Phelan the hero as Evergreen claim Leinster Junior Cup glory

Figures past and present have been reacting all week to Evergreen's historic Leinster Junior Cup success last Sunday, as the club won the sought after title for the first time in their history.

Ethan Phelan was the hero for Evergreen on Sunday as they were crowned LFA Junior Cup Champions, his first half strike making the difference.

Evergreen have been dominating the Kilkenny league for several years, but haven’t had much luck in the outside competitions in the past few years. - MATCH SUMMARY BELOW

Evergreen stalwart and staunch Kilkenny soccer figure, Billy Walsh has claimed the 1993 side was 'one of the most important' in getting the Kells Road outfit to where they are now!

LISTEN: Full Billy Walsh interview and more HERE! - Kilkenny People Sport Podcast

"One of the most important teams was the '93 team, people won't remember that team," Walsh said.

"Nobody will really remember that '93 team but Evergreen were at the bottom of the First Division and that team took us nearly through the whole year unbeaten," he added.

"That was a hugely important team, not the best team but hugely important."

Meanwhile, team captain, Lee Delaney hailed 'Mr Evergreen' Gary Maher for his contributions to the club over the years.

"We just don't know how he does it? He is Mr Evergreen," Delaney said after the match.

"For the past eight years we've been through it all and I'm just so happy we got over the line today for Gary."

MATCH SUMMARY:

They were deserved winners, retaining control throughout the match, never letting New Oak trouble them.

In fact, the only real time Cian Rowe in the goal was in any trouble was from a Jordan Harmon free in the second half.

In different podcasts in the build up to the match, there had been so much discussion about how tight this game would be, that there wouldn’t be much in it, and there wasn’t, a single goal decided the outcome of the contest, and both sides had chances to win the game.

Mikey Drennan looked most potent for Evergreen but he couldn’t quite put his stamp on the game, but he didn’t need to.

New Oak had a nervy start which saw Evergreen capitalise and firing.

New Oak did grow into the game but found it tough to get back into the game.

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Evergreen flashed a warning after 38 seconds as a Declan McQuillan effort from the right was crossed in and played into the dangerous Mikey Drennan but he hit his effort over the bar.

With eight minutes on the clock, Lee Walker went close for New Oak from the edge of the box but blasted it well wide as he couldn’t control his effort.

Two minutes later, former New Oak player Andy Wall went close from the edge of the box on the right hand side, but blasted his effort wide and over.

McQuillan’s free from the left was cleared by the New Oak defence.

Evergreen capitalised on their early dominance as an Ethan Phelan effort from the edge of the box was hit into the bottom left hand corner as New Oak failed to clear the ball, and Craig Kearney in the goal didn’t react in time.

With 19 minutes gone, Walker found himself in but fired a shot narrowly wide on the left, and he will know he should have done better to at least get the shot on target.

Three minutes later, a McGrath corner from the left was cleared.

With 20 minutes to go until half-time, a Drennan effort from the left was hit into the box but McQuillan couldn’t control the ball 
On the half hour mark, Cian Cleary did well to beat his marker down the left hand side, before firing in a cross from the left for Roy Byrne whose effort was saved with the rebound falling to him and his header also being saved.

Just after the half hour mark, Jordan Harmon fluffed a shot from distance with Byrne to his right.

With six minutes to go, a Drennan free from the left from distance was hit over the bar.

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On the verge of half-time, a James McGrath cross from the left was taken at the back post by the Evergreen ‘keeper to deny Walker.

In stoppage time, a a Drennan corner from the left was cleared by Cian Dowling, and a Jordan Harmon free from the left just over the center circle was cleared.

Evergreen went closest after the break as a Phelan cross from the left was hit into Kearney by Drennan, not able to get the power on his effort.

Four minutes later, New Oak had a glorious chance to level through a Dean Kelly free but he could only steer it well over the bar.

Sam Johnstown went close down the right but a last gasp tackle from David O’Shea cleared the ball. Harmon went closest for New Oak on the hour mark when his left footed free from the edge of the box was saved and cleared by Cian Rowe in the Evergreen goal as it headed towards the bottom left hand corner.

Just after the hour mark, Drennan fired an effort at Kearney in the goal.

With 15 minutes to go, O’Shea unusually lost the ball just outside the box, leaving Phelan through on goal and Kearney came rushing out of his goal to save his captain’s blushes and make a save to deny him.

The resulting corner from the right was cleared.

Drennan went close with 14 minutes to go, cutting in from the right and attempting to chip Kearney but he again came out and saved well.

Two minutes later, Harmon found himself in on the left but he shot across the box. With seven minutes to go, Drennan down the left fired across the box.

A minute later, a Harmon cross from the left was hit over the bar.

With two minutes to go, a Kelly free from the right was cleared.

In stoppage time, a David Grincell effort was hit wide across the box and with the very last chance, deep into stoppage time, a Luke Ramsbottom corner from the right was headed just wide on the far side.

New Oak: Craig Kearney, Cian Dowling, Luke Ramsbottom, David O’Shea, Owen McCormack, James McGrath, Cian Cleary, Dean Kelly, Jordan Harmon, Roy Byrne, Lee Walker.

Subs: David Keating (for McGrath, 68), Kyle Foley (for Byrne, 72), Chris Blake (for O’Shea, 83).

Evergreen: Cian Rowe, Sam Hickey, Lee Costello, Sam Johnstown, Lee Delaney, Dean Cornally, Andy Wall, Ify Nzewi, Declan McQuillan, Mikey Drennan, Ethan Phelan.

Subs: Mikey Clifford (for Wall, 68), Ben Hickey (for Phelan, 84), David Grincell (for McQuillan,
90+3).

LISTEN: Lee Delaney, Billy Walsh and more on the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast below: