Harps maintain dominance over Shinrone

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League Review

By Gary Culbert

PREMIER DIVISION

GAME OF THE WEEK: Shinrone United 1-4 BT Harps

Emotions ran high in Shinrone on Sunday when a repeat of last season’s NT&DL Premier Division title decider once again went the way of BT Harps.

A wonderful free-kick from Michael Coridal on the stroke of half-time gave the home side plenty of hope, but that was soon extinguished on the hour mark when Bill Collier’s curling effort deceived Jason Ryan in the Shinrone goal.

Having opened the scoring from the penalty spot awarded for a handball offence against Scott Kelly, Dylan Cody netted the second after a late tackle from Michael Cordial.

At 3-1 down, Shinrone had to now throw caution to the wind, which resulted in chance after chance for Harps on the counter. Eventually, substitute Killian Fennell took one of those opportunities to put some gloss on the scoreline right at the death.

And so, the wait goes on for Shinrone to get just one positive result against the reigning champions, and it doesn’t get any easier for Derek McLoughlin’s side next week as Ballymackey come to the sleepy Offaly village.

It has been an extremely testing start to the season for the new manager with injuries to Riann Dempsey and George Hayes coming at a very unfortunate time. Yet still, a points haul of three from a possible six having faced Moneygall away and BT Harps at home is nothing to be ashamed of. A league campaign is a marathon, not a sprint; it must be remembered that Shinrone had a shot at the title on the final day of last season despite not collecting any points from Moneygall and Harps throughout that campaign, so they are already better off now than last season!

Shinrone’s clear cut chances mostly fell to Simon Hayes, who will be somewhat disappointed not to have his name on the scoresheet.

Player of the Match: Cormac Foy (BT Harps)

Shinrone United (4-2-3-1): Jason Ryan (6); Terry Bartlett (7), Michael Cordial (7), Dan Doughan (7), Keith McEvoy (7); Scott Kelly (6), Dean Cahill (7); Kian Fallon (7), Martin Harty (6) Simon Hayes (8); Riann McLoughlin (7). Sub: Conor Sullivan (7) for Kelly (45’)

BT Harps (4-3-3): Cian Sheedy (9); Lorcan Campion (8), Kailum O'Meara (8), Sean Paddy Guerins (8), Cain Russell (7); Bill Collier (9), Stevie Nolan (8), Dylan Cody (8); Cormac Foy (9), Ryan Loughnane (7), Joe Bourke (7). Subs: Joe Foy (6) for Guerins (65); Killian Fennell (7) for Bourke (70); Eimhin Ward (6) for Loughnane (75); Rhys Loughnane (6) for C Foy (80).

Referee: Tommy Murphy

Rearcross 1-1 Ballymackey

It was supposed to be only a formality for title favourites Ballymackey when they travelled to take on Rearcross on Sunday morning, or so we thought.

However, you simply never get an easy game up in the Slieve Felim’s, the locals have too much pride to allow any team to rock up and knock in bags of goals on their own patch.

Having spent the almost entirety of last season in central midfield, Paul Nolan was deployed at centre half, especially to monitor the threat offered by Aidan White.

The Rearcross game-plan almost got off to the perfect start when they won a penalty after a quarter of an hour when Ballymackey netminder Taylor Duffy was forced to bring down the attacker after being left short with a back-pass. Duffy picked up a yellow card but made amends by going full stretch across goal to add a rare stat to Greg Kennedy's portfolio: a missed penalty.

Rea were left ruing missed chances when Ballymackey went in front just after the half hour mark, thanks to a flowing team move started by Aidan White and finished by Eamonn White. The goal was assisted by in-form Cian Galvin, who continues to add end product to his game this season.

In truth, Ballymackey never really got going but they still would have thought that having reached the 90th minute, they had done enough to escape with a win. However, Paul Nolan had other ideas. The desire that the 24-year-old showed to get on the end of the corner was nothing short of a man possessed, but then to also have the ability to head it down into the ground and on target with pace and power, all while he himself was moving away from goal? Simply top class.

Ardcroney 3-4 Portumna Town

Ardcroney were a goal and a man down inside the opening two minutes when Portumna Town crossed the Shannon on Sunday.

Oisín Fogarty was brought down in the penalty area by Kevin Shinnors, which saw Jakub Wysoki given an easy task to score past stand-in keeper Eamonn Coonan.

