24-05-2025
Limerick's Fairview Rangers win FAI Junior Cup for tenth time
FAI Junior Cup final: Fairview Rangers 4 North End United 1
Fairview Rangers are FAI Junior Cup champions for the tenth time following a 4-1 victory over North End United at Turner's Cross.
Second half goals from Jason Cross, Josh McCarthy, and Rubin McCarthy were the difference, and that means the trophy is going to Limerick for the first time in five years.
North End United set up a big finish after Reece Murphy equalised following Jeffery Judge's opener, but it wasn't to be for a team managed by Gary Dempsey, an FA Youth Cup winner with Everton.
The Wexford kingpins, fresh from retaining their Premier Division crown, started fast by putting an inviting cross into the box and that was almost turned in by Cross.
This burst faded into a period of uncertainty for Fairview Rangers as their captain, former Cork City and Limerick FC midfielder Shane Duggan, went off injured.
They came through the challenge and managed to set up Judge for a close range finish at the St Anne's End in the 25th minute.
An opportunity to double Fairview's lead fell to Cian Kavanagh after the restart and the midfielder kicked the ball straight at Jason Maguire.
Gbadebo Habideen also found himself in space during this period, and the striker fired wide from right in front of the posts.
Fairview finished the half by creating two quick opportunities inside the box for Habideen and Adam Dore, and these were blocked down.
The game restarted with North End United winning a corner and Gary Delaney headed this narrowly wide.
Paul Murphy also broke through the Fairview midfield during this spell and the forward's shot went straight into the hands of Josh McCarthy.
Something was coming and it arrived from a corner after Paul Murphy knocked the ball on and Reece Murphy got in to score in the 59th minute.
What got Fairview over the line were the changes, as North End pushed for another equaliser, Cross headed in a corner in the 73rd minute.
The next time they got in that position, Oleg Vysochan found Josh McCarthy and the substitute side footed the ball in at the Shed End.
Fairview had one more in them, and that came from a neat moving involving Habideen. The striker dribbled into the area and saw his attempt saved by an onrushing Maguire. The loose ball went out to Rubin McCarthy, who hit the back of the net from right in front of the posts in the sixth minute of time added on.
FAIRVIEW RANGERS: Josh McCarthy; Jake Dillon, Brian Ahern (Blake Curran 67), Conor Kavanagh, Jason Cross, Jeffery Judge (Rubin McCarthy 90), Shane Duggan (Shane Carmody 21), Cian McNamara (Josh McCarthy 81), Gbadebo Habideen, Oleg Vysochan, Adam Dore (Daniel O'Neill 71).
NORTH END UNITED: Jason Maguire; Ayman Yousif, Todd Hynes, Reece Murphy, Gary Delaney, Alan Rhodes (Shane Dempsey 80), Ciaran Paige, John Pearce, Eoin Rhodes, Paul Murphy, Robert Kane (Craig McCabe HT).
Referee: John O'Connor
