TSDL First Division reports 12th March 2023 Match Reports
First Division title play off
Cahir Park 6 – 1 Tipperary Town
On a wet afternoon at Aisling Park in Cullen, this highly anticipated play off final turned into a bit of a damp squib, when Cahir Park blew away their opponents with a magnificent first half performance, to ensure they would head back to the Premier League as champions. The pitch was in perfect condition as the players took to the field, with great credit due to the Cullen club, but it was The Park who raced out of the blocks and into the lead in the sixth minute of the game, when a Stephen Duggen shot for the edge of the area, eluded both defence and keeper to nestle in the far corner of the net to the delight of his teams travelling supporters. Only four minutes later, Cahir doubled the advantage when a long clearance from their keeper fell to Tom Keating and he lobbed the stranded Town net minder from all of twenty five yards out. The Tipperary Town outfit, who had lead the Division One table for nigh on the whole season, seemed shell shocked at this point, but things were to get worse, and they fell three behind on the quarter hour mark when Willie Dunne fired home a low volley from fifteen yards out, to establish Cahir with a vice like grip on the tie. And Dunne as much as put the game to bed in the thirty third minute when he got his second, and his sides fourth, heading home a corner kick from close in. There were no more goals in the first half, and Tipperary Town came out with more purpose in the opening part of the second half, having greater possession, but in truth the Cahir defence were never really troubled and seemed to be happy to soak up the pressure without coughing up any real chances. And once they stretched their legs in attack again, they added a fifth twenty minutes from time, when Barry Cooney rammed home a shot from outside the area. Tipperary Town did pull a goal back almost straight from the kick off, but the final say went to Cahir and to Willie Dunne when he secured his hat trick from the penalty spot five minutes from time, and sent his team up on a high, back to the top level of the TSDL.
TSDL First Division
St Michael’s 3 – 2 Peake Villa
This was an entertaining final League game of the season between two youthful sides who tried to play the ball on the deck, and it came alive as early as the fourth minute when Peake’s Danny Treacy played in Kieran Hennessey who brought a fine save from Robbie McGrath, in the hosts goal. John O’Brien then got in a saving tackle two minutes later to deny Hennessey, before the home side had their first real opportunity in the twelfth minute when Danny O’Brien played a good ball in behind to Josh Flannery but it was just too long and the keeper claimed it. After that the game settled down into a tough midfield battle with no real chances until the home side took the lead seven minutes before the break when the ever dangerous Antonio Rea got in behind the Peake defence and produced a good finish which found the corner of the net. That was the only score in an entertaining first half, and the game was level six minutes into the second when Hennessey finally got the reward for his good play, latching onto a loose ball and turning to shoot to the net from the edge of the area. Seven minutes later they took the lead when Hennessy again dispossessed Josh Flannery and fired home from close in. But the home side responded and just after the hour mark they levelled the game after being awarded a penalty that was dispatched to the net by Antonio Rea, for his second of the game. Peake then had a player dismissed twenty minutes from time, and this gave the Saints the impetus to push on looking for a winner, but they were constantly thwarted by an excellent effort from the Thurles sides defence. It looked like it was going to finish honours even until the final minute when substitute Oisin Hogan hit a long ball down the right channel for Danny O’Brien who laid it back for another substitute Colin O’Grady to find Rea, and he made no mistake getting his hat trick. Three goals to ensure three points, and a welcome result for a team that struggled at times throughout the season.
TSDL Premier League 12th March 2023 Match Reports
Clonmel Celtic 1 – 2 Cashel Town
Cashel Town gave themselves a fighting chance of escaping the gaping relegation trap door with a win away to Clonmel Celtic in their final game of their Premier League season on Sunday afternoon. The two teams seemed tentative with neither creating anything of note in the first quarter of the game, and it must have seemed ominous to the visitors when they fell behind in the twenty sixth minute to a goal from a long range effort by Rory O Dowd. This was the only goal in what was a tepid first half, but credit had to go to the visitors who came out fighting in the second period and levelled the game within five minutes of the restart when Darragh Browne scored on the second attempt after Fabian Kerton saved his initial effort. It got better for the Cashel ten minutes later when Browne showed some neat control before firing a fine effort to the top corner, to get his second and put his side in front. The home side rallied after this but just didn’t create enough chances and Cashel held on for what could be a vital three points, when the tables are compiled at the end of the season.
Two Mile Borris 2 – 3 Bansha Celtic
With Cashel picking up three points in Clonmel, it was vital that Bansha Celtic got something from this game in Newhill and they delivered with a fighting performance that saw them come from behind to pick up the vital points at stake. The home side started well exerting most of the early pressure and finally got the opening goal in the twenty second minute, albeit from a fortunate source. Jack Hackett had made some ground on the wing, and when he flashed a cross into the Celtic area, he saw the ball deflected to the net by a visiting defender to give the home side the lead. But they only held that lead for five minutes or so, as the visitors drew level when a cross of their own into the Borris area was head back across goal by Darragh Egan, and Eoin Halpin bundled the ball to the net from close range. On the half hour, the hosts thought they had re-established their lead, only to see Jamie Lee’s shot strike the cross bar and rebound to safety. But Lee was involved in the next score when three minutes before the break, he found Darren Ivors alone in the area, and the striker made no mistake with his header from ten yards out. A goal behind at the break, Bansha redoubled their efforts in the second period having, and were level a second time just five minutes in, when taking advantage of the stiff wind, a long range strike by Robbie Byron found the net. Both sides pressed forward looking for a winning goal after that, but the significant score in the game came fifteen minutes from time when Bansha were awarded a penalty kick and Darragh Egan made no mistake from the spot to secure the precious points.
