Cosmos Cup glory

After suffering heartbreak in the last two seasons Navan Cosmos claimed the NEFL Challenge Cup for only the second time with a resounding 4-1 victory over Bellurgan at United Park Drogheda this afternoon.
The all conquering Navan Cosmos had won every thing there was to win in recent seasons in the NEFL, but the Challenge Cup eluded them following losses to Bellurgan in 2015 and to Trim Celtic last season. However they were determined not to let it slip this time around.
Colm Carney, who scored for Trim Celtic against Cosmos in last year's decider, went close with a snap shot in the seventh minute before Bellurgan created two chances out of nothing.
The first saw Daniel O'Connor flash an effort across the face of the goals and in the 20th minute Conor McManus had to be alert to cut out an opportunity that appeared destined to land on a plate for Ciaran Sheelan.
Cosmos continued to create the better chances with Carney firing straight at Rob Arthur after being put through by Anto Burke and three minutes later Burke rushed an effort when he had more time than he realised.
However in the 27th minute the deadlock was broken. A brilliant ball out wide by Alan Murphy picked out man-of-the-match Paul Delaney and his equally exquisite centre took Arthur out of the equation and laid on Burke for a tap in to an empty net.
It was 2-0 11 minutes later as Delaney whipped in a cross from the right and with Arthur distracted by Burke making a move to the near post the ball deceived them both and sailed in at the back stick.
Burke should have made it 3-0 in the 41st minute when he shot straight at Arthur and two minutes later Bellurgan were back in the game when a disputed corner led to Brian White having a header stopped on the line by Ben Newe, but Niall Donnolly pounced on the loose ball to close the gap to 1-2 at the interval.
Any lingering doubts about Cosmos fragility were dispelled within 90 seconds of the restart when a through ball by Burke sent Carney clear and he finished well to make it 3-1.
Cosmos sat back and defended well for the remainder. McManus went close with a free kick that was spilled by Arthur before Conor Gilsenan had to be alert to keep out a dipping header from Ray Finnegan and a stinging low drive from Sheelan.
Bellurgan threw everything into attack in the closing stages and were hit on the counter three minutes into injury-time when Burke bagged his second to crown Cosmos as Challenge Cup champions at the third time of asking.

Navan Cosmos - Conor Gilsenan; Paul Delaney, Ben New, Robbie Dillon, Shaun Doyle, Alan Murphy, Conor McManus, Jack Murray, Anto Burke, Conor Walsh, Colm Carney. Subs - Jimmy Boland for Walsh 73 mins, Mark Leavy for Carney 85m.

Bellurgan - R Arthur; O Treanor, C Clarke, R Finnegan, Sean McEvoy, D Murphy, S Finnegan, B White, C Sheelan, N Donnolly, D O'Connor. Subs - O Armstrong for Treanor 57 mins, J Reneghan for Murphy 70m, K Finnegan for White 76m.

Referee - Joe Dyan; assistants - Daryl Carolan, John Crawley; fourth official - Charlie Pierce (all Louth ISRS).