Notre Dame's Clark: 'We're all smiling big smiles'
- by Soccer America , Dec 16, 2013
Notre Dame and Maryland had shared the ACC regular-season title and played to a 1-1 tie in their previous meeting this season. Sunday's final was even. While Maryland had an edge in play, Notre Dame was more effective in creating chances and in its finishing.
Five minutes after Patrick Mullins put Maryland ahead with his 19th goal of the season, the most in the country, sub Leon Brown scored from a sharp angle to even the score after Luke Mishu’s throw-in was flicked on by Nick Besler.
In the 60th minute, Harrison Shipp, who shared the College Cup's Most Outstanding Player award with Mullins, perfectly deposited a free kick into the middle of the penalty area, where an open Andrew O'Malley headed it home for the winning goal.
The title was the first for Scotsman Bobby Clark in 27 years coaching at Dartmouth, Stanford and Notre Dame. Stanford was runner-up in 1998.
"We're all smiling big smiles," said the 68-year-old coach Clark.
The game was marked by controversy as twice there were Irish handballs that referee Hilario Grajeda, who had been the referee in MLS Cup 2013, failed to call.
The first one came as Alex Shinsky's shot was blocked by Patrick Hodan with his left arm. The ball rebounded to Mullins, who scored the game's opening goal -- after a handball of his own -- but Hodan could have been red carded on the play.
The second handball came nine minutes after Notre Dame went ahead when Irish defender Connor Klekota touched the ball with his right hand on a corner kick. It turned out to be a big play as Maryland had no serious scoring opportunities in the last 20 minutes.
Sasho Cirovski chose not to play up the non-calls and deflect attention from the Irish title.
“I want to congratulate Bobby Clark and Notre Dame on their first national championship," he said. "They are really winners and I’m very happy for Bobby and all he has done for college soccer and I hope he enjoys this one. At Maryland we shoot for the stars every year. We aim high. When you aim that high and you don’t reach, you still end up at the moon - which is higher than most people. To lose today to a great Notre Dame team is no disgrace and no shame."
Dec. 15 in Chester, Pa.
Notre Dame 2 Maryland 1. Goals: Brown (Besler, Mishu) 40, O'Malley (Shipp) 60; Mullins 35.
Notre Dame -- Wall, Lachowecki, O'Malley, Van de Casteele, L.Mishu, Klekota, Besler, Panken, Hodan, Shipp, Cicciarelli. Sub: Brown, Aubrey.
Maryland -- Steffen, Sauers, Ambrose, Dainkeh, Odoi-Atsem, Metzger, Eticha, Raley, Endoh, Tshuma, Mullins. Subs: Shinsky, Jane, Pace.
Att.: 5,303.
3 comments about "Notre Dame's Clark: 'We're all smiling big smiles'".
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There were actually two instances of handling on the second no-call. The first, when the player is surprised by the ball suddenly reacts and hits the ball with his hand (this is the no-call the players react to) and then on the subsequent shot, I'm pretty sure the shot strikes the arm of the defender (which is outstretched). I think most refs, if they were to see this, would call them as handling. The only reason I can imagine the CR missing the first no-call (on the goal line) is that he thought the keeper got it instead of the defender. While Maryland did score, had the handling been called, Notre Dame would have undoubtedly been down a player. So while Maryland had excellent reasons to gripe about Notre Dame not deserving the win, credit Sasho Cirovski for not dwelling on it. I think it just demonstrates how difficult getting all the call right can be, and that even good referees will miss calls, some of which will be game changing.
Bobby Clark = class act; Sasho Cirovski = class act; Patrick Mullins = class act; kudos alla round!
I think it was more a case of not wanting to "ruin" a championship game so early on with such an obvious red card offense. Important to note the ref would not be ruining the game with the call. The player that intentionally blocked (reacted???)the ball with his arm is the one at fault for ruining the game with his horrible decision.