Cunningham grabs hat-trick as Killeigh Ramblers advance

Nigel Cunningham grabbed a hat-trick as Killeigh Ramblers came away from Sarsfield Park with a deserved 3-0 win over Melville Celtic in this CCFL Division 3 Cup last Sunday. Cunningham was the main man for Killeigh, the right winger netting three goals and putting in a fine all-round display. Melville never really got going and can't have too many complaints. But despite this disappointing result, they can now look to a promising league campaign that currently sees them placed second in Division 3B and involved in what looks like a four-horse race for both the league title and promotion, with Gentex, Moate Celtic and Clara Town B all in contention. Barely 60 seconds had elapsed on Sunday when the home side found themselves chasing the game. A free kick was awarded to the visiting side when Eddie Keenan was brought down a couple of yards outside the Melville penalty area. Cunningham stepped up to take the kick and although his effort was parried by goalkeeper Gary Joyce, the ball looped high and, when it eventually came down, sneaked into the corner of the net. Playing with a strong breeze and sensing that they had the upper-hand on their opponents, Killeigh went in search of a second and nearly found it on eleven minutes when Killian O'Brien saw his curling, thirty-yard volley miss the target by only a matter of inches – a spectacular effort. Speedy striker Kevin Keenahan was next to have a go, getting in behind the Melville defence only to see his angle narrowed well by Gary Joyce, who was able to make a good stop. Keenahan then took advantage of some indecision in the Melville defence to nick the ball back and outpace two defenders before rifling a shot just over the crossbar. The Offaly side were well on top at this early stage, but Melville finally showed signs of stirring on 21 minutes when a surging run from Darren O'Hanlon saw him thread a perfect ball through for Mark Sludds to run on to. Coming in from the right wing, Sludds had a free run at goal but saw his angle quickly narrowed by both defenders and goalkeeper and his poked effort rolled well wide of the mark. Eoin O'Connor tried his luck with a looping volley on 27 minutes, but his effort was never troubling Niall O'Rourke in the Killeigh goal. Killeigh now began to reassert themselves and on 36 minutes they had two big chances in quick succession. A mazy run from Cunningham saw him pull the ball back from the right to Eddie Keenan. But with no-one around him, Keenan failed to even hit the target, somehow blasting over the bar. Just 60 seconds later, Kevin Keenahan got in behind the Melville defence and pulled the ball back to the penalty spot where Marcus Walshe was waiting unmarked and under no pressure. Walshe had all the time in the world to pick his spot but his placed effort flew wide of the mark. Melville had gotten out of jail twice. As the half-time whistle blew, Killeigh were in complete control with Melville yet to make any meaningful impact on the game. But with Melville now having the wind at their backs, one wondered if Killeigh would be left to rue all those missed chances. And as it happened, the Athlone side came out for the second half with a renewed intensity and now it was Ramblers who were on the back foot. But clear-cut chances were hard to come by and all they could offer inside the opening 15 minutes of the half was a looping volley from Darren O'Hanlon that flew over Niall O'Rourke's crossbar. Melville were dominating now but, on 59 minutes, they were hit with a killer-blow. After some hesitancy in the Melville defence, Cunningham nicked the ball back, played a neat one-two with Kevin Keenahan before taking his time and, with just the 'keeper to beat, placing the ball to the bottom corner of the net. It was a goal that Killeigh's first-half display should have yielded but harsh justice on Melville nonetheless, having made such an excellent start to the second half. Thereafter, the wind appeared to have been knocked out of Melville's sails as they had just seen the good start made to the half completely negated by that second Killeigh goal. But with 20 minutes remaining the home side showed signs that they weren't prepared to throw in the towel just yet. First, Alan Nugent saw his speculative long-range effort fly over the bar before a cracking thirty-yard half-volley from Andrew Roper was tipped away by Niall O'Rourke when the ball looked destined to find the top corner. Minutes later, Eoin O'Connor saw his header from a corner tipped over by O'Rourke, the Killeigh goalkeeper seemingly determined to keep his side's clean sheet intact. David O'Brien was next to have a go but he saw his free-kick narrowly miss the top corner. It just wasn't going to be Melville's day and, in the 83rd minute, Killeigh delivered the knockout blow. Winning possession back in midfield, Kevin Daly threaded a perfect ball in behind the Melville defence for Eddie Keenan to run on to. From an acute angle, Keenahan shot and saw his effort blocked by Gary Joyce. But the ball was fumbled across the goalmouth into the path of Cunningham who, with an unguarded net in front of him, couldn't miss from two yards – the easiest of his three goals but a deserved hat-trick for, undoubtedly, the man of the match as Killeigh Ramblers advance to round two of the Division Three Cup. MELVILLE CELTIC: Gary Joyce, Jonathan Fallon, Jimmy Shine, Scott Quinn, Robert Woods, Darren O'Hanlon, Alan Nugent, John Cawley, David O'Brien, Eoin O'Connor, Mark Sludds. SUBS: Andrew Roper for J. Cawley (HT), Ryan Berry for D. O'Hanlon (87'). KILLEIGH RAMBLERS: Niall O'Rourke, Padraig Horan, Paul Shortt, Alan Reynolds, Glen Rafferty, Killian O'Brien, Nigel Cunningham, Kevin Daly, Kevin Keenahan, Eddie Keenan, Marcus Walshe. SUBS: Brendan Kenny for M. Walshe (65'), Mark Egan for K. Keenahan (74'). REFEREE: Tony Ward.