Job Done!

When the draw for the Irish cup semi-finals was made , by two former United players and it pitted the Sky Blues against the students of Queens, it looked a potential banana skin tie. Despite ever totally dominating their opponents, the Sky Blues got the job done and in the end ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, but only just. That they owe a big debt for this victory to their keeper Aaron Shanahan (Shan for short) and the enigmatic Alan D, bears witness that the students weren't there to just make up the numbers. In fact it took a World class save from Shan to prevent the Queens men equalising on the brink of halftime and if they had got back on level terms at that stage the result might have been different, we'll never know for sure.

What we do know for sure, United will face Glenavon in the Irish cup final on first Saturday in May for history in the making. Our manager, Spike, made only one change from his line-up for the game at home to Glenavon on March 29, Alan D replacing Sparky. The bench was made of Cookie, Gavin, Gawley, Kelly and the aforementioned Sparky. United kicked-off defending the Sydenham end of the ground and the students signalled their intent when Lavery got the better of Archie, but JT cut out his cross and the danger was averted. Cush tried his luck from distance but it was over the bar and set the trend for the remainder of the game as far as Cush's shots was concerned.

Shan made a hash of a routine catch dropping the ball but recovered in time before any damage was done, obviously it was nerves playing a part. The Queens boys had a well oiled offside trap and United forwards  fell for it a few times. From a free kick, nobody picked up Mark Prenter, but luckily his shot was well over. United should have taken the lead when a cross from Jimer, was flicked by Ally to Captain Jenks, but he didn't get enough power on his shot and Browne made a good save. At the other end, Prenter got on the end of a long throw but headed tamely at Shan. Then from a short corner, Cush headed Jimer's cross wide, what a waste, I don't like short corners or quick free kicks, they usually come back to haunt you in my experience.

United a lucky let-off, when Lavery was left unmarked on the edge of the box and Prenter got the ball to him and Lavery tried to curl the ball beyond Shan, but missed the target, did Shan have the goal covered, I honestly don't know, maybe it was our slice of luck. United were stuttering in attack and Cush, with time to steady himself shot from about 30 yards, but didn't trouble keeper Browne. Then from a delightful pass by Cush I was amazed to see the linesman flag go up when Ally seemed to beat the offside trap. United had a shout for a penalty turned down, when Cush was upended in the box, but referee Dunlop wasn't impressed. United were in the ascendency at this point and they emphasised that with a goal of real quality.

There seemed little danger when Alan D took the ball off Cush outside the penalty box, but he drifted out to the right past a couple defenders and fired an unstoppable shot past the bemused Browne in the Queens goal to give United a 1-0. A minute later from a corner taken by Ally, Browne came for the ball, collided with his own player and the ball fell to JT who promptly volley it into the net, only for the ref to blow it up for a foul on the keeper, but there was no foul on the keeper. I think if that goal had stood, we would have gone on to win even more comfortably, but the students took heart from this turn of good fortune and went at United. Shan came to our rescue punching a effort from Prenter round the post for a corner.

From this corner kick the United defence were all at sea and Culbert was left unmarked and his powerful header was miraclessly pushed onto the underside of the bar by Shan and the ball was cleared away to safety by Jimer, I think, a truly remarkable save, no doubt Damien Grant, our goalkeeper hero from 1989, thought it a routine save,lol. At that point and only then, did I dare to think that this was going to be our year. It's a well known fact that goals win matches, but saves, like the one witnessed yesterday at the Oval also win matches. If the students had got back on level terms going into the break, who knows what the outcome would have been, but that save by Shan stopped that speculation from becoming a reality.


2nd half
United started like a whirlwind in this half and I thought they had increased their lead through Darboy when he tapped in at the near post only to ruled out by a linesman flag, presumably for offside, I'd like to see that again. Alan D then tried his luck form distance, about 30 yards from goal and keeper Brown was relieved to see the ball strike the crossbar with him beaten all ends up. But United weren't to be denied for long and Cush delivered a sublime pass from full 35 yards to Alan D and he went through on goal and beat the keeper to give United a 2-0 lead with his second goal. Five mins after this goal disaster struck for United when Archie in intercepting a through ball, pulled up in what looked like a groin injury and had to come off.

Archie was replaced by Cookie Munster, making his 99th appearance in a United jersey marking an incredible record in the twilight of his career, rumour has it, that he has hinted at retirement this season, I for one hope not.  How Alan D didn't complete his hat-trick is a mystery to me and the rest of the Sky Blue fans, when his initial shot was stopped by Browne, he drove the rebound wide of the target with goal gaping. United frittered away loads of  chances to put this match to bed and Cush had no luck when Browne saved from his shot. Little was seen from the students in this half, they forced a corner but the United defence coped well with it and their shooting from long range didn't trouble Shan or his defenders.

Cush had got injured a couple of times and he went off with 12 mins to go to be replaced with Neal Gawley. Darboy was having a quiet match by his standards and he was replaced by Kelly with three mins to go. Kelly was only on the field 2 mins when he snuck in on the keeper Browne's blind side to tuck away a Jenks cross for his first senior goal for the Sky Blues to leave the score a flattering 3-0 in United's favour. The referee added on the obligatory three mins and I started to make my way to the Kop terracing on the city side of the ground, along with the bulk of United fans. The referee duly brought the game to a halt and we had won through to the final of the Irish cup and I felt a mixture of euphoria and relief, roll on the final is all I have to say!

Shan (8), Jimer (8), Steely (7), Archie (7) ( Sub: Cookie 7,), JT (8), Tony (8), Jenks (7), Alan D (8), Cush (7) (Sub: Gawley 7), Darboy (6) (Sub: Kelly 8,), Ally (7)

Man of the match: Shan