Harps fight back to go top

North Tipperary and District League Review

By Gary Culbert

Premier Division

BT Harps 3-2 Ardcroney

BT Harps came from two goals down to beat Ardcroney 3-2 to dent their opponents premier division title aspirations at Michael Gunnell Park on Sunday, while cementing themselves as front runners.

It was a must-win game for both sides, and it wasn’t looking good for the Templemore side with 25 minutes played, as they were 2-0 down from relatively soft goals. Jamie Ryan gave the visitors the lead in the 17th minute before Alan D’Arcy doubled their advantage eight minutes later.

Although the scoreline did not read in BT’s favour, the home side were actually playing well. Ben Stapleton pulled a goal back in the 35th minute after good work by JJ McLoughlin. Stevie Nolan levelled with a penalty on the stroke of halftime, which was awarded following great work and a cross from Lorcan Campion down the left. It was a debilitating time to concede for Ardcroney, but it was very much all to play for in the second half.

Just like the first, it was another slow start for Harps, and they rode their luck, but once they got up to the pace of the game again you felt they had a winner in them and what a goal it was. The ball was worked out of the Harps defence to Szymon Popiela, who in turn brought Ben Stapleton and Jordan Moloney into play, the latter feeding Eanna McBride, who produced some great footwork in the box before finishing to secure all three points.

The latest match cancellation due to unplayable pitches saw Killavilla United and Rearcross left inactive at the weekend. The two sides combined have less games played than other teams like Ardcroney. Owing to their recent success in regional competitions in recent years, it is nothing new for either of these sides to have a few games in hand, but at this point it is becoming increasingly difficult for Killavilla to have a fair chance at a title charge; they have just five league games played compared to BT Harps’ ten. In the end it may work as an advantage to Killavilla, but it definitely is not ideal to have such a variance of matches played at this point in the season.

Division 1

Defending and goalkeeping of the highest calibre came to the fore on Sunday when third place Cloughjordan and league leaders Sallypark Odhran’s played out a 1-1 draw in Latteragh.

Clough started with a high intensity and their relentless pressure was rewarded inside ten minutes when Kevin Kennedy was unceremoniously brought down in the box, after being quickest to a breaking ball following a set-piece. Cian D’Arcy slotted home the resulting penalty.

Willie Cleary had his finest game in a Clough shirt; the Kilruane man terrorised from the left early on with pace and a relentlessness that Sallypark just couldn't handle. This culminated in a great opportunity on the break, but Sallypark scrambled and just about got away without conceding.

Sallypark got to grips with the visitor’s intensity after twenty minutes and began to make inroads with crosses into the box, however they found Seamus Williams in inspired form at centre-back. The veteran defender made crucial tackles throughout to deny Sallypark several clear-cut chances, whilst Declan Barrett and Kieran Cahill also impressed at the back for the visitors, the latter making positive attacking runs from full back at every opportunity.

As expected, the hosts threatened from set-pieces, but Clough just about managed to deal with the arial threat and came in at half time disappointed to not be further ahead.

Sallypark started the second half brightest and got their just reward on the hour mark when Jack Sanders scored yet another set-piece goal against Cloughjordan, this time on the second phase after free-kick was fired in from the right.

The game opened up from this point on and an interesting battle began to unfold between Paul Walsh and Willie Cleary, the latter surprisingly getting the better of the Rolls-Royce centre-half on more than one occasion. Clough’s best chances in the half fell to Kevin Kennedy and Paidi Williams, but a mixture of fine goalkeeping and heroic last-ditch blocks kept them out. Sallypark’s Eoin Ryan flung himself in front of the ball on more than one occasion to somehow keep it from going over the line, whilst Paul Walsh made a couple of important tackles to deny Williams.

Sallypark owned the final ten minutes, and you felt a goal was inevitable. Declan Barrett and Seamus Williams threw themselves in front of the ball to scramble the danger away on more than one occasion, but they could only watch when Sallypark fired in a thundering shot to seemingly win it with the last kick of the game. The celebrations had already started, but Cloughjordan’s sixteen-year-old keeper Johnny Naughnane did not read the script and somehow reacted in time to get a strong hand and force the ball onto the crossbar, literally clawing a point from the jaws of defeat.

The player of the match award is a difficult task on this occasion as there were so many impressive displays from teams, not least from the two sets of centre-backs. Cian D’Arcy came of age for Clough in central midfield alongside Martin Grace, who looked happy to be back in midfield. However, it was Willie Cleary who led the charge for Clough and arguably set the tempo of the game.

From a Sallypark point of view it is impressive that even on an off day they are extremely hard to beat and could have won it late on.

Holycross added to Birdhill’s misery on Sunday with a 7-2 win away from home. Veteran goal merchant Jojo O’Meara helped himself to four whilst Ben Slattery, Cormac O’Connor and Conor O’Sullivan were also on target for the promotion chasers. James Tobin and Brian Tobin got the only replies for the home side.

Moneygall were 6-2 winners over Borrisokane on Friday night. The hosts were 5-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Sean Moroney, Aodhan Ryan, Anthony Deveraux and a Niall Maher brace. Mike Gavin pulled two back for the relegation threatened visitors in the second half, but Moneygall had the last laugh as captain fantastic, Gearoid Larkin netted his second goal in as many games against Borrisokane.

Division 2

A dogged performance from Grange United saw the new entrants to the league finally gain top spot in Division 2, courtesy of a 4-0 win at home to Sallypark ‘B’ on Sunday.

The first goal came on 21 minutes when an in-swinging Tommy Brophy corner was flicked on by Gearoid Gaughan and finished by Emmet Jones from close range. The remainder of the half was a scrappy affair, with neither team dominating for any extended period of time.

Grange started the second half brightest and created numerous chances, Brophy and Jones went close, but it was Jason McCormack that grabbed the second goal on 65 minutes after being played through by Brophy. The third and fourth goals both came from the penalty spot in the 70th & 75th minutes respectively; Brian Bowe grabbing the first, with Gearoid Gaughan the second, the latter putting the ball into an area of the goal no goalkeeper would ever get a hand to. Best for Grange was Stephen Dunphy.

Clodiagh Rangers ‘B’ were 8-0 winners over Killavilla United ‘B’ on Sunday. Oisin Treacy helped himself to a hat-trick, whilst Eanna Ryan and Paul Ryan scored a brace each, Paul Shanahan was the other scorer for the Drombane side.

Youth League

Arra Rovers won 4-1 away to Cloughjordan on Saturday. Clough were 1-0 up at the break thanks to a Donnacha O'Meara goal, but second half strikes from Diarmuid O’Donoughue, Marcus O’Mahoney and a Conor Gorman brace ensured the points travelled back to Portroe.

Youth Cup

BT Harps went away to Rearcross and recorded a 6-1 win thanks to a hat-trick from Ryan Loughnane, a brace from Oisin O’Dwyer, and a Cormac Foy strike. Player of the match for Harps was Billy Collier.