It was another busy weekend of local soccer, with action in the Prego Menswear Cup and Premier Division
Husqvarna Maloney Garden Machinery Premier Division
Ennis Town A 1-1 Newmarket Celtic A
For the second time in three league games leaders Newmarket Celtic A
had to settle for a draw after Ennis Town A came from behind to earn a
share of the points at Lees Road on Sunday. However with their closest
challengers Bridge Utd also drawing the gap remains at 7 points at the
top of the Premier Division. There were very little chances in the
first half with Newmarket having lots of possession and Ennis Town
defending well for long periods. Newmarket went in front when Colin
Smyth scored with an effort that Ennis Town will be disappointed did
not stop. Ennis Town made a great start to the second half when Joe
Collins finished off a good passing move to draw them level. From here
to the finish Newmarket had lots of possession just like the first
half but created very few clear scoring chances. Daithi O'Connell had
an effort ruled out for offside and Ronan McCormack had an effort go
over the bar. Ennis Town had one chance near the finish but were
denied by a good save from Trevor O'Donnell in the Newmarket goal.
Newmarket Celtic A:
Trevor O'Donnell, Seamie lawlor, Paddy Purcell, Stephen Kelly, Eoin
O'Brien, Ian Collins, Colin Smyth, David McCarthy, Ronan McCormack,
Daithi O'Connell, Eoin Hayes
Subs: Paudie Hayes for O'Connell, Cathal Hayes for Eoin Hayes, Alan
Brigdale for McCormack
Tulla Utd 6-0 Bridge Celtic
Tulla Utd had a comprehensive win over Bridge Celtic in the premier
division in very foggy conditions at the Cragg Tulla on Sunday.
Tulla's first goal came from a wonderful free kick from David O'Brien
after only 5 minutes of play. In the 20th minute Colin Nelson cut
inside the Bridge Celtic defence and evaded 2 tackles before
unleashing a low shot to the keeper's right hand side to score the
second from outside the box. By the half hour mark Daragh Corry had
made it 3-0 with a well taken header. After the restart Bridge Celtic
pressed hard and were unlucky not to score following an excellent
double save from Christy O'Brien in the Tulla goals. When the 3rd
O'Brien brother Johnny coolly slotted home a penalty in the 60th
minute it finished the game as a contest. Daire Hannon came off the
bench to score a great brace of goals to leave the final score 6-0. It
was an excellent all round performance from Tulla giving them 3 wins
in a row since the resumption of play after Christmas.
Tulla Utd A:
Christy O'Brien, Paraic O'Malley, Raymond Bane, Eoghan Ryan, Aaron
Lane, Daragh Corry, Shane McNamara, Johnny O'Brien, David O'Brien,
Colin Nelson, Sunny Jay
Subs: Tommy McKeown for David O'Brien, Gary Hogan for Daragh Corry,
Daire Hannon for Sunny Jay
Corofin Harps A 1-1 Bridge Utd A
Corofin Harps put in another good performance in the Premier Division
and were unlucky not to take all 3 points at home to Bridge Utd in
Corofin on Sunday. Corofin went in front on 20 minutes when a cross
from Jason O'Connor was finished to the net by Shane Constable with a
great header into the bottom corner of the net. Bridge upped their
game in second half and were unlucky not to draw level on 65 minutes
when Brian Halpin made a vital clearance off the goal line. Corofin
suffered a major setback on 70 minutes when they lost centre half John
Keane to injury. Corofin had a good chance for a second goal when a
clearance from Mikey Concannon put Killian Malone through on goal but
his effort narrowly missed the target. Bridge scored the equalising
goal on 84 minutes. Corofin had one last chance to win it but Steven
Keane was denied by a great save from John Mulready and Jason Tierney
couldn't keep his effort from the rebound down.
Prego Menswear Clare Cup
Avenue Utd A 2-0 Rhine Rovers
First half goals from Steven McGann and Gary Roche helped Avenue
advance to a second round meeting with Sporting Ennistymon A after
victory over Rhine Rovers at Roslevan on Sunday.
Newmarket Celtic B 2-1 Hermitage A
Newmarket Celtic B caused a surprise on Sunday at McDonagh Park when
the knocked out Premier Division side Hermitage A. Hermitage went in
front but Newmarket got back on level terms through Seamus Considine.
It looked like the game was going to extra time but then up stepped
Ian Cusack with the all important winning goal to second Newmarket
into round 3.
