On paper, it may have read a bit like a David-versus-Goliath clash and at full-time, the result reflected just that.
In a sun-drenched but breezy Derdimus Park in Kilkenny on Sunday afternoon, Kilkenny & District Soccer League Premier Division side Freebooters took on Evergreen 46, the Kells Road club’s Division 3 team. Evergreen put Callan United to the sword by virtue of a penalty shootout in the semi-finals before falling to Newpark in the Division 3 cup decider a week ago.
For Freebooters, runners up to Evergreen A in the St. Canice’s Credit Union Premier Division this year, Sunday presented a chance to get a new name on the cup with last year’s winners Evergreen A knocked out in the early rounds. In warm conditions, it didn’t take too long for the goals to start coming in, Seanie Bolger opening the scoring for Freebooters on 25 minutes with Jim Ryan doubling the city club’s lead less than ten minutes later.
Joe Banville missed a penalty for ‘Booters in the aftermath but David Rice made up for it five minutes before the break, hitting his first and the club’s third of the day and leaving them with a 3-0 advantage going into halftime.
With the game feeling all but done-and-dusted at, Freebooters still had a bit more in the tank with Seanie Bolger grabbing his second just after the restart (47 minutes) before Ben Maher put the icing on the cake with the fifth and final goal on the hour mark to run out 5-0 winners.
“It’s been a memorable season, it’s been a great season”, goalscorer David Rice told KCLR immediately following the game. Injury to Rice last season left him questioning his future involvement with Freebooters, but he’s not slowing down.
“I came back last season, done my PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament), was out for seven months. I didn’t know if I was actually going to be able to play football again at this kind of level or what way it would hold up, it’s sore after a few games.”
“We’ve a great manager, great coaches and a great bunch of lads. I mean, I’d die for any one of those lads in that dressing room. It’s almost 11 months now of hard training together. We’re out doing 5ks weekly, we’re out in Jenkinstown, and we didn’t even have a home pitch this year. It’s silverware like that that makes it all worth it.”
Freebooters are next out this Wednesday evening in the semi-final of the Premier Division Mock Lawlor Cup against Callan United with the winners going on to face Bridge United on Sunday.