Glaslough Villa added yet another piece of silverware to an ever-growing collection with a hard-fought 2–1 victory in challenging windy conditions.

Villa started the contest brightly, immediately asserting control despite the blustery conditions. Playing out wide, Eli Ward was a constant threat, stretching the opposition and linking superbly with twin strikers Terence and Jamie. That early dominance was rewarded when Jake McGeough produced a moment of quality, striking a superb 25-yard volley to give Villa a deserved lead.

At the other end, the Villa back four were outstanding, remaining compact and disciplined to keep league top scorer Conor Smith quiet throughout the first half. Villa went into the break fully deserving of their 1–0 advantage.

The second half saw Villa forced to play into a strong wind, but the game plan was executed perfectly. Short, sharp passing remained effective, while well-timed long balls from centre-backs Fannin and McHugh repeatedly released the pace of Terence, Jamie, Eli and Mark to run directly at the Cavan back line. The effectiveness of this approach was evident as Cavan Town’s first two substitutions were defenders, an acknowledgement of Villa’s attacking threat.

Villa continued to dominate and were unfortunate not to extend their lead earlier. Jamie was sent clean through one-on-one with the goalkeeper and was clearly tackled from behind with no contact on the ball, yet incredibly the referee awarded a goal kick. Undeterred, Villa maintained their composure and pressure.

The decisive moment arrived when Terry McD calmly rounded the Cavan keeper and slotted home what proved to be the winning goal. A very late strike from Cavan Town added a nervy finish, but Villa held firm to secure a deserved 2–1 victory.

It was a superb all-round performance, made even more impressive by the presence of four youth players on the bench, complemented by the experience and leadership of Mark, Pauric and Conal on the pitch. The management trio of Stevie, Davy and Paul, alongside Josh, got everything right on the night as Villa once again celebrated lifting silverware — an incredible 11 trophies in the last four years.

Special congratulations go to Eli Ward, who completed his first full 90 minutes as he continues his recovery from injury, and was deservedly named Man of the Match by John Crudden.

Another memorable night for Glaslough Villa.