Rearcross and Sallypark to meet in Tipperary Cup final

By Gary Culbert

Rearcross and Sallypark both overcame Premier Division opposition on Sunday to progress to the Kevin Fogarty Tipperary Cup final which will be played in Drombane next Sunday.

In the first semi-final last Sunday morning, division 1 league winners Rearcross, entertained Premier Division champions Killavilla United and won 2-1.

The home side started brightest and got their reward in the tenth minute through captain Greg Kennedy. The goal came off the back of an in-swinging James Deegan corner which was kept alive at the back post by Patrick Dawson before it broke to Greg Kennedy on the edge of the area, who pivoted to create half a yard of space before placing the ball into the far corner of the net.

Rea’ doubled their lead a few minutes later. With his back to goal Patrick Dawson played a disguised through ball to James Deegan who headed towards goal before making an angle for himself and blasting low to the far corner of the net. Stephen Rochford provided a support run for the goal which ensured that the Killavilla defence hesitated in their defending.

Killavilla dug deep and began to find a way back into the game through long balls into the final third. Dennis Moloney’s men pegged one back in the 35th minute through Dion Carney, who was the first to react when a searching ball into the box broke to the edge of the area. The youngster came onto the ball and finished emphatically into the roof of the net across goal.

There would be no more goals in the game thanks to stout defensive displays from Patrick Deegan, Robert Harrington, and Darragh Kennedy; whilst Cathal Kennedy in the Rea’ goal made some fine saves to send them winners into the final.

The holders of the Tipperary Cup, from all the way back in February 2020, Sallypark travelled to Birdhill for the afternoon semi-final against Nenagh Celtic who would play host on the fantastic new pitch.

On paper, the Division 2 side should have been massive underdogs when taking on premier division Nenagh Celtic, but that is not how this game played out, as Sean Ryan and Paul Ryan would go on to terrorise the Celtic backline in a comprehensive 4-2 win.

Sallypark enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges but Shane Hogan was given a managerial conundrum inside the opening fifteen minutes when his keeper Damien Corcoran, went off injured. Outfield player Kieran Ryan stepped in and did not look out of place all game.

Sallypark looked dangerous on the counter-attack through both Sean & Paul Ryan who were constantly making runs in behind the Celtic defence, which was lacking mobility.

Sallypark took a deserved lead in the 38th minute through Paul Ryan. The goal came after Padraig Ryan picked up the ball in his own half before sweeping a forty yard through-ball over the Celtic defence with pinpoint accuracy for Paul Ryan to run inside the box and the former Gurtagarry goal machine skilfully cushioned the ball with the outside of his right boot before rounding the keeper and finishing as the angle grew tighter and Celtic bodies scrambled to the line.

Sallypark doubled the lead just three minutes later and again it was the speed of movement from their athletic forwards that did the damage. The goal came from the penalty spot after Sean Ryan got in behind only to be faced with a one-on-one with Celtic centre back Paul Walsh on the corner of the six-yard box. Ryan knew he had the beating of his man, so he audaciously stopped the ball, stood his marker and fainted to go inside on his right before darting left down the outside of Walsh, who brought down the striker. Eoin Ryan was not convincing with the spot-kick, but Cathal Scully could only watch as the ball bobbled down the middle of the goals and into his net.

A minute before the break, Sallypark almost made it three as Paul Ryan held up the ball well and almost played in Sean Ryan. Celtic did not heed the warning and on the stroke of half time Paul Ryan brilliantly held up the ball on the halfway line before playing a through ball for his strike partner Sean, who was making a run from out to in down the inside left channel. The pass may have run through to the keeper, but a flick off Gary Kevin meant it fell nicely for Sean Ryan, who travelled across goal before finishing under the keeper.

Three-down at the break, one would think that Henry Newman’s side would be all but finished, but a couple of changes at the break breathed new life into Nenagh Celtic, Paul Walsh joined Jimmy Hynes up top, and Jamie Kelly added some much-needed pace to the rear-guard.

Celtic started the second half a lot better and were given a route back into the game from the penalty spot on 55 minutes, which Jamie Kelly dutifully dispatched. They pulled another one back seven minutes later through the brilliance of Jimmy Hynes. The move started with the ball at Danny Ryan’s feet 35 yards out, the Sallypark defence was very deep and Paul Walsh was screaming for the ball on the edge of the box. Hynes showed for the ball to feet five yards outside the box and flicked it blind around the corner to Walsh, who played in his veteran strike partner ten yards from goal. Off balance and under pressure, Hynes managed to get a shot away first time with the outside of his right boot which spun onto the post before trickling over the line.

Sallypark were pinned in at the edge of their box for a ten-minute spell after the goal and their lead only remained intact by the finest of margins, as both Paul Walsh and Jamie Kelly rattled the crossbar after getting on the end of set-pieces. Sean Ryan provided some respite for his team by chasing lost causes and running the channels.

The tide could have turned in Celtic’s favour, but lady luck was not shining on Danny Ryan as his excellent volley from 25 yards went centimetres wide of the top right corner. Instead, the holders ensured their place in the final with a fourth goal which came just one minute after Ryan’s effort. The goal came after former Silvermines man James Kirk, burst out of defence from left back before playing a ball down the left channel for Sean Ryan, who squared to his strike partner Paul Ryan who was composed and made no mistake from eight yards out.

Brian Duffy gave a captain’s performance alongside veteran defender Eoin Ryan for Sallypark, whilst Danny Keogh was the best of the midfielders, but it was Paul Ryan and Sean Ryan up front who shone in this all-round team performance.

In the final, Sallypark will look to end their season on a high by retaining the Kevin Fogarty Tipperary Cup, whilst it doesn’t get any easier for Celtic, as they look to keep their season alive when they take on Killavilla United in Birdhill in the Ricky Fogarty Cup semi-finals.

Tipperary Youths Cup

Lough Derg travelled to Villa Park on Saturday with a place in the Tipperary Youths Cup final up for grabs.

In a physical encounter, Killavilla used the wind advantage well in the first half and the direct long ball had the visitors on the back foot. Darren Doyle gave ‘Villa the breakthrough on 27 minutes from a free taken just outside the box, and in the 35th minute Michael Fitzgerald doubled the host’s advantage with a well-taken strike.

Shane Geraghty pulled one back for Lough Derg with a header from a corner in the 55th minute, but the Shannonsiders could not equalise despite piling the pressure on from a series of corners. As the Derg youths piled forward in search of an equaliser late on, there was inevitably space left at the back, which Darren Doyle capitalised on to make it 3-1 in the 84th minute.

The away side were back in it a minute later when Cathal O’Donnell netted following a Sam Foley cross, but it was too little too late and Noel Doran’s side progressed to the final, where they face BT Harps this Saturday in Moneygall.