The ten-men soon got two quick-fire goals through Ross Austin but the visitors were level on the half-hour when Oisin Fogarty finished off a rebound from an Adam Fogarty free-kick.

A well-worked long throw just after the start of the second half saw Ardcroney lead for the second time, Thomas Cleary finishing for his first of the season. But on the hour mark a long-range effort from Davy O’Meara found the net for 3-3. The Galway men had momentum now and on the 80th minute scored the decisive goal, Callum Moore snatching victory with a well converted strike.

DIVISION 1

A Tommy Brophy brace was not enough for Borroway Rovers to secure any points in a seven-goal thriller with Moneygall ‘B’ on Sunday.

Borroway took the lead just after the half hour mark through a sublime Brophy free kick from all of thirty yards, and the veteran doubled his tally in the second half.

Player/manager David Bourke got the other goal for the Thurles side, but ultimately, they were let down by errors at the back as Ben Quinlan’s bench won the day for the home side.

David Toohey in goals and Johnny Powell at the back impressed for Moneygall, but it was the energy and desire of Lee Doran and Darragh Murray on either wing that made the difference, with the latter netting a brace and the former helping himself to one goal. Veteran holding midfielder David Corbett netted Moneygall’s other goal in the win.

Borrisoleigh started their campaign with an impressive 3-1 win at home to Borrisokane on Sunday.

Kevin Maher, Patrick Wizniewski and Eddie Ryan were all on target for new manager Jamie Groome in his first game in charge. Ryan Donnelly netted Borrisokane’s goal.

Sallypark Odhrans suffered their second successive heavy defeat thanks to some of their former players scoring against them for Knigh United on Sunday.

Former player Jack Sanders netted a brace in the 7-1 victory, while Darren Moran also helped himself to two with Danny Butler grabbing a hat-trick.

The post-Dermot O’Halloran era at Arra Rovers got off to a positive start thanks to a 4-4 draw at home to Grange United on Sunday.

However, it could have been so much more were it not for a stunning final five minute comeback from Grange United, who scored three goals at the death to rescue a dramatic draw.

Arra took a 4-1 lead into the closing stages thanks to a brace apiece from Dylan Gamble and Brian McEvoy, but late goals from Scott Coyle, Steve Finan, and Vinnie Cleere earned the visitors a share of the spoils.

The good-news story for Arra this season is the debut of James O’Brien, who is playing his first season of amateur soccer at 43 years young. He has plenty of experience on the astro with casual groups in Ballymackey and Burgess, but Sunday football will be a new challenge for the tricky player.

DIVISION 2

Clodiagh Rangers enjoyed an emphatic 4-0 win away to BT Harps ‘B’ on Sunday thanks to an Oisin Treacy hat-trick and an own goal. There were no surprises to see Treacy scoop the player of the match award, with an honourable mention to Mattie Stakelum in the Drombane defence.

Cloughjordan’s Kevin Kennedy was the hero on his return from a year-long injury on Sunday, as the 45-year-old substitute struck deep into stoppage time to defeat Toomevara Celtic 2-1.

Nenagh Celtic got revenge on their Shield final opponents, Birdhill thanks to goals from Brian Mitchell and Ryan Gillick.

DIVISION 2A

Despite a nervy finish thanks to a duo of late goals, Aaron Donnellan made the perfect start to life at the helm of Nenagh Celtic's second team in defeating Knigh United.

The home side stormed into a two-goal lead at Ballinaclough Sportsfield, thanks to an Eoin O'Brien header following a Jamie Donnellan corner, and a composed finish from Eoin Mitchell having beaten the offside trap.

Knigh skipper Paddy Gallagher pulled one back on the half hour to leave the narrowest of margins at the interval, but Celtic went on to dominate for large parts and got their reward on the hour when Oisin O'Meara powered home another Donnellan cross to put some daylight between the sides.

The tie was effectively put to bed a quarter of an hour later when Sean Crosse provided an assist for fellow substitute Jakub Patrzalek. Celtic made three further changes at this point, which allowed Knigh back into the game via two late goals. But in the end Celtic held out for a perfect start to life in Division 2A.

Rearcross ‘B’ made the perfect start to life in Division 2A thanks to a 4-2 win away to Templetuohy. Matthew Feehan netted a brace for the Slieve Felim side while Willie Horrigan and Jack Nolan also chipped in with one apiece. A Rhys McCarthy strike and an Eoin Stakelum penalty were only a consolation for the home side.