Vee Rovers 0 – 5 St Michael’s
It was a masterclass of finishing by Rhys Byron that gave the league champions the points away to Vee Rovers on Sunday, as St Michael’s push relentlessly towards another Premier League title at the expense of the already relegated home side. The visitors began with a goal inside the first minute as Bryon outstripped the home defence to fire home, and he added a second by the tenth minute to put his side in complete control. By the twentieth minute that had become three when veteran striker Jimmy Carr fired home from the penalty spot, and after that it was just the Saints in cruise control as they went to the break in a strong position, with the home side finding it almost impossible to make any inroads against the meanest defence in Tipperary football. Vee did have some opportunities in the second period, but never really looked like getting back into the game, and Bryon completed his hat trick twenty minutes from time, to ensure there would be no improbable comeback. He completed the scoring five minutes from time with a well taken fourth goal as his side start to really crank up their season and push for what they hope will be a trio of local and national silverware.
TSDL Third Division 12th March 2023 Match Reports
Killenaule Rovers 0 – 4 Powerstown
Having achieved promotion last weekend, Powerstown put themselves within one win of a league title with a convincing four goal win away to Killenaule, on Sunday last. They took the lead in the eleventh minute when Conor Mc Grath’s inch perfect corner found Brian Mc Keown who headed it into the back of the net, and just minutes later almost made it two when a Kieran Quirke ball in behind found Darren Murphy on the wing, and Murphy fired it across the box but no one could get the touch that was needed to turn it into the net. The home sides chances were few and far between but when called into action, Kieran Quirke made a fantastic save, in the fortieth minute, touching a well struck strike onto the bar to keep the game at one goal to nil. But the league leaders were more clinical minutes later, getting a second goal through Stephen Lahart, after Brendan Boland carved through the home defence, and his shot that was saved, rebounded out for Lahart to stroke home. They added a third shortly after, when Conor McGrath won the ball high up the pitch, and blasted low into the bottom left corner. They kept up the pressure in the second half, with Mc Grath unlucky not to claim a second, again seeing his shot strike the crossbar before being cleared to safety. But he finally did add his second and his sides fourth ten minutes from time with a strike from the edge of the area giving the home keeper no chance.
Moyglass United 7 – 1 Bansha Celtic
Moyglass remained in the hunt in the Third Division title and promotion race with a big win over bottom on the table Bansha Celtic on Sunday last. The game was tight in the early stages with both sides creating chances, but the home side eventually opened the scoring in the twenty third minute when Tom Gahan fired in an excellent cross from the left and Jamie Walsh headed home at the far post. But the visitors didn’t fall away quickly and found themselves back level two minutes from the break when Cormac Buckley hit an absolute screamer from all of thirty yards out that gave the home keeper no chance, and that was enough to send the sides to the break all square at one all. But that was as good as it got for Bansha as Moyglass were back in front within five minutes of the restart when Eddie O Brien headed home Adam Lyons’ corner kick. This turned the game into one of one-way traffic as the hosts got a third three minutes later when Jack Hayes finished off another Lyons assist. Jamie Morrissey added a fourth on the hour mark when Jamie Morrissey scored and ten minutes later Kevin Cleere added a fifth as the home side took complete control. Cleere got his second eight minutes from time, with Lyons the provider once more and Craig Nolan added a seventh in time added on to complete a good afternoon for Moyglass.
TSDL Youths 12th March 2023 Match Reports
TSDL Youths Cup
Shanbally United 3 – 2 Two Mile Borris
Youths second division side Shanbally United upset the odds on Saturday afternoon when they dumped Two Mile Borris out of this seasons Youths cup after an entertaining tie. The game started at a brisk pace and it was hosts that got off to a flier when Conor English finished off a flowing passing move to make it one nil to the hosts ten minutes in. The game settled after this and Borris worked their way back in, levelling matters just after the half hour mark when Martin Long took his chance when put through behind home defence. Six minutes from the break things got better for the First Division side when some misfortune for the home defence, saw a shot that didn’t seem dangerous, deflect to the net with the home keeper left flat footed. That was the half time score, and at the start of the second period, the home side reacted well and had the better of the chances, without managing to find a goal. Things seemed to take a bad turn for them however, when twenty minutes from time they were reduced to ten men, but they were in no mood to take a backward step captain Jessie Kiely typified this when his header from a corner was saved, but he turned in the rebound to make it two all, shortly after. The contest looked set for extra time going into the final minute, but the hosts got the unlikely winner when they created a glorious opportunity that was struck home to the delight of the watching supporters and send Shanbally into the next round.