Ardcroney's Alan Darcy gets his strike away watched by Clodiagh Rangers John Carew in their Barry Cup fixture last Sunday. PHOTOGRAPH: ODHRAN DUCIE

Goals galore in Cup quarter finals

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League Review

 

By Gary Culbert

 

Ricky Fogarty Cup
An understrength Nenagh Celtic side travelled to Cloughjordan and came away with a 2-1 victory. It was the hosts who took the lead when a Dean O’Meara long throw was met by the head of Bryan Williams. Celtic immediately drew level with some fine play down the middle resulted in wing-back Alan Kelly being unmarked at the back post to finish past Kevin Quinlan. 
In the second half, Arran Coe fouled Jimmy Hynes in the Cloughjordan box and up stepped Danny Ryan, who made no mistake from 12 yards. Cloughjordan finished strongly but could not find the equaliser, Alex Wade and Kevin Kennedy went closest for the hosts. 


Killavilla United progressed to the semi-final following a 2-0 win over Ballymackey with the goals coming from Ruairi Murphy and Tom Aherne. 
Lough Derg also reached the last four following a 3-0 home win over Moneygall. The home side were two goals up at half-time thanks to Jack O’Mahony’s sixth and seventh goals of the season. Luke Hession wrapped up the scoring late on with a cracker of a half-volley from the edge of the box.


Borroway Rovers continued their good form with a fine 4-0 win at home to neighbours, Thurles Town. They were ahead after 22 minutes when Jake Moore headed home from an Aaron Ryan cross. Borroway were well on top and made the pressure count on 35 minutes, when Calum O’Connor scored a sublime goal from the edge of the box. Thurles came out strong after the break, but Calum O’Conner killed off the game with his second of the match, rounding off a beautiful move when he met Shane Dunne’s cross. The game was over as a contest when Jake Moore completed his brace on 73 minutes.

Barry Cup
Portumna Town travelled to play Sallypark and came away with a 3-1 extra-time win against the notoriously difficult cup side. 
It was 1-1 at half-time and at full-time with goals coming through Eoin Ryan and Adam Fogarty, the latter completed his hat-trick in extra-time to send Portumna through to the semi-finals. 


A much improved Borrisokane performance meant that they pushed Rearcross all the way to penalties. 
Borris’ were a goal up at half-time thanks to a Gordon Harding strike on 26 minutes. Michael O’Gorman pulled one back for the away side. Michael O’Gorman completed his brace in extra time but a goal at the death from Borrisokane’s Gordon Harding sent the contest to penalties. Rearcross won 4-2 on penalties thanks to some fine stops from Jim Caplis. Michael O’Gorman, James Deegan, Patrick Dawson, and Greg Kennedy were the penalty scorers for the visitors. The win sets up a semi-final with Arra Rovers, who had a bye in the quarter-finals.


On Sunday, Clodiagh Rangers put five goal past Ardcroney in a superb attacking display. However, the away side did not have it all their own way. Ardcroney hit the crossbar after two minutes and went on to take the lead through Kieran Spain. Clodiagh drew level thanks to some clever play in a move what began with a super cross from the halfway line into the box; John Carew feigned to play the ball and made room for his winger Paul Hanley who had had time and space and did not disappoint. It was the same combination which gave Clodiagh the lead from the edge of the box as John Carew had pinned his marker and somehow spun and got his shot away which Dan Reddan saved only to see the rebound fall into the path of Paul Hanley who made no mistake from five yards. Clodiagh’s third goal came on the break after some silky footwork from Jack Kennedy gave him space to send John Carew in behind and he whipped the ball in to Mark Butler who left the keeper with no chance. 
Ardcroney were lucky to get to the break only two goals down, however, it was Clodiagh who struck next through substitute Mattie Stakelum. Ardcroney had a new lease life thanks to their youthful substitutes Ross Austin, Michael Mulvihill, Ross Hughes and Oisin Conaty. Ardcroney’s star player Jack Daly was getting on the ball a lot more in the second period, he pulled one back to make it 4-2 midway through the half. The momentum was with the home side now, Alan Darcy headed home to make it 4-3. 
Ross Hughes thought he drew his side level; after some fine work on the left and he unleashed a powerful shot which was deflected and Adrian Cooke tipped it onto the post only for the rebound to fall to Alan Darcy who really should have done better from 12 yards.
The youthful naivety of the home side resulted in everyone pushing forward in search of an equaliser, which left Paul Hanley with open space to run into and he took on substitute Tauri Shayanewako, whose mistimed tackle led to a penalty. Up stepped Paul Hanley, but he was denied his hat-trick by the trailing foot of Dan Reddan. However, Hanley did complete the hat-trick shortly after for a 5-3 win. 

