Nenagh and Newport hit the spot
Limerick District League Review
By Pat Sheehan
Lawson Cup
Athlunkard Villa 2-2 Nenagh AFC (Nenagh won 5-4 on pens)
Following their superb win over Aisling Annacotty in their last outing, Nenagh AFC followed up with another impressive display to advance in the Lawson Cup after a penalty shoot-out win over fellow premier division outfit Athlunkard Villa on Sunday.
It was a well-deserved win for Nenagh although they needed to come from behind twice before holding their nerve in the shoot-out to win the tie.
Nenagh are playing some attractive football and if they can finish off chances created, they will be match for most sides. Pa Steed, in his first season in junior football, was superb again with a selfless box to box performance.
The home side took the lead through former Nenagh player Cillian Scully after good work by Danny Taylor.
Nenagh were back on terms just on the half hour mark when Adam Ryan’s free kick from the right wing was driven low and hard across goal and it missed all and sundry and finished in the bottom corner.
Shortly after the restart, Villa regained the lead when Shane Cope’s free kick into the area saw Diarmuid Grimes rise highest to head past stand-in Nenagh keeper Mark McKenna.
Nenagh pushed forward in search of the equaliser and got their reward twenty minutes from time when the excellent Steed was denied by Villa keeper Robert Power but Dan O’Meara following up, tucked away the rebound.
Nenagh dominated the remainder of the tie and should have had it wrapped up before the spot kicks were necessary.
Mark McKenna proved the Nenagh hero saving in the shoot-out to send his side through to round three.
Nenagh AFC: Mark McKenna; Colm Hayden; Lee Mowatt; Ciaran O'Reilly; Bryan McGee; Pa Steed; Dylan Morrison; Dan O'Meara; Adam Ryan; Daniel Connolly; Adam Brennan. Subs: Matt O'Gorman; Aaron Cusack; Eoin Coffey; Dan Furey
Newport Town 1-1 Brazuca United (Newport won 5-3 on pens)
After a miserable run of form, Newport Town was expected to win against Division 2A side Brazuca in the Lawson Cup on Sunday. They achieved their goal but it needed penalties to separate the sides.
Newport had to dig deep to see off a battling Brazuca side but they will be hoping this may be the springboard to get their confidence back for the league run-in.
Newport took the lead on the half hour through Luke Ryan after good work by Brian O'Sullivan. The visitors drew level on the hour when Augusto De Souza netted.
With no further goals, penalties were called for and Jimmy Fyffe came up trumps with the crucial save for the winners.
Newport Town: Jimmy Fyffe; Ciaran Carey; Dave O'Brien; Sean Ryan; Pa Murtagh; Luke Ryan; Aaron Coleman; Brian O'Sullivan; Callum O'Connell; Jamie Kavanagh; Sean Bonfield. Subs: Eoin Looney; Killian O'Malley.
Lower Leagues
In Division 1B, Nenagh AFC B’s game with top side Pike Rovers was postponed while Newport Town ‘B’ picked up a point in a 1-1 draw with Kilfrush. Aaron Murphy put Kilfrush ahead but Phelim O'Reilly scored a last gasp equaliser for Newport.
In Youth League Division 1, David Nolan struck twice for Lough Derg but they went down 5-2 to Kilmallock.
Oscar Traynor Cup Final
The Limerick District League’s Oscar Traynor journey for 2025/26 ended in disappointment on Sunday afternoon when they were comprehensively beaten 5-0 by a very good Galway DL side in Eamon Deacy Park, Galway.
Limerick had plenty of possession throughout but mostly in areas that did not threaten the home goal.
Limerick District League squad: Josh McCarthy - Fairview Rangers, Danny O'Neill - Fairview Rangers, Blake Curran - Fairview Rangers, Tommy Frawley - Regional United, Josh Adams – Ballynanty Rovers, Leon Daly - Pike Rovers, Jake Dillon – Fairview Rangers, Shane Walsh - Ballynanty Rovers, Conor Coughlan - Aisling Annacotty, Darragh Rainsford - Fairview Rangers, Vinny Ryan - Ballynanty Rovers. Subs: Leon Kirrane - Ballynanty Rovers, Kyle Duhig - Pike Rovers, Dylan Murphy – Pike Rovers, Kai Joyce – Janesboro, Dylan Moriarty – Janesboro, Shane O’Brien – Janesboro, Cian O’Brien – Regional United.