feet. He turned grinning from ear to ear with the chest cocked out but quickly found out that his significant other had already gone. The smiley face quickly turned to a single tear from his left eye.
There was late substitute appearances for Lee Cronin, Alan Moynihan and Ryan Corry who got his annual shot on target and will now return to whatever bar stool he was pulled off of in August.
A good result for the First Division champions to kick off life in the FAI and all without players like Danny Conway, John Hartnett and Michael Crosby.
When approached for comment about the result, goalkeeping coach extraordinaire Johnny Ryan said, "Haha Noddy still thinks he has a say in this team".
Newmarket Celtic: Niall Quinn; Jamie Cronin, Conor Ryan, Eoin Kelly, Conor McCarthy; Ronan McCormack, Seamus Considine, Monty Mulqueen, Gavin O'Donnell, Ciaran McCoy; Adam Gilbert. Subs: Kieran Crosby for McCoy, Callum McNamara for McCormack, Lee Cronin for Considine, Ryan Corry for Mulqueen, Alan Moynihan for O'Donnell.