TSDL Premier League 10th December 2022 Match Reports
St Michael’s 3 – 1 Clonmel Celtic
Saints by virtue of a strong second half performance took the points at Cooke Park in their last match before Christmas, as they finished their Premier League year with their sights on securing another title. Celtic made the brighter side to the game and took the lead on nine minutes when Darren Sweeney got on the end of a cross to find the corner of the net. Five minutes later the hosts thought that they had levelled the game but David Slattery’s headed effort from a Russell Quirke cross was saved by Fabian Kerton in the Celtic goal. Kerton was having an inspired game, and thwarted Jimmy Carr and Paul Breen twice more, to ensure his side kept their slender lead to the break. But he was beaten three minutes into the second period, when the Saints were awarded a penalty kick after Paul Breen was fouled in the area, and Jimmy Carr made no mistake from twelve yards out. Joey Mulcahy went close twice shortly afterwards, and just before the hour mark, things got even harder for the visitors when they were reduced to ten men. The home side then began to completely dominate, and took the lead in the sixty fifth minute when Carr again got on the score sheet, heading home an Adam McGrath cross. Sixteen minutes from time they got the insurance goal, when Kerton spilled a Russell Quirke free kick and Colin Bargary scored from close range, ensuring there would be no unlikely equaliser from a very game Clonmel Celtic side, and leaving the current champions slowly gaining ground on the early season league leaders.
Paddy Purtill Cup 1st Round, 11th December 2022 Match Reports
Dualla 2 – 1 Tipperary Town
Flying majestically at the top of Division Two, Dualla swanned to victory against the Division One league leaders Tipperary Town, in one of only two ties that survived the artic weather conditions in Tipperary at the weekend. The visitors seemed to have stalled in recent weeks after their bright start to the season, but started this game on the front foot and opened the scoring early on, when Vinnie Godfrey’s super strike capped some excellent play by the visitors. But this seemed to awaken the home side and they responded with some excellent performances all over the pitch. They harried and harassed their opponents, pushing a high line, and finally were rewarded when the excellent Tossy Ryan cut inside two defenders and rocketed the ball to the roof of the net ten minutes before the break to level the game. This was how it was at half time, and after the break it was nip and tuck until mid-way through the half and the home team started to get on top. They were dominant and creating chances at will, finally finishing one fifteen minutes from the end, when Mikey McDermott got a ball to his feet and moved it quickly onto his right, before slamming the ball to the net. Dualla finished the game strong again this week and could have added more goals were it not for the woodwork and great defensive clearances by a rattled Town side. In the end though, the single goal advantage was enough to put them through to a quarter final, where they will fear no other team as they attempt to secure some silverware for themselves.
Clerihan 0 – 5 Old Bridge
The visitors pretty much dominated this game from the start, having the bulk of the possession, but finding it hard to fashion any real clear chances against a resolute Clerihan defence But they finally got a stroke of luck in the eighteenth minute when a stray pass across the back line was picked up by Jack Burke who made no mistake finishing to the corner of the net. After this, and with the home side needing now to come out more in looking for a leveller, the Bridge were happy to sit and pick them off on the counter, getting a second in the twenty eight minute when Simon O’Donnell cut in from the left, avoided a number of tackles and walloped home from just inside the area. The second half became a lot more of an open game, with the home side stepping on and creating some half chances but leaving themselves open at times. Just before the hour mark, the hosts were punished again for some slack play when an attempted clearance could only find Sean Martin free and in on goal, making no mistake and adding a third for his side. This knocked the stuffing out of the home side and twelve minutes from time, Shane Foley found the back of the net to cap of a good individual performance with a well-deserved goal. Deep in time added on, Sean Martin got his second and his sides fifth with almost the last kick of the game, to send the Bridge through to the next round.
Peter O Reilly Cup reports 11th December 2022 Match Reports
Powerstown 1 – 1 Burncourt Celtic (AET Powerstown win 4-3 on penalties)
On a weekend where a penalty kick decided a much more viewed game and in a much more hospitable weather environment, Powerstown overcame Burncourt Celtic in a penalty shootout, to become the first and only team so far, to advance to the next round of the Peter O Reilly Cup. The home started the game well, and thought they had taken the lead in the seventh minute, only for Cathal Mc Keown to see his effort come back off the post and be scrambled away to safety. They continued to dominate, but were caught by a goal against the run of play, when Nathan Byrne clinically finished a Burncourt counter attack in the twenty ninth minute. Burncourt took that slender lead to the break, and then manfully defended their lines throughout most of the second half. But with the winning post in sight, all their good efforts were scundered by Brian Mc Keown, who got on the end of a ball flashed across the Celtic box, and he finished to the net to draw the teams level. The game finished at one all and went to extra time, where the home side were reduced to ten men, just minutes in. Despite this, the hosts dominated possession and created most of the chances, but a winner simply could not be found, and the game had to be settled by penalty kicks. In that, the home side prevailed, much to the delight of their supporters, and they’ll go forward in the competition if not as red hot favourites, certainly a few degrees more than the weather they experienced today.