One goal enough for dominant Sallypark

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League Nora Kennedy Cup Final

Sallypark Odhrans 1

Holycross 0

Report: Gary Culbert in Moneygall

It’s well known that Sallypark are a very good Cup team. They are the current holders of the Tipperary Cup and on Sunday it never really looked in doubt that they would be leaving with the silverware in the Nora Kennedy Cup final.

As ever, Moneygall had their facilities in tip top shape for this cup final, a clash of the top two in Division 2. The holders, Holycross, had the better of the opening ten minutes but could find no way past the formidable center back pairing of Eoin Ryan and Brian Duffy.

A minute later, we saw a pattern of play that would go on to define this game; the Sallypark front two linking up well down the right, but Paul Ryan’s blistering low effort across the keeper was saved by an outstretched foot. Ryan tested the keeper again five minutes later, but David Croke stood tall to thwart the number nine’s lobbed effort.

Stevie Hallinan was energetic as ever in the middle of the park for Holycross, but the absence of top scorer Jojo O’Meara was being felt by the league champions, who couldn’t make it stick at the top end of the pitch.

Sean Ryan saw his effort cleared off the line on the 36th minute, but Sallypark did not have to wait long for their next big chance; just two minutes later they took the lead.

The goal came off the back of two Holycross players jumping for the same ball on the halfway line, which gave Sean Ryan acres of space to surge into before squaring to his strike partner Paul Ryan. The former Gurtagarry goal machine still had a lot to do ten yards out to left of goal as he was stood up by his marker, but in trademark Ryan fashion he dropped his shoulder and burst past his man before unleashing a venomous left footed strike low across the keeper and into the net.

Shane Hogan’s side could have doubled their lead just before the interval, but Sean Ryan failed to finish from six yards after doing exceptionally well to carve out a chance for himself.

Holycross rattled the crossbar midway through the second half and had a goal disallowed for offside late on, but Sallypark were dominant on the day and were not put under any period of extended pressure by the holders.

Brian Duffy put on a defensive display worthy of his captaincy, but the man of the match award has to go to Sean Ryan, who’s pace was a constant threat down the flanks.

Player of the Match: Sean Ryan (Sallypark Odhrans)

Sallypark Odhrans: Damien Corcoran; James Kirk, Brian Duffy, Eoin Ryan, Daniel Keogh; David Young, Dale Donnelly, Padraig Ryan, Danny O’Donoghue; Paul Ryan, Sean Ryan.

Subs: Kieran Ryan for Kirk (32), Liam Ryan for O’Donoghue (65), Joe Shanahan for Young (65), Ruaidhri O’Brien for P Ryan (73), Jimmy Shanahan for Donnelly (82).

Holycross: David Croke; Liam Ryan, Dinny Ceaser, Kevin O’Dwyer, David Manning; Mikey Nally, Jack Lillis, Stevie Flanagan; JP Butler, Calum O’Connor, Ben Slattery.

Subs: Aaron Ryan for Butler (45), Seanie Comerford for Lillis (45), Jojo O’Meara for Slattery (73), Philly Cullen for Nally (88)

Referee: Robbie Nevin