Contrasting Cup fortunes for Newport and Nenagh in Limerick Cup finals

By Pat Sheehan

Division 1B Calvert Cup

Newport Town ‘B’ 2-2 Parkville (AET, Newport win 4-2 on pens)

Newport Town ‘B’ captured the Division 1B Calvert Cup in Jackman Park on Sunday when they beat Parkville in a penalty shoot-out when the sides finished 2-2, after extra time.

Considering Newport just avoided relegation by one place, it was a remarkable turnaround for the Tipperary side to secure this cup success. They did it the hard way, having to fight back from two goals down to bring the game to extra time.

When penalties were called for to separate the sides, Newport goalkeeper Brendan Coffey came up trumps with a couple of saves to see them through.

Parkville will be bitterly disappointed to lose. They looked well in control at 2-0 but seemed to take the foot off the gas and Newport made them pay.

Scoreless at the break, Parkville took the lead ten minutes after the restart when David Broderick headed home. Minutes later, they doubled their advantage when top scorer Keith Moran who blasted low into the net from ten yards.

Newport responded within ten minutes when Jack Noble crossed for Adam McEvoy to apply the finishing touch. Conor Brett went within a whisker of scoring when his long-range shot struck the upright, but the Tipperary side were not to be denied.

With fifteen minutes to play Newport youth player Jamie Kavanagh curled a shot in direct from a corner kick to level the tie.

Extra time failed to separate the sides and in the resultant penalty shoot-out, Coffey produced two fine saves to seal the win.

Newport Town ‘B’: Brendan Coffey; John Barry; Jack Noble; Chris Carmody; Odhran Brett, Shaun Bonfield; Aaron Coleman; Ben O'Sullivan; Adam McEvoy; Conor Brett; Nathan Hartigan; Subs: Jamie Kavanagh; Pat Gallagher; Ciaran Carey; Darragh Meany; Darren Gleeson; James Collopy; Phelim O'Reilly; Stephen McCormack.

Division 2A Lipper Cup Final

Corbally United ‘B’ 3-1 Nenagh AFC ‘B’ (AET)

The Division 2A Lipper Cup final produced heartbreak on the double for Nenagh AFC ‘B’ in Jackman Park on Thursday when they lost 3-1 after extra time to Corbally United.

Having been pipped at the post by Corbally in the race for the league title, Nenagh were hoping for some consolation in the divisional cup final. However, it ended in disappointment for the Tipperary side in a game that could have swung either way.

Nenagh’s cause was not helped by a nasty leg injury to top scorer Diarmuid Fitzpatrick early in the game which upset their shape and rhythm.

The sides were locked at 1-1 on 90 minutes when Nenagh were in the ascendency but on the resumption of extra time, Corbally seemed to have an extra gear as they struck twice.

Corbally took the lead on twelve minutes after Cian Moore was brought down just outside the box. From the resulting free kick, Daire Cleary fired a low shot into the bottom corner, giving Adam Wallace in the Nenagh goal no chance. A few minutes later, it could have been 2-0 for Corbally when Scott Connolly delivered a cross, but Dylan Carey made a crucial block, denying Moore the opportunity to add to the scoreline.

Nenagh's woes deepened when Fitzpatrick hobbled out of the action, but they had a stroke of luck when Moore missed from point blank range.

After the halftime break, Darragh McDonnell came to Nenagh's rescue by heading the ball off the line to deny Cleary a goal. At the other end, a through ball presented Kieran O'Brien with a clear shot on goal, but his volley was blocked by Carr, the Corbally captain.

Nenagh equalised around the hour mark, Marinov played the ball wide to Cillian Scully, who sent a cross to the back post where Kieran O'Brien headed a superb goal.

Extra time saw Corbally up the tempo and regain the lead when a Cleary free kick was met at the back post by Clancy. Wallace saved the initial effort but the Carr who knocked it into the goal.

With Nenagh chasing an equaliser they were hit on the break when Adam Lyons who took off on a great run beating marker and rounding keeper before firing in from an acute angle.

Nenagh gave it their all, falling just short despite fine displays from Darragh McDonnell, Alan Kelly, Dylan Kennedy and Aleks Marinov.

Nenagh AFC ‘B’: Adam Wallace; Dylan Carey; Peter Ryan; Kieran O'Donoghue; Darragh McDonnell; Casey Finn; Alan Kelly; Dylan Kennedy; Diarmuid Fitzpatrick; Aleks Marinov; Kieran O'Brien, Subs: Marcin Kolkowski; Oisin Fitzpatrick; Nistor Toderici; Cillian Scully; Leon Kennedy; Tommy Martin; Liam Maher; James Hanley.