Newcastlewest AFC and the Billy Daly Saga remembered in video

In the late 1980s Desmond League side Newcastlewest AFC enjoyed a spell in League Of Ireland playing as they did in The Desmense. During that time the team had many locals in it and also featured players such as Des Kennedy, Al Finucane and Gerry Cussen who had previously played at the highest level with Limerick.

Probably their most famous match was this one against Cobh Ramblers which came at the end of “The Billy Daly Saga” described as follows on the wiki of the club.

During their spell in the League of Ireland, the club twice reached the quarter final of the FAI Cup, in 1988 and 1990. The first occasion was controversial; they faced Cobh Ramblers in the fifth round. The first match was drawn, and Newcastle West won the replay on their own ground 4–2 after extra time.

According to the Irish Times’ correspondent, “the style they put on in this nail biting thriller that produced four stunning goals in extra time made one wonder just why such a fine football side was having its troubles at league level.

“However, Cobh’s protest, on the grounds that their former player Billy Daly had signed for Newcastle West too late to be eligible to play in the match, was upheld by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), and they were awarded the tie.

In response, Newcastle West decided to pull out of the League with immediate effect. After urgent meetings involving all parties, a compromise was reached which saw Newcastle West remain in the league and the cup replay replayed.

They beat Cobh 1–0, with Daly scoring the winning goal,but lost to Longford Town in the quarter-final, missing out on a potentially lucrative semi-final meeting with Derry City.

In the 1989–90 season, they produced “a shock victory” away to Sligo Rovers in a match where “high-flying tackles and off-the-ball confrontations marred the day” before losing at home in the quarter-final to intermediate club St Francis, who had already knocked out two other League of Ireland clubs in their first FAI Cup campaign.

This video is compliments of John Upton and the commentary at times is “colourful”
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