Captain Chapman double delight gives Warren YM Ironside Cup joy at long last

On Boxing Day, though, it did as they beat Sandy Row 3-1 after extra-time in the final at Stanley Park.

Fittingly, it was two penalty kicks converted by captain Colin Chapman, who was the only man on the pitch playing in a fifth final without success, that ended their wait. The joy on his face at the final whistle was plain to see.

Warren finished the game with ten men as Mark Donaghy was dismissed. Sandy Row, however, had only nine men on the pitch at full-time as Terrance Morrison and Dean McAllister were also sent off.

There was a short silence before the kick-off for Sandy Row stalwart, Gareth Morrison, who died early this season. His number six jersey has not been worn since as a mark of respect.

At half-time, the likelihood of Warren’s jinx being laid to rest appeared remote with Sandy Row having totally dominated the opening period of the much-anticipated final.

Warren did defend well but a slick moving Sandy Row still had enough chances to put the match out of sight and YM would have been glad to still be on level terms at the break.

Paul Hill did the early spadework for Sandy Row and was in a great position to score but shot over and Terrance Morrison raced down the right wing but his shot went just over the top.

Morrison saw another well-struck effort go just wide and Hill again shot tamely over the top.

Meanwhile, the only real efforts from Warren saw shots from Willy Hull and Chris Hull cause no concern to Sandy Row’s goalkeeper.

Right on half-time a Sandy Row corner caused a scramble on the Warren goal-line, but somehow the ball did not go over the line. Could that have changed the course of the match?

Warren were much sharper from the start of the second period and won a penalty when Ryan Graham was pulled down, allowing Chapman to plant the spot-kick into the corner of the net.

Just five minutes later and Sandy Row were back on level terms when a Curtis Moorhead diving header bulleted into the back of the net to make it 1-1.

Mark Donaghy and Morrison were later involved in an incident which resulted in both players being sent off and the referee certainly seemed to have got the decision correct.

After that, Dean McAllister was wide with a free-kick for Sandy Row and at the other end Willy Hull twice shot over the bar.

James Willis headed on to the top of the bar and a great run and cross from Graham eluded everyone in the goalmouth.

The game ticked into extra time and Warren were in the ascendancy. However, they received a wake-up call when a Sandy Row corner went across the goal with no-one on hand to finish off.

Two minutes later, Warren took the lead when Willy Hull swivelled before firing home a great goal. Simon Walsh then forced a good save from the Sandy Row keeper, whose could not get going again.

Their frustrating day was further compounded when Dean McAllister handled just inside his own half and was red carded as the last defender. Another decision the referee got right.

Right on the final whistle, Chapman put the icing on the Warren cake with another penalty score.

It had been a great first-half for Sandy Row but Warren came back and while the players take a lot of the credit, another man involved in the Warren losing years, coach, Jonny McMullan, certainly played his part with constant encouragement on the touchline.

Man of the match award: Eddie Williamson (Sandy Row).