27/10/2026
Munster Junior Cup 3rd round
MULLANE’S GOAL THE HIGHLIGHT IN HEAVY DEFEAT
Broadford United………………………………………………………..5
(16, 35, 60, 62, 65)
Abbeyfeale United …………………………………………………1
(C. Mullane 25)
The concession of three goals in five minutes just past the hour mark consigned Abbeyfeale United to a heavy defeat away to Broadford United in the third round of the Munster Junior Cup last Sunday afternoon.
Such a heavy defeat didn’t appear likely at half-time, after a first-half in which both teams went toe to toe, with Broadford’s slight edge reflected in the 2-1 scoreline in their favour. The home team opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Michael Brosnan converted expertly from the penalty spot after 16-year-old Tiernan O’Flynn was brought down in the box.
Abbeyfeale’s equaliser in the 25th minute has to be a candidate for goal of the season. David Mullins’ corner from the left was half-cleared as far as Paudie Smith inside the left-hand side of the penalty area. Mullins called for the ball to be played wide to him but Smith elected to pass inside instead. What happened next was what took the goal out of the ordinary into exalted levels. Stationed slightly to the right of the front edge of the box, Mullane controlled Smith’s delivery with his chest and then, facing away from goal, he met the dropping ball with a hook volley over his left shoulder that flew into the top left-hand corner. It was perfection in the ex*****on of a high-level skill and will live long in the memory of all who saw it.
Ten minutes later, Broadford were back in front with a well-taken goal by Jamie Keane from an assist by skipper Jack Pierce, who struck the bar with a 26-yaard piledriver a couple of minutes after that.
Manager Eoghan Kelly and his assistant, Joe O’Flaherty, elected to make a change at half-time, bringing on Oisin Pennycook for this club debut. Pennycook, a teammate of Mullins on the Irish Hospitals team, showed a willingness to take on opponents from the start and did enough over the half to show that he will be an asset to the side.
Another substitute who impressed was Klaidas Merkivicius, who showed from the moment of his 52nd minute introduction with his direct approach that he wasn’t overawed by the experienced Broadford central defence, such as in the 59th minute when he held off his marker and met Smith’s cross with a shot that drew a save from Patrick Stack.
Then came the five-minute spell that ended Abbeyfeale’s hopes. The first two of the triple blast were scored by Keane, who thus completed his hat-trick. They were both set up by Pierce, who took his assists to four when his sideline free-kick was met by a sidefoot volley from the evergreen Joe McAuliffe.
To their credit, the Abbeyfeale players kept their shape after that and prevented further damage against a Broadford side who have the skill and knowhow to punish teams when allowed. It was a busy day for the Abbeyfeale defence, with centre-half Caleb Martens playing to his usual high standard, while, beside him, Tymur Yurchenko, still a Youths player, looked comfortable at this level. Tymur was one of four Abbeyfeale youths players on the pitch at the end of the match, joining goalkeeper Mark Lane and substitutes Merkivicius and Scott O’Connor.
Team: Mark Lane, Ryan Sweeney, TJ Murphy, Caleb Martens, Tymur Yurchenko, Cathal McCoy, Dave Mullins, Conor Mullane, Paudie Smith, Olan Quigley, Jamie Dore. Sub: Oisin Pennycook for Murphy (h-t), Klaidas Merkivicius for McCoy (52 mins), Scott O’Connor for Mullane, inj (61 mins), Daniel Lyons for Dore (66 mins).
GOAL OF THE SEASON CONTENDER
Mullane’s chest control and hook volley over the left shoulder into the top right-hand corner of the net .One for the ages.
