Ballymackey join Harps in Munster Junior Cup

North Tipperary and District League Review

By Gary Culbert

Munster Junior Cup

Ballymackey 3-1 Rearcross

Ballymackey continued their fine run of form to advance to the last 32 of the Munster Junior Cup with victory over Rearcross in Ballinree on Sunday.

The home sides impressive new winger, Cian Galvin, opened the scoring after ten minutes, finishing off a move which started with goalkeeper Brendan Hayes playing out from the back. Rearcross equalised just before half-time through Paddy Dawson.

Ballymackey started the second half on the front foot and restored their lead ten minutes after the restart, Cathal Conneally with a scrappy goal from a corner, his second in as many games back with the Ballinree boys.

The home side took an unassailable lead ten minutes later, when young Ben O'Dwyer got up from full back to cross for Aiden White, who took a great first touch before calmly finishing for his fourth goal in three games. After so long of promising to be one of the best finishers in the NT&DL, White now seems to be firing on all cylinders, and you’d expect him to rattle in another few goals in Holycross this weekend.

Adam Steed and Cathal Delaney covered a lot of ground in the engine room for Ballymackey, who have been drawn away to prestigious South Tipperary side St Michael’s in the next round.

The NT&DL’s other team in the last 32, BT Harps, have a more favourable tie: Henry Newman’s charges will play Clare side, Fairgreen Celtic, on November 16th.

Premier Division

Shinrone United 1-3 Moneygall

The big game of the weekend lived up to its billing, with Moneygall weathering a first-half storm before coming out on top in a game of two halves against Shinrone United.

Shinrone got the ball down and played some great stuff in the first half; the home side would have been good value to be a few goals ahead at the break. However, they only scored once, Riann McLoughlin rounding the keeper with his third good chance. The assist came from Paul Lake, who showed great strength and desire to win a ball he had no right to even get to.

Then the sucker punch came, Moneygall scored on the stroke of half-time and against the run of play, Sean Moroney firing in a rebound after Aodhan Ryan broke through the rearguard.

Declan Mullaley’s side continued to turn the screw after the restart, but a Paul Lake injury on the hour completely swung the tie. The former Cloughjordan winger had played an outstanding game - his unique combination of lightning-quick pace, wiry strength, and aggressive pressing caused all sorts of problems for Moneygall. The Shinrone faithful didn’t know it at the time, but Lake leaving the field was a significant turning point in this fiery derby.

Lake’s substitution was the first of many that Shinrone made midway through the half. They lost any momentum they had from these changes, whereas Moneygall scored through their only substitute, Conor Longe. The winger latched onto a long drive from Julian Bentancourt, outmuscling his marker before whipping an early strike across Jason Ryan in the Shinrone goal.

Moneygall went ahead with less than five minutes to play. Niall Maher had a relatively quiet game in an attacking sense, but he put the icing on the cake by heading in from a Jack O’Brien free kick. A fitting end to a highly entertaining full-blooded derby, which was expertly allowed to take on a life of its own by referee David Butler and his assistants.

Aside from Lake, Peter Cleary also massively impressed for Shinrone in a new position, central midfield, arguably having his best-ever game for the Offaly outfit.

For Moneygall, Dylan Hogan was not found wanting; the imposing centre half stood up to be counted in the first half when the tide was strong against his side. Sean Kenneally also impressed in the engine room. Overall, Billy Hayes’ side showed great mental and emotional strength to banish their demons from the league finale in Shinrone last season.

The table is not pretty reading for Shinrone now in terms of a title challenge. However, their first-half performance, when they got the ball down and played, was a further demonstration that every team should fear coming to Shinrone.

In any case, the beauty of sport is that there is not much time to dwell on defeat. Shinrone travel to Arra Rovers this Sunday for a rare meeting between these sides, where it should be a case of men against boys for the experienced Offaly outfit.

Sallypark Odhrans 2-8 BT Harps

BT Harps continued their impressive run of form with a dominant 8–2 win away to Sallypark on Sunday.

The visitors came flying out of the blocks, playing with confidence and composure, and went into the break 5–0 up. Szymon Popiela led the line brilliantly, netting a first-half hat-trick, whilst Eanna McBride and Cormac Foy also got on the scoresheet.

To their credit, Sallypark never stopped battling and began the second half with renewed energy, with Sean Ryan working tirelessly up front to press the BT defence. McBride grabbed his second– and his ninth in three games - on the hour mark.

Sallypark pulled one back almost immediately, Sean Ryan getting a deserved goal for his hard work.

BT then introduced fresh legs, bringing on Ryan Loughnane, Dean McEnroe, and Ben Stapleton, with the latter helping himself to a goal. Sallypark responded again through Ryan, but BT had the final say: Jack Kennedy capping off a fine performance with a superb volley from distance to seal a comprehensive win.

Table-toppers Ardcroney travel to BT Harps this Sunday with a target on their backs. A win for Harps would bring them right back on track in the title race. Ardcroney’s best hopes of success are to soak up pressure and go direct to the channels early, much like they did in the reverse of this fixture last season. Thomas Cleary will likely be chosen for the unthankful task of running after lost causes, although Conor Culhane has also proven himself in that role in the reverse of this fixture last season.

Arra Rovers 3-0 Holycross

Arra Rovers debilitating run of losses came to an end thanks to the visit of a struggling Holycross to Portroe on Sunday.

Conor McKeown scored for Arra’s youths the day prior, and he got the scoring started against Holycross midway through the first half. A brace from 17-year-old Charlie Moran concluded the scoring before half time. Jack Maloney, James Dillon and Diarmuid Boyle all impressed for this extremely young Arra side.

First Division

Portumna Town signalled their intentions to lift the title with a shock 6-3 win over fellow title hopefuls Clodiagh Rangers in Portumna on Sunday.

The Galway side were a goal to the good after three minutes, and 4-0 up at the break. Jakub Wysocki scored a hat-trick from attacking midfield in a player of the match performance, while Leon Tierney, Martin Touhy, and Adam Fogarty all contributed to the emphatic scoreline.

In his debut season, manager Mark O’Sullivan is seeing just how vulnerable the first division is, as a whole, this season; the teams that came down are not setting the world alight; while half of the teams are in transition periods with new managers; and the other half would not even want to be promoted to the premier division, even if the chance arose.

Borrisokane came out the right side of a five-goal thriller at home to Borrisoleigh on Sunday. The hosts scored through a Dylan Hehir brace, either side of a goal from player/manager Matty Power. Jerry Kelly netted both goals for Borrisoleigh.

Second Division

Despite being one game shy of the midway point of the campaign, Knigh United effectively put one hand on the title by coming from two goals down to win 3-2 at second placed Birdhill on Sunday.

With the wind on their backs, Birdhill set the tone of the game in the first half. Two well-taken free kicks from Colin Floyd had the home side 2-0 up at the interval. However, the lead would have been a lot more were it not for some last-ditch tackles and Keith Kelly in goal.

Knigh’s big signing from Ardcroney, Darren Moran, was one of three players introduced at half-time. Ronan Ducie Hogan came off the bench for his first appearance in two months, and it was a strike from distance by the former Sallypark man which dragged Knigh back into the tie on the hour mark.

They were level six minutes later when Davey O’Brien cracked home a powerful shot. The comeback was complete when Billy Seymour latched onto a lovely Bryan McLoughney pass with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Moneygall ‘B’ continued their revival with a 7-2 win away to Rearcross ‘B’. Tommy Sheedy fired in a hat-trick on the way to a player of the match performance, whilst Jody Troy and Kevin O’Grady also impressed for Ben Quinlan’s charges.