Moville manager's delight at more
silverware
01.05.09
by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent
EMOTIONAL Moville boss John Canning has said he has
nothing but admiration and respect for his players
following their hard fought win over Redcastle on Sunday
night that saw them capture the Ulster Junior Cup.
Canning who was ecstatic at the final whistle, said the
team deserved their success for the hard work they had
put in over the season, and added he was hoping the win
would be a springboard for bigger things in seasons to
come.
“It was a very close game, a hard fought game and
Redcastle are always a great team to battle with, but we
knew we had the team and the belief the players had
showed tonight.”
The Moville manager’s delight was obvious because he
suggested, his team had been written off during the
season when their league form had dipped.
“During the league campaign everybody wrote us off,
everybody talked about us saying we were falling apart
but, for different reasons we were never able to put out
the same team for two weeks in a row. But it was the
same bunch of players week in week out, training since
last September and they have got their day in the sun
again.” |
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With so much at stake the
first goal was always going to be vital and when Moville
scored through Nigel McMonagle after just four minutes
it was the kind of dream start Canning said he had hoped
for.
“We got off to a brilliant start, Nigel’s goal was
brilliant but he’s been ridiculed by some bigger
managers saying he’s not as good. You’ve seen the
finish, the quality, it was super, it was first class.”
McMonagle was also in the thick of the action in the
second half when he delivered the pin point cross for
the winner, something the manager was quick to point
out.
“Nigel’s cross for the second goal was brilliant too and
what a finish from Richie McElhinney, the wee-est man on
the field, he came here last year to win medals and he
has his medal won now.”
Canning admitted that, after the goal his side had clung
on for a while, but was full of praise for the display
by his hard working defence.
“It was backs to the wall for us near the end, but I’ve
heard managers before saying that our defence was like
the Red Sea and we’d part to let teams through, we were
like no Red Sea tonight, we stuck at it and we held it
tight.”
The importance of the win was something he was at pains
to point out.
“Moville is a big club, they had not won anything in ten
seasons until last year when we won the league cup, this
year it’s the Ulster Junior Cup, the first time Moville
has ever won the Ulster Junior Cup. I can hold my head
high, be proud of myself and proud of the players.”
And for anyone who had questioned the manager himself he
had this parting shot – “They told me I’d never be a
manager until I won something, that’s two seasons in a
row I’m bringing silverware home with me.”
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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