Cabinteely’s Under 17’s, who just missed out on a place in the league quarter-finals, have got to the final of the Shield competition after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Bray Wanderers.
The winning penalty was scored by Cabinteely substitute Jack Maguire, in a sudden-death shoot-out following a dramatic 4-4 shoot-out. The game had ended scoreless after extra-time.
How did he feel when he knew his penalty had put Cabinteely into the final? “Yes, of course it was an amazing feeling, the best feeling I’ve had in a long long time and the minute it hit the net I was in shock. I turned around and could just see all my team-mates running towards me, and that’s when it hit me we were going into the final. I was confident that we could win the shoot-out but you just never know what could happen. It was one of the proudest moments of my life and I would like to thank Julian, Val and Tony. I couldn’t have asked for better coaches during the season and believing in me for when the big chance came.”
On the game itself Jack said, “Both teams were evenly matched as we’re two good sides. I wasn’t expecting the crowd to be as big as it was but created a great atmosphere to the game and that’s what pushed the players to put on a show.”
“It was a tight game for most of the game but I think we created more chances which we should’ve taken. Obviously there was a lot to fight for to get into the final of the Shield but I thought we gave it our all.”
“I thought we were strong from start to finish and deserved the win because all the boys worked really hard and earned a spot in the final with a very committed season. It was a very tough game but the boys were very consistent throughout the park.”
On the penalty shoot-out Maguire told us that things hadn’t exactly gone to plan in practice, “For the penalty shootout I was the 6th Cabinteely player to take one. The minute the whistle blew for the end of extra time it hit me that it was going into penalties, and of course we were prepared all week practicing, and to be honest they weren’t going in the back of the net for me but when the time came I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better.”
“The pressure was huge of course, but I tried my hardest not to let it get the better of me. It wasn’t really taking the penalty itself, it was the lead up and watching everyone else. It was of course one of the scariest moments that has ever happened to me.”
He was also full of praise for the Cabinteely goalkeeper for keeping them in the game, “I kept calm and composed and did the job, but if it wasn’t for Peter Quinlan with his two excellent saves I wouldn’t have been able to score the winning penalty and lead us into the final.”
“A big thank you to Tony who volunteered me to take one because I was a bit unsure whether to take it because of how my penos were going during the week.”
Cabinteely will now face Derry City on the Shield final.
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