Six of the best for Athletic in polished performance

The FAI Junior Cup is alleged to contain the most participants in Europe at that level of soccer and progress in it is invariably hard-earned. However, Mullingar Athletic were never troubled last Saturday night in Gainstown when a brace apiece from Michael Fadian and the two Kevins - Dunleavy and Keegan - secured their passage into the next round with a facile win against Navan Cosmos, whose late goal was merely a consolation score.On a lovely autumn evening, conditions were ideal for football and the very small crowd witnessed an entertaining match, which the home side virtually dominated from start to finish. Home manager, Gerry ‘Hanger’ Hynes was in the happy position of fielding an unchanged side, both in terms of personnel and positions, for the first time in his reign, and an identical eleven started from another cup win a week earlier against Glenmuir United.The winners peppered the Meath side’s goalmouth from the very outset, but efforts from full backs Stephen Brennan and Mark Brady and two from Mark Syron (a snap shot and a flicked header from a corner kick) ultimately came to nothing. However, on the quarter-hour mark, the gold and greens deservedly took the lead, a wonderful through ball from Kevin ‘Hagi’ Keegan freeing livewire winger, Darragh Kiernan, who was upended in the box. Kevin Dunleavy duly converted the resultant penalty with aplomb.The one-way traffic continued on the resumption of play, with Przemek Beirnot’s wayward shot midway through the first half rounding off the Navan men’s first real attack of note. Micahel Fadian should really have doubled Athletic’s lead with either of two close-range chances in quick succession, just past the half-hour mark. The same player was very unlucky to be deemed offside in the winners’ next attack - there were no official assistant referees on duty. Jason Daly was a virtual spectator all through in the Athletic goal, but he reacted well when called upon in the 35th minute to keep out Wayne Murtagh’s half-volley. A minute later, David Noonan shot just over the Cosmos crossbar from a slightly miscued effort at the other end of the superbly-presented pitch. Athletic went 2-0 ahead in the 43rd minute when a Mark Brady free fell kindly for Kevin Keegan whose shot from ten metres flew in via the leg of an outstretched defender.Whatever slim chance there was of a Navan recovery disappeared by the fourth minute of the second half. Fine play by Darragh Kiernan set up Kevin Keegan for his second goal within a minute of the restart and, less than three minutes later, a fine free from Kiernan was deftly back-headed to the net by Michael Fadian to put Athletic 4-0 ahead. Despite the winners’ ongoing dominance substitute, Stewart Garry soon went close to reducing the deficit with a great solo effort. A triple substitution from the home mentors showed that they were in no doubt about the outcome. Their confidence proved justified just past the midpoint of the second moiety when Kevin Dunleavy made it 5-0, with a near-identical conversion of his second spot-kick - albeit the penalty award seemed extremely soft.The visitors were clearly rattled when they gifted the winners their sixth goal with about 13 minutes remaining, Michael Fadian gratefully tucking the ball away from 15 metres. Six minutes later, Cosmos pulled one back when a cross from Stephen Ivers was met by Przemek Beirnot whose low shot beat Jason Daly. Navan substitute Eoin Feeley was dismissed in the closing minutes, receiving a yellow for an illegal challenge and an immediate second yellow and red for disputing the referee’s decision. Athletic could have been awarded a third penalty in the dying moments, but the one-sided nature of proceedings meant that there were no protests from the winners’ players or bench, as the game limped out to its inevitable conclusion.Mullingar Athletic: Jason Daly, Stephen Brennan, Mark Brady, Stephen Markey, Willie McGovern, Mark Syron, David Noonan, Kevin Keegan, Michael Fadian, Kevin Dunleavy, Darragh Kiernan. Subs: Dalibor Pesic (for Keegan, 61 mins), Shane Kavanagh (for Brady, 61 mins), Aidan Reilly (for Markey, 61 mins).Navan Cosmos: Sean McDonagh, Ivan Reilly, Trevor Ratty, Derek Doonan, Mark Walsh, Jason McDonagh, Conor Hogan, Stephen Ivers, Keith Gibney, Wayne Murtagh, Przemek Beirnot. Subs: Stewart Garry (for Hogan, half-time), Eoin Feeley (for Gibney, 52 mins).Referee: Pat Geoghegan.