College Corinthians secured the 2024/25 FAI Intermediate Cup title thanks to a dramatic extra-time 2-1 victory over local rivals Ringmahon Rangers at Turners Cross in front of over 2600 supporters.

Destiny Okonkwo got the winner at the end of the first period of extra-time, and that tells only part of a story played in front of 2,624 spectators, as College Corinthians ended the game with nine men having been a man short since Adam Walsh's red card in the ninth minute of the game.

The game began with Killian Cooper scoring for Corinthians in just the third minute of the game before Walsh saw red for the eventual winners.

Their star player, 2016 FAI Cup winner Mark O’Sullivan, was then forced off with a shoulder injury, and Ringmahon went on to dominate possession. Their equaliser came in the 80th minute as Glenn Towler scored from close range, but there were two more red cards before the end of normal time as Ian Turner was sent off for Corinthians and Ringmahon's Ethon Varian went down the tunnel just seconds later.

It was a chaotic, and everything began with Cooper connecting with a low Eric Cunningham cross at the back post in just the third minute. After Walsh was sent off and O’Sullivan was forced off, Ringmahon were in control but failed to test Gavin Ryan.

The Ringers kept plugging away and the chance to draw level before the break came from a low Varian cross but Cunningham was able to clear the lines at the last moment for Corinthians.

Ringmahon were patient, but found themselves frustrated by a formidable College backline marshalled by the impressive Andrew Neville.

Eventfully, they were forced to play it long but attempts by midfielder and captain Anthony McAlavey would only go harmlessly out of play.

The Ringers finally found space in the 80th minute and with that came the equaliser, as Towler turned in a low Anthony O’Donnell cross from the left wing to give Ringmahon hope of snatching the title, following their final heart-ache against Usher Celtic last year.

Remarkably, in the final ten minutes, both Turner and Varian saw red before the end of normal time as the game went into the extra 30 minutes. Ringmahon used the man advantage to dominate play once the game got back underway but the resolute College backline came to the rescue on a number of occasions to keep the nine men in the tie.

Then, the match winning moment for Corinthians right at the end of the first-half of extra-time. A Towler shot was picked off and Craig Donnellan saw the opportunity to play Okonkwo through on goal. As defender Christopher McCarthy slipped at the wrong moment and goalkeeper Eric Grimes advanced, the Corinthians striker glided past him and rolled the ball into the back of the net.

Ringmahon tried everything to get a second equaliser at the death, but it wasn’t enough as Ryan pulled off a string of excellent saves, having denied McAlavey with a long-range strike in the final moments, and helped College Corinthians lift the FAI Intermediate Cup for the first time in their long history.

College Corinthians: Gavin Ryan; Ian Turner, Adam Walsh, Andrew Neville, Eoghan Murphy, Craig Donnellan, Keelan Crowley (Jack Anthony 90), Ross McCarthy (David O’Leary 90), Mark O’Sullivan (Destiny Okonkwo 19), Eric Cunningham, Killian Cooper.

Ringmahon Rangers: Eric Grimes; Glenn Towler (Alan Happi 85), Adam Delurey (Darragh O’Shea 73), Christopher McCarthy, Anthony O’Donnell, Anthony Whitehead, Gearoid Morrissey (Nathan Broderick 51), Roy Kenny (Jack O’Sullivan 80), Jack Cairns (Ciaran Grifin 66), Anthony McAlavey, Ethon Varian.

Referee: Declan Troy