Rampart Celtic are Crowned Clancy Cup Winners.

Rampart Celtic 4 Bellurgan 3

A very large crowd in Clancy park were treated to a thriller as Rampart Celtic got their hands on the first piece of silverware in the Dundalk and District League. In a game that swung from end to end throughout, it was Bellurgan who struck first in the 16th minute, Luke Higgins pouncing on a poor back pass to beat Boduarin in the Rampart nets. It took until the 39th minute before Rampart got on even terms, Lee Wright was quickest to react when his stunning drive came back off the upright. Bellurgan replied within a minute when Joe Needham headed home to put the peninsula side 2-1 up, a lead they took into the break.

The second half was 15 minute’s old when Anthony Lines struck again from the most acute angle beat the keeper to level the game once more. Lines struck again 8 minute’s later courageously driving in to slam home a ball on the six yard box to put Rampart ahead for the first time in the final, he had to retire shortly after with an injury. Disaster struck for Bellurgan soon after when a mistake by keeper Seamus O’Hare was punished by Lee Wright to put Rampart 4-2 ahead.

Undaunted Bellurgan hit back and it took some sterling g defending by outstanding Aidan McGuiness at the heart of Rampart rearguard to deny them another goal until 5 minutes from time when Joe Dunne swept home Bellurgans 3rd goal to set up a grandstand finish. The victors held out to collect their first trophy in the Dundalk League after 11 years of trying.

A piece of League history was written when Sarah Dyas became the first female referee to take charge of a Cup final after 112 years since the League was founded in 1905/06 season. 

Aidan McGuiness won James Clarke Man of the Match Award. The presentation were handed out by Terry Kelly nephew of Jimmy Clancy.

The Dundalk and District League would like to thank Quay Celtic for the use of the splendid Clancy Park and for their sponsorship of the final.

Rampart Celtic Team:

R.Boduarin

A.Fallon

P.Fee

D.Azure

A.McGuiness

S.McQuillan

E.Rodgers

D.Sharkey

A.Lines

L.Wright

E.Akanade

P.O’Hagan

P.Kloda

E.McGuiness

O.Amara

C.Mullen

T.Osbe

D.Murphy

Bellurgan United Team:

S.O’Hare

J.McArdle

C.Lawson

S.Finegan

J.Long

B.Dunne

L.Higgins

B.McDonnell

J.Needham

D.Sharkey

S.O’Brien

J.Dunne

P.Fisher

J.Smyth

P.Lynch

S.McElvinneyT.O’Conor

D.Traynor

Referee: Sarah Dyas