ROCKMOUNT 1993

Rockmount's St Michael's Cup triumph was their first ever in the


competition, a knockout event for teams from the Premier and First

Divisions of the Murphy's Stout AUL and was a fitting retirement

present for manager Denis O'Donovan. During the campaign, Denis had

valuable help from assistant John Hill and coach and first aid man

Greg Duggan (never slow to reach for the water bottle).



The victory was achieved without three top players. Keeper Pakie

Cassidy missed much of the season due to injury while Deccie Courtney

and Philip Murphy, both injured, missed the decider at Turner's Cross.



Reserve youth keeper Dermot O'Brien did the great job in place of

Cassidy and was the hero of the shootout win over Ballincollig

Athletic in the final.



The regular full backs were Charlie O'Sullivan and Frank Shaw, a

powerful pair. In the centre of defence, Aidan Kearney and the

experienced Jamesie Corcoran (who joined the club about seven years

back), excelled.



Player of the Year John Long and skipper Donal Murphy shared the

midfield duties with John Joe O'Sullivan (scorer of the opening goal

in the final), Eamonn Cassidy, and David Ahern.



Striker Mick McAuliffe was guilty of a glaring miss in the final but

any man who scores 41 goals in a season (as Mick did in 92/93) can be

easily forgiven. McAuliffe recently returned to the Cross as a member

of the AUL team and scored twice as they beat their Dublin

counterparts in the annual Tayto Cup challenge. Other valuable

members of the Rockmount squad were the experienced Ger Cronin and

Damien "Dublin" Carthy.



The road to cup glory started with a 3 - 2 away win over Grattan Utd.

O'Sullivan and McAuliffe scored in normal time while Donal Murphy hit

the extra time winner. In the second round tie against visitors

Brooklodge Utd, the Murphy's Stout Match of the Week, goals by

McAuliffe (3) and Ahern earned Rockmount a 4 - 3 advance.



Rockmount were at home again in round three but up against formidable

opposition in Crescent Athletic who were on their way to becoming

champions of the Premier League. Once again McAuliffe did the trick,

scoring twice in a 2 - 1 victory.



Ahern was the striking hero in the thrilling semi-final win over

holders Bandon. The county side led 2 - 0 at the interval. Kearney

and Shaw scored to make it level and Ahern came up with a last minute

winner.



In the final, John Joe O'Sullivan scored an early goal but

Ballincollig equalised before halftime through Finny O'Callaghan. It

stayed at 1 - 1 through the ninety minutes and extra time before

O'Brien's save earned Rockmount a shootout triumph.



The full list of previous St Michael's Cup winners is: Ballincollig

(82); St John Bosco's (83); Carrigaline Utd (84); St Mary's (85);

Ballincollig (86); Douglas Hall (87); Mayfield Utd (88);

Ballincollig (89); Greenmount Rangers (90); Casement Celtic (91);

and Bandon (92).



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