Rushen United FA Cup Winners 2024

The stage was set at the Bowl on Easter Saturday afternoon for the much-anticipated ECAP FA Cup Final between Rushen United and Ayre United. 

From the first whistle, it was evident that this would be a contest filled with drama and intesity. Ayre United wasted no time in announcing their intentions, with Shaun Kelly launching a long throw into the box within the opening minute. However, Dean Kearns punched away at the danger.

Louis Morris then delivered a couple of dangerous crosses into the Rushen box, only to see them cleared. At the other end, Cameron Dudley found himself free of the Ayre defence, only to be denied by Nathan Teare, who made himself big to block the shot with his foot.

Johnny Shields whipped in a vicious corner from the left, right under the crossbar, which Kearns tipped wide with a superb save. Minutes later, Shields had to leave the pitch with an injury to his foot. Cam Torr was the chosen sub to replace him, but he did not have his shirt and left the tangerines down to 10 for a short period.

During this time, it was the Spaniards who broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Scott Mason intercepted Teare’s throw out, just inside the final third, he drove forward into the box and squared the ball for Furo Davies, who made no mistake from close range, sending the Rushen supporters into jubilation as they took a crucial 1-0 lead into halftime.

The second half began with Ayre showing renewed determination to claw their way back into the game. Danny Oram went clean through on goal but was denied by Kearns. But Ayre’s persistence finally paid off in the 65th minute when Declan Cummins won the ball in the middle of the park. He in turn found Shaun Kelly out on the right, and his low cross across the tunnel of uncertainty found Chris Duggan, who slotted home the equaliser to level the scores.

However, as both teams pushed for an elusive winner in normal time, the game then took an enormous turn. First of all, Ayre captain Jamie Callister was given his marching orders after being deemed the last man when fouling Aaron Hawley to stop a quick Rushen counter. Already down to 10, they were then down to 9. As Cummins was then shown a straight red, when referee Rob Slinger consulted linesman Matty Shaw, and after a short period of deliberation, they deemed him guilty of committing a reckless foul.

Against all odds, the Tangerines battled through and managed to take the game into extra time, despite only having nine men on the pitch.

In the additional periods, fatigue began to set in, but Ayre’s resolve remained unyielding. Rushen, buoyed by their numerical advantage, poured forward in search of a winner, but Ayre stood firm, with Teare pulling off a string of saves to keep his side in the game.

Deep into the second half of extra time, Ayre produced a moment of magic, with Kelly’s free-kick caused confusion inside Rushen’s box, leading Al Guy to put the ball into his own net, sending Tangerine fans into ecstasy with a minute of normal time remaining. However, Rushen refused to be denied, and in the dying moments of added time, in extra time, they were awarded a lifeline in the form of a penalty for handball. Davies stepped up to the spot and displayed nerves of steel, converting with aplomb to send the game into a tension-laden penalty shootout.

The shootout witnessed both goalkeepers, Kearns and Teare, produce crucial saves to keep their respective teams in contention. But after Duggan put his effort wide, Rushen’s Jack Gilbert coolly dispatched the winning penalty amidst scenes of unbridled jubilation, securing Rushen United’s coronation as the 2023–24 ECAP FA Cup champions.

Gilbert was awarded the Man of The Match award by sponsors ECAP for his performance. 

Upfront Footy’s Man of the Match, goes to Ayre’s Christian Penswick, despite being on the losing side his tenacity throughout was impeccable.

📸 Vannin Photos – I had to share the brilliant photo that captured both the jubilation and heartbreak of a penalty shootout which Gary captured yesterday alongside this report.