24/07/2009 by admin.

F.F.A. CUP FINAL

Bimingham Albion v. Liverpool United

An otherwise uneventful first-half was lit up in the 44th minute when a cross from Albion’s Downing was well controlled by MORRISSEY just inside the penalty box. The striker drilled a right-foot shot into the top right hand corner of the net. Liverpool United were much better in the second-half and deserved their equaliser on 65 minutes when Jackie WILLIAMS went round Albion’s right-back O’Connor and shot from the tightest of angles leaving Whelan only able to parry the ball into the goal. Extra-time failed to produce a winning goal so the final went to a penalty shoot-out. Ferdinand shot wide with Albion’s second penalty but Whelan saved United’s third penalty taken by Williams. With the score level at 2-2 after three kicks O’Leary then put the merseysiders 3-2 in front. Delaney stepped up for Birmingham only to see his penalty saved by the keeper. Nicholl then hit the crossbar with Liverpool United’s fifth kick but Downing followed this by putting his penalty wide, leaving United 3-2 winners.

LEAGUE 1 PLAY-OFF FINAL

Cardiff United v. Stoke United

Despite a nervy opening half-hour by both clubs the play-off final sprung to life on 42 minutes. A Phillips free-kick for Stoke found FRANCIS on the edge of the box who chested the ball down before sending a half-volley into the top right-hand corner. In a blistering second-half Cardiff were soon back on terms when a Rhys-Jones free-kick in the 46th minute was headed by MAHONEY just beyond the keeper’s right-hand from 10 yards out. With 15 minutes remaining Crouch played the ball on to FLITCROFT who sent a right-footed rocket into the top left-hand corner of the net to put the Welsh side 2-1 up. Three minutes later Stoke United were back level. Another set-piece, this time a corner by Phillips was headed home by FRANCIS from six yards out. The winner came in the 82nd minute when a left-wing cross from Griffith-Jones was half-volleyed in off the left-hand post by FLITCROFT to give Cardiff United a 3-2 victory and a swift return to the top flight.

GAELIC CUP FINAL

Belfast Rangers v. Rovers

Rovers were obviously up for this one and after only seven minutes they took the lead. Sand Young’s shot was well saved by Hamilton but BOYD slotted in the rebound. In the second-half FINNAN dribbled into the Rovers box on 51 minutes and shot past Forsyth from a tight angle to put Belfast Rangers level. It wasn’t long before Rovers regained control of the game and on 59 minutes JORDAN scored with a bullet header from 12 yards out from a cross by Boyd. Jordan returned the favour in the 63rd minute when he easily beat a defender and sent a perfect cross to BOYD who spectacularly volleyed past Hamilton to make it 3-1 to Rovers.

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08/02/2009 by admin.

F.F.A. CUP FINAL

FALLOWFIELD 4   LIVERPOOL UNITED 0

Having thrown away the Premier League title on the last day of the season, Fallowfield were in no mood to let another major trophy slip from their grasp. It took only two minutes for the Manchester club to state their intent when Rabbie Dalgleish’s left foot shot from just outside the penalty area slipped through the fingers of England International keeper Billy Morris. Fallowfield increased their lead half-an-hour later when Andy Hughes ran at the United defence who failed to stop his advance into the penalty area to slot past the outcoming Morris. The game was put to bed right on half-time when a right-wing cross from Dalgleish was headed in from six yards by Hughes who was far sharper than the stationary Loftus at meeting the cross. Hughes completed his hat-trick on 54 minutes when a defensive mix-up by Nicholl and Cooke allowed the marksman in to score his 20th goal of the season. Man-of-the-match award went to Fallowfield skipper Mick Phillips for his overall outstanding performance.

GAELIC CUP FINAL

DUBLIN 3   ROVERS 0

This was the first cup final to be played at the new Gallowgate Stadium in Glasgow, home of Rovers’ bitter rivals Wanderers. Despite having won the Gaelic League title by a convincing 13 points Rovers made a very lacklustre start to their attempt for a League and Cup double. On 9 minutes a Dublin corner was headed home by top scorer Declan O’Connor. Rovers seemed totally inept at defending the Irish side’s aerial threat in the box. It was another cross this time from McKenna that Quinn headed in from 12 yards to make it 2-0. Rovers thought they had pulled one back on 34 minutes but Boyd’s header was ruled out for offside. On 51 minutes a thumping header by O’Connor 10 yards out from O’Hare’s free-kick sealed the game for Dublin and he almost made it a hat-trick on 59 minutes when he swivelled and hit a thunderous shot against the upright. Dublin captain Mick McKenna was awarded the man-of-the-match award.

LEAGUE 1 PLAY-OFF FINAL

EDGBASTON 1   MIDDLESBRO’ ROVERS 2

Edgbaston were hoping for a swift return to the Premier League after being relegated last season but were dealt a severe blow on 11 minutes when Elder got in front of Gray to meet King’s cross and head past Jones to put Rovers into the lead. Then on 20 minutes Shaun Richards avoided a challenge from Fairweather outside the box then took the ball into the area and drilled into the top left corner of the Edgbaston goal to make it 2-0. On 57 minutes young Dexter Mills gave the Midlands side a glimmer of hope when Palpieri’s ball behind the Rovers defence was pounced on by Mills whose left foot shot gave Stead no chance. Leroy King was the Rovers man-of-the-match helping them win promotion to the Premier League after a three season absence.

