Moneygall leave it late in Templemore
North Tipperary and District League Review
By Gary Culbert
Premier Division
BT Harps 0-1 Moneygall
If the title race wasn’t already a free-for-all, Jack O’Brien blew it wide open with a goal three minutes from time for Moneygall to beat BT Harps in Templemore on Sunday.
The home side settled the quickest, better on the ball, with Szymon Popiela sharp and constantly showing for the ball in between the lines.
Moneygall grew into the game by consistently looking to play balls over the top into the channels, trying to take advantage of a defence without Sean Paddy Geurins. Having played every minute of their last ten games, the skipper’s absence was always going to be felt. Indeed, Kuba Beben had to be sharp off his line to deny Niall Maher from a ball over the top that was not tracked.
Dylan Cody impressed in the quarter-back role for Harps, who responded with their first big opportunity, but just like at the other end, Julian Bentancourt was quick off his line to smother the one-on-one opportunity.
Moneygall improved on the ball in the second half. Skipper Paul Costello had one cleared off the line, and Sean Moroney came close with a rebound from a Niall Maher shot. However, it was the Colombian cat who was called upon to pull off the save of the game, denying Harps a headed goal from a free kick.
The already youthful visitors introduced fresh legs in Sean Moroney, Aodhan Ryan, and Sean Kenneally, who all ensured that Moneygall were still a threat in behind. Indeed, it was a bit of link-up play from the substitutes which brought about the winner with three minutes to go. Kenneally drove a long ball out of defence for Ryan, who played in Jack O’Brien to round Beban for a massive goal in the early stage of title race.
Niall Maher and Paul Costello looked a threat throughout for Moneygall, whilst Dylan McCormack and Gearoid Larkin were also honourable mentions for the player of the match award. But there was no looking past Julian Bentancourt, and there was no getting past him on the day.
Billy Hayes’ charges host Ballymackey this Thursday. The home side defeated the visitors twice in cup competition last season and should have more than enough to make it three from three.
Shinrone United 6-1 Holycross
Shinrone got back on track with a dominant win over Holycross on Sunday.
Having seen two red cards in his last two starts at full back, Paul Lake was moved back up to the wing, where he put in a player-of-the-match performance with a goal and an assist. Riann McLoughlin helped himself to a hat-trick while the impressive Terry Bartlett and Ray Cordial also got in on the scoring. Sam Ryan pulled one back for Holycross in the second half, but in general, centre half Michael Cordial had far too much for the visitors.
Ardcroney 1-1 Rearcross
Both teams were happy with a point following a very cagey affair when first met second in Ardcroney on Sunday.
Ardcroney took the lead in the 38th minute, Kieran Spain heading in at the back post following a Luke Dervan flick-on from a Jack Daly long-throw.
Rea’ levelled from a Greg Kennedy clearance from the back which found its way through to Cillian Kennedy, who poked past Kevin Shinnors. That’s how it finished in a game where neither side wanted to overcommit.
There is a fascinating match-up next week as Shinrone make the trip to Rearcross. Question marks remain over Shinrone on a big pitch – and they don’t come much bigger than this. Rea generally don’t dominate possession and will likely be content to let Shinrone have the majority of the ball, opting to hit them quickly on the counter after turning it over.
Sallypark 6-0 Arra Rovers
Sean Ryan helped himself to four goals to inflict an eleventh straight defeat on Arra Rovers.
Debutant James Brown and substitute Willie Connors contributed the remainder of the tally on another day to forget for Dermot O’Halloran & co.
The ‘Park might not be as strong defensively as the Eoin Ryan and Paul Walsh era, but they do have some serious threats at the other end of the pitch.
Ardcroney are facing them at a bad time, which makes this another huge test of their title credentials. Another tight, low-scoring game is on the cards, and there is no clear favourite despite Ardcroney turning them over 7-2 just a month ago.
First Division
Portumna Town spoiled the party by putting six goals past the hosts on their debut game on the new pitch in Borrisoleigh on Sunday.
A hat-trick from player of the match Michael O’Sullivan was the difference between the sides. Oisin O’Sullivan, Ronan O’Meara and Martin Touhy got the other goals for the Galway side, whereas Paddy McCormack, Jerry Kelly and Eddie Ryan all netted for Borris.
Callum Moore impressed in central midfield for Portumna, and with Adam Fogarty still to return, the sky is the limit for this young side.
Borrisoleigh had a decent amount of chances, but made some big errors in defence.
It was highlighted last week that Grange United desperately needed to find a way of getting Scott Coyle on the ball and running at defences. The talented attacking midfielder answered that call with two assists in a 2-1 win over Borrisokane on Sunday.
Similarly, Stephen D’Arcy was made captain by Matt Power and repaid that faith by putting Borris ahead after just six minutes. Emmet Jones replied shortly after. It looked like the points would be shared, but Coyle crossed for Steve Finan in the 90th minute, who poked home the winner to round off a player of the match performance.
Goalkeeper Aaron Talbot made some fantastic saves to deny Tommy Brophy, who has not scored in two games, which by his standards is a goal drought.
Borris did hit the post, but overall, it was a quiet day for the Grange keeper. It is a third defeat in a row for Borrisokane, and it doesn’t get any easier, a tricky home tie against Borrisoleigh awaits.
Cloughjordan’s winning run was brought to an abrupt halt by two unanswered Borroway goals in Thurles.
The visitors started well, but David Bourke was too lively to be contained and opened the scoring after thirteen minutes. Darren Stokes and Gary Culbert both missed decent chances to restore parity in the first half.
Veteran centre half, Paraic Fogarty, was a key component in neutralising the Clough comeback, which was dealt a killer blow by Curtis Ryan just after the restart. The former Thurles Town man converting from the penalty spot after Martin Grace was adjudged to have brought down Bourke in the area.
Clough huffed and puffed, but there was to be no grand siege on the Borroway goal. Loughtagalla Park is not an easy place to go; the pitch is on the shorter end of things, which compacts play; Borroway will pick up a lot of points there this season.
Second Division
Bryan William enjoyed a winning return to the playing field with Cloughjordan ‘B’ in his first game in over eighteen months. Ballymackey were the visitors to Townsfields on Sunday and found themselves 2-0 down at the break. Kevin Kennedy went top of the assist charts by playing in Shane Williams for the opener and Dylan Delaney for the second.
The visitors pulled one back from the spot and applied serious pressure to Clough, who really should have been out of sight in the first half.
At the top of the table, a hat-trick from Liam King and a brace from substitute Tom Ryan saw Birdhill leapfrog Sallypark ‘B’ with a 5-1 win at home.
Elsewhere, Shinrone played the entire second half with ten players, but still managed to come away from Templetuohy with a 2-1 win.
Youths
Knigh United put eight goals past Ballymackey in their own backyard on Saturday, thanks to a Simon Cleary hat-trick and as many assists from Ciaran Fitzgerald, who also netted twice to cap a player of the match performance. Ballymackey’s Liam Hackett scored a hat-trick too, but with only two coming in the first half, compared to Knigh’s five, this game was very much out of sight early on.
BT Harps got back to winning ways thanks to an 88th minute winner away to Arra Rovers, 3-2. David Rabbitte netted both goals for Dean Loughnane’s side, but the player of the match award went to Kaylum O’Meara at left back, with an honourable mention for Kyle Quinlan at centre half. Luke Power scored Arra’s leveller shortly after they went behind on the hour mark.
A late Jayden Coughlan penalty was the difference in a five-goal thriller as Rearcross won 3-2 in Moneygall.