Shannon Olympic A 7-0 Inch Crusaders
Shannon Olympic A are safely through to round 3 of the Clare Cup after
defeating Inch Crusaders in Shannon on Sunday. Inch started brightly
and Sean Hehir went close with an effort from the edge of the box that
narrowly missed the target. Olympic went in front with a deflected
shot but Inch were still well in the game until Olympic struck 2 quick
goals right before half time to give them a 3-0 half time lead.
Another goal right after half time from a free kick that was deflected
to the net and the game was over as a contest. Olympic kept the
pressure on to the end and 3 more goals rounded off an easy win in the
end. Garry Higgins top scored with 4 goals, Brian McGorrian got two
and Ray Quigley also got in on the scoring.
Shannon Olympic A:
Darren Whelan, Darren Duggan, Alex Cole, Ian Hogan, Donacha Kelly, Ray
Quigley, Brian McGorrian, Jamie Egan, Garry Higgins, Declan McDonald,
Ryan Kelly
Sub:
Steve Dolan for McDonald
Inch Crusaders:
Ross Dunn, James Rynne, Mark Connellan, Thomas O'Doherty, Sean Talty,
James O'Halloran, Joe Neylon, Rory Killeen, Sean Hehir, Thiago
Santana, Padraig Talty
Subs:
Tomas Lynch for Neylon, Brenno Henrique for Hehir
Lets Bet Sports Bookmakers First Division
Connolly Celtic 2-2 Avenue Utd B
Connolly and Avenue played out an entertaing draw in this top of the
table clash in the First Division at Kilmaley on Sunday. Avenue found
themselves goal down after 20 minutes when Connolly split the avenue
defence with some good passing before Jason Devitt scored. This gave
Connolly a 1-0 lead at the break. Avenue started the second half
really well putting Connolly under a lot of pressure but after 60
minutes against the run of play Avenue found themselves 2 down to what
was a great headed goal into the Avenue net by Donal McCarthy. Avenue
were now under real pressure but with their never die attitude they
pulled 1 back after 70 minutes when Ronan Kerin who is on fire at the
minute scored an excellent goal to make it 2-1. Avenue piled on the
pressure from then on and were rewarded on the 85 minutes with their
second goal after great work from Rahman Zekeri set up Rory Nouribi
who finished superbly to the Connolly net to earn his side a share of
the points.
Avenue Utd B:
Killian Culligan, Ian Hassett, Shaun Flanagan, Conor Mullen, Rahman
Zekeri, Anthony Whyte, Neil Slattery, Rory Nouribi, Jonny Ferns, Jan
Feck, Ronan Kerin
Subs: Martin Moran for Feck, Gary Roche for Ferns, Dean Malone for
Slattery
Selprint Second Division
Kilrush Rangers 5-2 Hermitage B
League leaders Kilrush Rangers kept their unbeaten record going in the
second division with a good victory over Hermitage B in Kilrush on
Sunday. Darragh Kelly scored twice while Gearoid Lynch, Trevor Clancy
and Henry Lillis completed the scoring.
Rineanna Rovers 4-1 Manus Celtic
Rineanne Rovers moved into second place in the division after a
battling perfomance and victory over Manus Celtic at Ballycasey on
Sunday. Paul Butler, Jamie O'Shea, Josh Lindsay and Danny Sweeney
scored the goals.
Suttons Lighting Third Division
Sporting Ennistymon B 2-5 Bridge United B
Bridge Utd kept up their promotion challenge with victory over
Sporting Ennistymon B at Lisdoonvarna on Sunday. Going into the game
Bridge trailed Sporting in second place by 8 points but with 7 games
still in hand this victory reduces the gap down to 5 points and they
are right in the hunt for promotion now. Bridge took an early lead
before Roma Byrne equalised for Sporting. Byrne then scored a second
before half time to leave it 2-1 to Sporting at the break. Fog
descended in the second half and visibility was greatly reduced but
there was no stopping Bridge who banged in four second half goals to
run out comfortable winners in the end.
Sporting Ennistymon B:
Richard Leigh, Padraig Flynn, Darragh Conneely, Thomas McConigley,
Michael McConigley, Roma Byrne, James Carmody, Sean Crowe, Daire
Crowe, Joe Gallagher, Paul Kelly
Jim Casey Trophies Youths/U19 League
Newmarket Celtic 5-2 Ennis Town
Newmarket Celtic remain on top of the Youths/U19 League after making
it 6 wins from 6 games at McDonagh Park on Saturday. Shane Mullaney
scored a brace while Cathal Hayes, Jason Mcintyre and Liam O'Connor
also got in on the scoring for the home side.