Nora Kennedy Cup

Silvermines progressed to the semi-finals following a 3-2 away win over Clodiagh Rangers ‘B’.
Clodiagh were in front inside ten minutes after a defensive mistake led to a tap-in for Tom Purcell. The league leaders doubled their lead midway through the half thanks to an Ailbe O’Donoghue strike. Silvermines kept plugging away and found a route back ten minutes before the break, a looping cross from Eoin Seymore deceived the Clodiagh keeper. The ‘Mines started the second half well and were level on the hour, this time it was a low cross to John Doyle who kept his composure to finish well. The home side were down to ten men for the final quarter after a red card was brandished following a two-footed tackle. The visitor’s tails were up, and it was Josh McCarthy who, for the second time in two weeks, scored the late winner.

It has been a hugely disappointing league campaign for Holycross, but they gave themselves a shot in the arm following a 4-3 home win over Birdhill. It is case of what could have been if it were not for their unfortunate points deduction. The high scoring side were top of the league at one stage, but now find themselves in third place, well adrift of Birdhill and Clodiagh Rangers ‘B’. 
There were some usual suspects on the scoresheet for Holycross; leading goal scorer Jojo O’Meara got his 13th of the season, whilst Ben Slattery netted his ninth in all competitions. Raymie Nally and Jack Ryan rounded off the scoring for the ‘Cross. Birdhill’s goals came courtesy of a Brian Keane brace and a strike from Kealan Floyd. The victories for Holycross and Silvermines means they will play each other for a place in the final.


Elsewhere, Ballymackey ‘B’ needed extra-time to overcome Nenagh Celtic ‘B’ in Nenagh College. Adam Morrissey had the hosts one up at half-time, but the away side forced the game into extra-time where the Ballinree men ran out 3-1 winners, thanks to a Richard King brace and a finish from Leon Kennedy. 


Moneygall hosted Templetouhy and the sides could not be split after 90 minutes or extra time as it ended 3-3 with Moneygall astonishingly winning 8-7 on penalties. The Offaly men were 2-1 up at half-time but the away side won the second half by the same score. Eoin Moloney, Sean Moroney and Billy Hayes were all on target for the hosts. James Kavanagh got his fifth and sixth of the season for Templetouhy, whilst Chris Eid was the other scorer for the visitors.

Youths League
Ballymackey ‘A’ hosted Holycross in division 1 and came away with all three points thanks to a first half strike from Cormac Doheny. Holycross pushed for an equaliser but could not find a way past the stubborn Bally defence, the best players on the day for the away side were Ben Hennessey and Jack Lillis. 


BT Harps defeated Lough Derg 4-1 with goals from a Henry Fogarty brace, Jamie Monaghan and Mark Davidson with Sam Foley getting the consolation goal. Best for Harps were Henry Fogarty, James Kennedy, and James Corcoran.


Killavilla United recorded a 4-1 win over Moneygall with Dion Carney, Dylan Buckley, Jamie Ryan, and Darren Doyle on target for the Roscrea side while Cameron Fleming got Moneygall’s goal. Best for ‘Villa were Dylan Buckley, Nathan Carroll and Jamie Ryan.


The only match in the second division saw Ardcroney host Knigh United on Saturday. Ardcroney had their keeper Jack Mulcahy to thank for the scores being level at the break, but he could not do anything to stop Shane Gleeson converting from the penalty spot shortly after the restart. Some quick thinking from a free kick gave Knigh a 2-0 lead shortly after, this time it was Jody Ryan who finished well. Ross Austin pulled one back for the hosts, but it was Bill Cleary who finished the scoring to leave it 3-1 to Knigh United at the final whistle.