Ivan the great delivers cup for Barony men
Iorras Aontaithe celebrate in the rain with the Tonra Cup after defeating Swinford in Tonra Cup Final in Umbro Park, Milebush. Pictures: Michael Donnelly
Always a man for a big occasion, Ivan Barrett’s second half brace secured Iorras Aontaithe the Tonra Cup this afternoon in Umbro Park.
It will not be a final that will live long in the memory by any means, but it will not matter a jot to Michael McHale’s side as they won the divisional cup for the second year in a row, having won the McDonnell Cup last year. Still in title and promotion contention in League 1, they will hope the latest addition to the trophy cabinet will boost their hopes for the run-in. With Fahy Rovers and Killala set to meet in league action this weekend, Iorras must be ready to pounce on the result when they themselves meet Claremorris ‘B’.
“It was a tough game. We got a good start with the penalty but then we kind of eased off it,” said McHale after the full-time whistle. “They fought on well until half-time. A few words at half-time edged them on and got them going again. It was a tough battle, Swinford are not a bad team.
McHale added: “We had a bit of experience with Liam (Donoghue) at the back, and Aran and Billy, Nathan. They played well. They got a goal back but they came back.
"It’s going to be a tight couple of weeks. Hopefully, the two of them might do us a favour when they play each and help us out a bit. We’ll see how we go and push on.”
While not at their best, it was enough to overcome a disappointing display by Swinford, who lacked the quality necessary to unlock the Iorras backline.
It was a slow start by both teams but Iorras were given a golden chance to go ahead on 15 minutes when David Taylor needlessly took down Dara Padden inside the penalty area. Referee Jimmy Cawley had no option but to point to the spot and Padden sent Michael Pektas the wrong way.
Swinford’s best openings came through the lively Conor Devaney. A burst of pace saw him past Aran Reilly but the angle was too tight to beat Kian Gallagher, while on another occasion he won possession inside the Iorras box but no one was on his wavelength when he squared it across goal.
For Iorras, Nathan Reilly went close with a volley but sent it over while Peter McArthur almost took full advantage from a poor pass from the back by Swinford but his shot from almost 30 yards came back off the crossbar.
Padden’s penalty would be all that separated them going into the second half and the introduction of Ivan Barrett would turn the game more in favour of Iorras as he brought down Liam Donoghue’s cross before lifting it over the goalkeeper with 20 minutes to go.
Swinford pulled a goal back five minutes later when Zack Stone’s corner landed at the feet of substitute Evan Rowley and despite having a host of Iorras bodies in front of him, he picked out the top corner to give his side hope but that hope was gone with ten minutes to go as Iorras broke away on the counter from an Iorras corner and Barrett rounded the goalkeeper before putting it into the empty net, and McHale lauded his impact.
“When you have someone like that on the bench, some who can see off a game. He was brilliant. Two very good finishes, hard to beat a bit of experience.”
Iorras Aontaithe: Kian Gallagher, Nathan Reilly, Liam Donoghue, Aran Reilly, Billy O’Connor, Brendan Conway, Cillian Reilly, Owen McHale, Dara Padden, Kyle Hefferon, Peter McArthur. Subs: Ryan Ruddy (for Hefferon 52); Padraic McCafferty (for McHale 57 inj); Ivan Barrett (for Padden 67); Luke McManamon and Killian Flannery (for N Reilly and C Reilly 89).
Swinford: Michael V Pektas, Dylan Toner, Zack Stone, David Taylor, Denis Coffey, Ewan Murphy, Martin Murphy, Connor Ryan, Conor Devaney, Leeroy Nevin, Kevin McDonagh. Subs: Evan Rowley and Alan McLoughlin (for Nevin and McDonagh ht); Matthew Devaney (for Ryan 73); Keith Kavanagh (for E Murphy 84).
REF: Jimmy Cawley.
