Title race heating up approaching half-way point
SOCCER: North Tipperary and District League Review
By Gary Culbert
Out of nowhere, the Premier Division title race has reached a point where, all of a sudden, there are now must-not-lose games.
As we approach the midway point of the league campaign, Ballymackey travel to BT Harps this Friday night for one of those games.
A loss for Ballymackey under the lights would see George Haverty and Damien Bentley’s side eight points adrift of Harps, albeit with a game in hand.
Premier Division
Ballymackey 7-2 Holycross
If the title hopefuls start Friday’s game as poorly as they did against Holycross on Sunday, then they will soon not have to worry about their league campaign.
Ballymackey rang the changes before kick-off, perhaps thinking they could coast through a game with the bottom side in the league. But the shield champions were given a rude awakening when goals from Gavin Ryan and Gary Dwan had had Holycross 2-0 up inside 25 minutes. Colm Maher pulled one back for the home side just before the interval, but there was still plenty of soul searching to be done at half-time.
George Haverty and Damien Bentley had seen enough and unleashed the bomb-squad from the bench: Eamonn White, Aidan White, Cian Galvin and skipper Cathal Delaney. The older brother went on to net two penalties (one which Liam Hogan won and one which he himself won) and provide one assist, but it was the younger brother, Eamonn, who stole the show with a standout performance in midfield.
Cathal Spillane added two further goals and their captain put another in the net to add some gloss to the scoreline, but it was certainly a lesson learned for Ballymackey – at least you would hope so.
Despite having beaten BT Harps 2-0 and 3-0 already this season, the form of both sides means that it is the reigning champions who go into the game as the underdogs.
One big question that will be answered on Friday night is whether or not playing on astro helps or hinders Ballymackey’s game. Either way, they would do well not to be too cocky going into the game. At this stage, all that this squad of players have to their names is a shield title, which Ardcroney will tell them is quickly forgotten as the years go by.
Portumna Town 0-3 BT Harps
A goal and assist each from Cormac Foy and Joe Bourke, and a third goal from Killian Fennell, ensured that Harps made light work of newly promoted Portumna Town in Galway on Sunday morning. The win leaves Harps perfect with 15 points from a possible 15 heading into a blockbuster title showdown with Ballymackey on Friday night.
Harps have been without their star man Sean Paddy Guerins for their last two NT&DL games, as he was busy playing for the Ireland amateur side through their three group stage games of the UEFA Regions Cup qualifiers in Cork.
The Ireland squad, captaining by Guerins, bounced back from an opening day defeat to Belarus before overcoming Malta and then Croatia to win Group 8 on goal difference.
Guerins will represent Ireland in the UEFA Regions Cup Finals Tournament in Spain, in July 2027.
Rearcross 1-2 Ardcroney
Having advanced to the last 32 of the Munster Junior Cup by embarrassing Ballymackey the weekend prior, Rearcross were left in unfamiliar territory for the visit of struggling Ardcroney on Saturday night: they were now the favourites.
Ardcroney thrive on being wrote-off before kick-off, the new-look side had a point to prove in Rearcross and roared into a deserved lead when an in-swinging free-kick went all the way in from the wonderfully talented right foot of Matthew Moyles. Indeed, it was Moyles who ran the show for Ardcroney on the night, with an all-round perfect performance that will leave the Oscar Traynor management team curious of a late call-up for the visit of Limerick Desmond league to Templemore on November 18th.
Rearcross struggled to match the visitor’s intensity, but they were given a lifeline at the start of the second half when Kieran Spain fouled Conor Nolan just inside the area.
Ardcroney were not done yet though, with Rea’s equaliser essentially poking the bear. The NT&DL’s newest set of brothers combined well for Ardcroney’s winning goal: Thomas and Willie Cleary of Kilruane getting the better of Cathal Kennedy.
Rearcross went on to utterly dominate possession for the final half-hour, but with Ardcroney camped on the edge of their own area, the home side had neither the raw pace or deft touch required to unlock the resolute low-block.
The surprisingly large crowd in Rearcross were treated to a fantastic full-blooded game on what was a beautifully crisp autumn night in the Slieve Felim mountains. The intensity that Ardcroney brought was in no small part down to the new recruits in their side.