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20/09/2008 by admin.

Sunderland City beat Highbury 2-0 in the Season 41 F.F.A.Cup Final at Wembley Park to lift their first trophy since winning the same competition in seasons 36 and 37. Highbury, this season’s Premier League runners-up, were outplayed by City who took an early lead when Hywel Jones’ left foot shot from outside the box went in off the post.  James O’Malley made it 2-0 on 50 minutes after heading in a Jones left wing cross from 12 yards out.

Dublin, having won their last seven league games, were the form team taking on Rovers in the Gaelic Cup Final at Queens Park. It took only two minutes for the Irish club to open the scoring when a neat pass from O’Hare was fired home by Quinn. Rovers fought back and equalised in the 39th minute when a pass from Greig was converted by the left foot of Fletcher. Dublin retained their lead right on half-time. Quinn back-heeled the ball to O’Hare whose excellent cross was headed against the post by O’Connor who reacted quickest by slotting home the rebound. O’Hare sealed the win on 50 minutes and completed an excellent man-of-the-match performance when he dribbled past two defenders into the box before hammering in a right foot shot into the top left-hand corner of the net.

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19/09/2008 by admin.

Huddersfield United will make a swift return to the Premier League after winning the League 1 Play-Off Final thanks to a remarkable penalty shoot-out. They dominated the first-half and took the lead after only 5 minutes with a goal from striker Winston Platts. However, with the last kick of the first-half Newport Town grabbed an equaliser when a great finish from Dudley Pugh. Both sides had chances to win the game but even after extra-time the match remained level. After both clubs converted their opening penalties, Carter hit the post with United’s second but Deacy also missed with Town’s fourth penalty. Nelson then missed  for Huddersfield and Flitcroft had his decisive penalty saved. The shoot-out entered sudden death and the next six penalties for each team were all converted. All players including goalkeepers had taken their turn so Platts took his second kick and scored to make it 10-9 to United. Newport Town’s young striker Owen Jones then stepped up and missed the target completely. Winston Platts was named man-of-the-match.

In the League 2 final Nottingham City beat Leeds Rovers 2-1 and in the League 3 final Reading Rovers won 2-0 against Barnsley Rangers. In the Conference decider Cambridge County beat Burnley United 2-1 and will be promoted to League 3 in place of Luton United.  

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14/08/2008 by admin.

HIGHBURY   2     HYDE PARK RANGERS   0

(at Aston Park, Birmingham)

This all-London tie was settled by a stunning first-half display by Highbury and in particular two almost identical right-wing crosses from man-of-the-match Niall O’Connor. The first was headed home by Leroy Casey after 24 minutes and the second, two minutes later, headed in by Sean O’Shea. In the second half H.P.R. had a few good chances, the best of which came in the 62nd minute when Mitch Barnes was through on goal only to see his excellent shot brilliantly turned round the post by Dafydd Thomas.

LIVERPOOL UNITED   0     SUNDERLAND CITY   2

(at Trafford Park, Manchester)

Wesley Walters scored the opening goal of this match with a shot from just inside the box after being put through by man-of-the-match Hywel Jones. The league’s leading goalscorer James O’Malley sealed the tie on 54 minutes, heading home Whiteside’s pinpoint left-wing cross to take his tally for the season to 31.   

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10/07/2008 by admin.

see latest results, tables, teams and much more on the main site at www.fictionalfootball.co.uk

CUP FINAL REVIEW

LIVERPOOL UNITED RETAIN LEAGUE CUP

Captain Danny O’Leary inspired Liverpool United to a second successive League Cup Final victory over Thames Valley. Cameron McCreadie had given the Merseysiders a one-goal lead at the interval but Jock Kennedy’s bullet header eight yards out from a Gallagher cross put Valley level. On 63 minutes a superbly worked move ended with Jackie Williams’ perfectly timed ball to O’Leary running into the box and slotting home to put United back in front. They went further ahead in the 81st minute when a cross from Loftus was brilliantly controlled by O’Leary who then drilled the ball in from ten yards. Kennedy scored with another perfectly executed header from 12 yards after a great cross from Watson in the final minute for Thames Valley. So the season’s first trophy is won by Liverpool United and manager Willie Buchan will hope this can spur the team on in their struggle to retain their Premier League Championship title.  

Aberdeen Athletic won their third consecutive Scottish Cup with a 1-0 win over Midlothian at Queens Park. Jimmy Wilson scored the decisive goal on 63 minutes heading in from a Donaldson corner.

There was plenty of drama in the Irish Cup Final in Belfast. County Cork making their first ever cup final appearance went behind to a Mick McKenna penalty on 21 minutes for Dublin after O’Connor was fouled by Campbell. However, eight minutes later Shay Carsley’s left foot volley from a Campbell cross put County on level terms.  With the score 1-1 after 90 minutes the game entered extra-time and Dublin took the lead after 98 minutes when O’Carol’s ball behind the defence enabled Jim O’Hare to score. Just before the end of the first period of extra-time Declan O’Connor should have sealed victory for Dublin when he missed from six yards out and they paid for this glaring miss when County scored a dramatic last minute equaliser. Carsley headed onto the bar from Ian Quinn’s cross, the ball bounced down onto the line and then crossed the line on the way back up. Noel Quinn of Dublin put their second penalty wide of the post in the shoot-out and all other penalties were converted, with man-of-the-match Noel O’Brien scoring the decisive penalty kick for County Cork.

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