Penalty drama dominates top of the table clash

North Tipperary and District League Review

By Gary Culbert

BT Harps have recovered from their slow start to the season and are in pole position to lift the premier division title following a facile win over Sallypark in Templemore on Friday night.

If Henry Newman’s side win their two games in hand, they will go top, albeit by just one point.

As we edge closer to the Christmas break, there is a real feeling of conservatism amongst the other title contenders; no team wants to put a foot wrong and lose significant ground in the last two weeks of fixtures; every manager wanting their players coming back in January still in with a shot for the title.

Premier Division

Ardcroney 1-1 Moneygall

The big game of the weekend lived up to the hype with emotions running high as league leaders Ardcroney and third placed Moneygall played out a tense draw on Sunday, dominated by controversial penalties.

The draw didn’t really do a whole lot for either side. Ardcroney don’t score too many, but they are defensively solid; with a real focus on not giving away anything cheaply. And that was the pattern of the first half; Ardcroney holding a good defensive shape and matching the physicality of Moneygall. The hosts had not played in two weeks and thus were slow to settle.

Moneygall, on the other hand, started with a very attacking line-up and were almost rewarded early on when Paul Costello flicked a header goal-bound. Billy Hayes’ side went even closer from another header, this time the crossbar coming to the league leader’s rescue.

At first glance, Ardcroney’s Paddy Reddin is a fairly unassuming figure; you wouldn’t know that he just returned back from a 4000-kilometre cycle across Europe, which took him as far as Istanbul. Similarly, when he floated in a fairly innocuous cross on top of the Moneygall keeper at the start of the second half, nobody expected the chaos that would ensue. David Toohey came to claim, but the ball escaped his grasp and Thomas Cleary was suddenly between the keeper and the ball, just two feet from the coveted goal-line. Toohey eventually jumped on the live grenade to end the danger, or so he thought. It was a head in hands moment for Ardcroney, but Moneygall hands were on heads when the referee pointed to the spot. Jack Daly sent Julian Bentancourt’s understudy the wrong way from twelve yards, and Ardcroney now had a lead to protect.

Moneygall continued to turn the screw tighter and tighter as the second half went on. Dylan Maher and Jack O’Brien both sent rasping efforts towards the imposing frame of Kevin Shinners, but neither found their mark.

Moneygall continued to throw caution to the wind and were rewarded with some fine opportunities from set-pieces, and there was a sting in the Ardcroney tail.

Matthew Moyles is evolving into a real leader for Ardcroney, not only does he win a lot of ball in the middle of the park, but he also has the composure to then pick out a man in crowded midfield areas.

The former Cloughjordan man did just that in the 87th minute, finding Clough native Ross Austin, who in turn pinged a beautiful switch of play out to Kieran Spain. The winger took a great headed touch around his marker, which saw him clean through on goal. It looked for all intents and purposes like Spain was dragged down in the box by the last man back, but Moneygall escaped a second penalty.

Billy Hayes rang the changes, and to great effect as it would turn out. The tricky Conor Longe came in up top and the physically imposing Cian Ryan replaced his older brother and captain at left back. Centre half Dylan Hogan was now playing as a striker; desperate times call for desperate measures, a loss here would have dealt a serious blow to Moneygall’s faint title ambitions.

But deep into added time, the visitors had one last roll of the dice with a free, from which they would eventually claw their way back into the game. Much like he did for most of the contest, Ardcroney skipper Andrew Hayes rose highest to clear the first ball. Right on cue, Matthew Moyles claimed the second ball, he thought he had done enough to win a foul on the edge of his own area, but instead Conor Longe burst into the box and went down following a tired Ardcroney challenge. The referee pointed to the spot once more and Jack O’Brien made no mistake despite a lengthy wait.

Conor Longe has now come off the bench in Moneygall’s last three games and is directly responsible for four points in a total of 47 minutes on the field.

Ballymackey 1-1 Rearcross

A top corner strike midway through the second half from Ballymackey’s Aiden White looked to have done enough to secure the points when Rearcross came to Ballinree on Sunday.

However, it was cancelled out in injury time by a long throw goal from Brian Nolan.

The point means Rea’ are still just about in the title race, but anything other than a win against Ardcroney this weekend would be curtains for their faint hopes.

First Division

Without kicking a ball, Portumna Town were the big winners of the weekend. Bottom of the table Cloughjordan overturned third place Borroway Rovers, whilst mid-table Borrisoleigh put second place Clodiagh Rangers to the sword, both games finishing 3-1 to the home sides.

Cloughjordan’s victory was their first in six attempts and was built on strong wing play from Cian D’Arcy and Witor Dos Santos. Having played all but one of their away games in the first half of the season, Clough looked much more comfortable on their own patch, getting the ball down and playing some nice football at times.

Michael Hough was called up from the ‘B’ team to replace absent goalkeeper Ger Corcoran, and it was the veterans save with his feet that ensured the sides went in at half time scoreless.

It was a blistering cold day in Townsfields, and Hough was called on again as the rain threatened at the start of the second half. Once again, the veteran keeper snapped out a quick leg to deny a certain Borroway goal.

Clough took a deserved lead on the 54th minute through the aggressive wide play of Cian D’Arcy, who whipped in a menacing cross for Matt Phelan to finish into an empty net. Borroway levelled shortly after with a powerful header from a corner by skipper Seamus Woodlock. Clough’s reply was to introduce the ageless Eoin Hogan, whose energy swung the tie back in the home side’s favour.

Liam Hannon once again was the creative spark for Clough, and it was the attacking midfielder’s cross which was turned in by 17-year-old Dos Santos. The Brazilian netting a deserved goal to cap off a very positive attacking display.

The killer blow was delivered by Eoin Hogan, when he got on the end of a clever pass from fellow substitute Tino Rotani to finish beyond Mick Mackey.

A Jerry Kelly brace was the difference when promotion hopefuls Clodiagh Rangers dropped points in Borrisoleigh.

Kelly headed in a Patrick O’Connell cross to open the scoring on the half-hour mark, and Borris doubled their lead when a Tom Ryan delivery was deflected by a Clodiagh defender. Clodiagh were in the ascendency at the start of the second half and deservedly pulled a goal back. A cagey period of play ensued before Kelly finished low to the bottom corner for Borris' third goal and some respite.

It is a significant scalp for Denis Ryan’s side to claim given Clodiagh won the reverse fixture 6-1. It once again proves that no team will fancy playing on their tight pitch, especially when Jerry Kelly is in such red-hot form.

Elsewhere, goals from Luke Quigley, Stephen D’Arcy, and Dylan Hehir ensured Borrisokane came out the right side of a five-goal thriller at home to Grange United.

Second Division

BT Harps ‘B’ and Moneygall ‘B’ continued their rise up the table. Killian Fennell continued his fine form for Harps with a goal and two assists in their 6-0 win away to Shinrone ‘B’.

Michael Feehan continued his red-hot form for Rearcross ‘B’ with another four goals in a 6-2 win away to Ballymackey ‘B’.

Youths

Ryan Loughnane continues to put up serious numbers with BT Harps. The skipper scored all four of Harps goals in a 4-1 win away to Holycross on Saturday, taking his tally to a staggering 19 goals in just seven league games. Harps are joint top of the league with Borrisokane, albeit with a game more played.

The youth league will be split into two divisions once everyone has played each other once.