In defence, John O'Meara matched the fight of his centre-half partner Andy Hayes. In midfield, Michael Egan set the tone for the entire team with his desire to win back possession in a close-quarter. In attack, Willie Cleary plays like a young kid trying to force his way into the starting 11; no lost cause is ever too-far-gone to chase. The long-legged 36-year-old has an uncanny ability to reach balls that he has absolutely no right whatsoever to get to.
The player that benefitted most from that knock-on effect on Saturday night was without a doubt Matthew Moyles, who had the perfect midfield performance.
Rearcross arguably already had the best facilities in the NT&DL, but this small proud club continues to show big ambition with their continued investment in top of the range facilities.
Their most recent investment this season was is brand-new floodlights, which were fine-tuned prior to kick-off on Saturday night to leave the stage perfectly set for a rip-roaring tie.
Shinrone United 0-2 Moneygall
A rip-roaring open game between two local rivals with heavy history ended how most of their meetings do these days, in controversy.
On the pitch, a well taken goal from Niall Maher in the opening quarter of an hour and a Paul Costello strike in the last 20 minutes went unanswered from the Offaly side.
Off the pitch, a skirmish near the end of the game made for ugly viewing as a substitute from the Shinrone bench was given his marching orders.
First Division
Game of the Week: Borrisoleigh 0-3 Knigh United
League leaders Borrisoleigh had their perfect start to the season brought to an abrupt halt by a steely Knigh United side on Sunday afternoon.
Knigh started the stronger and opened the scoring with a tidy finish into the bottom corner by Daniel Butler. The goal after just seven minutes and was courtesy of some fine combination play between James O’Meara and Stephen Flynn in midfield.
Borris nearly responded straight away but chances were few and far between as the game turned into a midfield battle. Any time that Borris did get near Kieran Ryan’s goal, they were stopped dead in their tracks by the impenetrable centre back pairing of Joe Shanahan and Darren Moran.
Borris keeper Mikey Kennedy was quick off his line on more than one occasion to snuff out potential one-on-ones, but there was little he could do for Knigh’s second on the stroke of half-time, as the energetic Lenny Raleigh tore into box to finish off Stephen Flynn’s low cross.
2-0 down at the interval, the league leaders were in unfamiliar territory and thus had to make some changes. Borris came out swinging in the second half and created a good chance from a long throw at the back post which should have got a goal back.
Further chances came and went for Borrisoleigh, but Knigh always felt like they had them at a comfortable arm’s length.
With seconds remaining the result was put beyond doubt when youthful substitutes, Zakk Ryan and Ruairi Hackett combined, with the latter finishing from a tight angle on the touchline after Mikey Kennedy was caught in no-man’s-land.
Bryan McGee and Lee Mitchell proved instrumental for Knigh in the heart of midfield, while Chullain McGrath was exceptional in the air and in his races with the pacey James Devaney.
Overall, it will be a game that won’t live long in the memory for either team as it was an incredibly scrappy affair, with the ball spending far more time in the air than on the ground.
What was impressive though, was Knigh’s willingness to get the ball down onto the ground and play.
With Daniel Butler’s quick feet proving a great asset in tight areas on the narrow pitch.
Player of the Match: Bryan McGee (Knigh United)
Borrisoleigh (4-3-3): Mikey Kennedy (6); Paul Mccormack (6), Graham O’Connor (6), Colm Boyle (6), Thomas Ryan (6); Sean Shanahan (7), Patrick Wisniewski (6), Jack Fitzgerald (7); Alvis Danko (6), Jerry Kelly (7), James Devaney (7). Subs: Michael Carey (6) for McCormack (46’), Cian Stapleton (6) for Fitzgerald (46’), Fintan Holland (6) for Danko (74’)
Knigh United (4-3-3): Kieran Ryan (7); Chullain McGrath (8), Joe Shanahan (8), Darren Moran (8), Davy O’Brien (7); Bryan McGee (9), Lee Mitchell (8), James O’Meara (6); Stephen Flynn (8), Daniel Butler (9), Lenny Raleigh (7). Subs: Rory Hackett (7) for Flynn (65’), Zakk Ryan (6) for Butler (80’), Tom McGrath (6) for Raleigh (80’)
Referee: Thomas Murphy