Sloan comes of age to continue Monkstown misery

Monkstown’s wait for a men’s Irish Senior Cup title will stretch into a 98th year after they were beaten 4-3 by Cookstown in a stunning final at Belfield yesterday. It ends a 25-year drought for the Co Tyrone side, who also laid to rest the ghosts of the 2009 final, when they were humbled 6-0 by Pembroke Wanderers. The game is likely to be remembered as the day Ian Sloan came of age on the national stage. The prodigious 17-year-old talent, son of former Irish record cap holder Marty,  converted both of Cookstown’s corners and proved the game’s match-winner. Gareth Cuddy and Gareth Allen had both stolen in early on to give Cookstown a priceless 2-0 lead, only for Andy Ward’s brilliant deflection and Andy Ewington’s bullet drag-flick to wipe out that advantage. A breathless first half ended with Sloan dragging through David Fitzgerald’s stick-side for 3-2, before doing so again seven minutes from the end. Ewington miscued a drag but foiled Ian Hughes for a Monkstown lifeline with just under three minutes to go. However, the Cookstown defence — inspired all afternoon by Ewan Butler — held firm. Meanwhile, Pegasus’ old guard once again produced the goods to give them a third Irish Senior Cup in five years, as they saw off Hermes 3-1 at Belfield. Pegs had dismissed UCD 1-0 in the previous day’s semi-finals while Hermes picked off a 2-0 win over Ballymoney in the other tie. Pegs’ veteran striker Suzanne Beaney forced the ball home for a deserved opener, in the final, before Arlene Boyles lashed home a second. Lisa Jacob’s flicked finish kept Hermes in it but Beaney batted home another from close range to seal it late on. Highlights of both Irish Senior Cup finals will be screened on RTÉ Two tonight at 8pm.