Navan Town send the Farm home feeling blue

Navan Town recorded a famous victory on Sunday when they sent top Dublin club Home Farm crashing out of the FAI Youth Cup in a seven-goal thriller. Lee Dixon’s 90th minute penalty sent the home supporters into a frenzy of excitement and delighted manager Robbie Wogan. “It was a great achievement by the boys and I’m proud of the performance, five of the players have been included in the North Dublin League youth squad for the forthcoming inter-league competition,” Wogan told the Meath Chronicle. His counterpart, John Lyons, was gracious in defeat despite going out to a late penalty. “That’s cup football, we didn’t perform, I can’t complain about the penalty, we also got one in the first-half and I thought the referee was very honest in his handling of the game,” stated the Home Farm official. This was very much the new boys putting one over on one of the most respected and longest established clubs in the country. Home Farm was established in 1928 and has a rich pedigree as a club that produces talented players. Former internationals like Johnny Giles, Liam Brady, Ronnie Whelan, Mark Kennedy and Paddy Mulligan are just a few of the players who began their fledgling careers at Home Farm. Navan Town currently play in the North Dublin League as there is no outlet for u-18 players locally. They welcomed their Dublin visitors on Sunday morning and promptly scored two goals in as many minutes for a perfect start as Donal Callan and Cathal Smith hit the target. Farm were back in contention from Gareth Kilkenny’s 20th minute penalty and the same player drew the sides level shortly after the resumption. Navan Town re-grouped and hit the front again when Smith claimed his second goal with 15 minutes remaining. The Dublin boys got back to parity through Adam O’Brien, but conceded that late penalty. Farm goalkeeper Ryan Kinsella saved the initial shot, but Dixon followed up on the rebound. Navan Town - D Peppard; A Fitzsimons, B Milligan, L Dixon, C Hand, P O’Neill, D Callan, C Finnegan, B McDermott, C Smith, N O’Brien. Subs - M Hand for Finnegan, K Reilly for O’Neill, B Lang for McDermott. Home Farm - R Kinsella; L Harrison, G Browne, K Jenkinson, C Armstrong, G Kilkenny, B Conway, A O’Brien, P Flood, G Parkinson, M Kavanagh. Sub - K Cummins for Kavanagh. Referee - Gerry Keoghan (Meath Branch ISRS).