TSDL Premier League 15th January 2022-2023 Match Report
Clonmel Celtic 1 – 2 Wilderness Rovers
In the only Premier League game to survive the poor weather at the weekend, Clonmel Celtic edged out Wilderness Rovers by two goals to one in an entertaining tussle at Celtic Park on Sunday morning. The visitors had the better of the encounters in Division 1 last season but Celtic have turned the tables and todays win sees them complete the double over their neighbours at the higher level. That said, the visitors got off to better start and won a penalty within ninety seconds of the kick off, which was converted by Graham Kelly to give them the lead. The hosts struggled to get going, and were not helped by too many misplaced passes, while the visitors constantly looked to exploit the mistakes that the home side were guilty of. Sean Browne looked well capable of doing that with a couple of efforts that were just off target, and the Wildies will look back on the game wondering what might have been if they had managed to secure that second goal. Celtic gradually got into the game with Philip Drohan looking lively up front, and Jack Purcell did well to get his head to a corner but his effort was well saved. They were unable to pull the deficit back before the break, but they upped the tempo in the second half as they went in search of an equaliser, and didn’t have long to wait as Darren Sweeney fired home a fine free kick ten minutes in, to make it one all. Both sides battled to get the upper hand and it was the home side who got themselves in front twenty minutes from the end with a well worked goal. A free kick to the far post was headed back across the goal by Cian O’Sullivan and Jack Purcell was on hand to nod home from close range. The visitors rallied in those final minutes and were unlucky not to equalise when Graham Kelly was denied by Fabian Kerton, and the rebound was headed against the bar before the home side managed to scramble the ball clear. They eventually did hang on until the end for three very hard won points that look now as if they will have assured that the Clonmel side have made a safe return to Premier League football.
TSDL First Division 15th January 2022-2023 Match Reports
Cahir Park 3 – 2 Old Bridge
Cahir Park took another huge step towards regaining their Premier League status when they came from behind to beat Old Bridge at home on Sunday morning. The Clonmel side started better, and were controlling the game against a tentative home side in the first quarter of an hour. They finally managed to make their pressure count when they forced a penalty kick and went in front when it was converted by Johnny Cagney. After that, the home side knuckled down and managed to get themselves back in the game with an equalising goal five minutes from the break, through a spectacular free kick that was blasted home by Andy Fitzpatrick from all over twenty five yards out. The game went to the break level, but the Park took the lead two minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty of their own, that Willie Dunne fired home. The home side were on top after this, but were unable to push through their advantage, and missed a number of chances to extend their lead. The Bridge looked like making them pay for this profligacy, when they levelled the game eighteen minutes from time, after a through ball found Jack Burke and he rounded the keeper to slide it to the net. But ten minutes from time, the home side went back in front when Benny Cooney volleyed home from six yards out, after finding space in the area. The visitors pushed hard after this to try to get back level for a second time, but the home defence held strong and made sur they kept claim to the three points that could prove vital come season end.
Mullinahone 0 – 2 Tipperary Town
Tipperary Town maintained their lead at the top of the First Division and look to have almost guaranteed themselves promotion back to the Premier League with a well-earned win against bottom side Mullinahone on Sunday morning. Played in picturesque Kickham country, the visitors started on the front foot and had two good chances with Dylan Cummins and Kevin Browne, but both came up short. That didn’t stop the league leaders from dominating the first half and they finally got their noses in front when good work from Tony Byrnes set up Matthew Moroney who finished low and hard to the net, giving the keeper no chance. They maintained the lead to the break and continued to boss the second period, with Michael Tadger and Aidan Duggan controlling the game from a deep lying midfield role. They left multiple chances behind them, but finally assured themselves of all three points in the final minutes when Vinny Godfrey dispossessed the home keeper at the edge of the area, rounding him and rolling the ball into an empty net, much to the delight of his team mates and supporters. Only two games remain for the away side in this years season, and they will now have an eye firmly on both a title and promotion push.
Clonmel Town 2 – 3 St Michael’s
Town started this game on the front foot and could have been ahead on numerous occasions but left some chances go to waste, as their opponents were playing themselves into the game. Thhey made the pressure count in the fourteenth minute when a great switch from Ben Smith found Kevin Kerwin who finished excellently to put his side a goal up. They continued to be the more dominant side but Saint’s started to become more dangerous and almost caught them on the break when Danny O Brien forced Dan Hayde into a world class save. There were no more goals in that first half and the second period started much the same as the way the first progressed with the home side on the front foot. Jamie Ahearne finally doubled the lead with a superb strike from twenty yards out in the fifty sixth minute, as it looked like Town were going to win relatively easily. But they continued to miss chances and this would come back to haunt them when Danny O’Brien slotted home in the seventy second minute to reduce the deficit. This caused a momentum shift in the game and Saints began to overrun the hosts, before getting an equaliser through Rhys Byron who was all on his own in the six yard box, nine minutes from time. There looked to be only one winner from here and it took some brilliant goalkeeping from Dan Hayde to keep the home side’s head above water in the final ten minutes. Alas it proved not to be enough when right at the death, with the home side pushing for a win that would keep them in the title race, they were caught short in defence and Antonia Rea took advantage of a counter attack to fire home a goal that assured the away sides victory.
TSDL Second Division 15th January 2022-2023 Match Reports
Cashel Town 0 – 2 Galbally United
On a day when games were called off throughout the divisions, Galbally United went back to the top of the Second Division with a win at Cashel Town, who themselves are now rooted to the bottom of the league with games running out. The first half here was a dour affair with neither side able to impose themselves on the other. The only real action of note came in the twenty fifth minute, when the home side were reduced to ten men, but they didn’t seem to be affected by the reduction in numbers before the break and the game went to half time level with no goals on either side. It was in the second half that the extra man advantage began to tell for the visitors and they took the lead just after the hour mark when an Eoin O Mahoney shot took a wicked deflection that put it out of the reach of the stranded home keeper, to give Galbally a deserved lead. After this they were able to sit back and allow the hosts more of the ball, but Cashel were unable to break down a very well drilled Galbally defence. The away side assured themselves of all three points when they scored a goal on the break in the final minute of the game, with O Mahoney delivering his and his sides second goal with a shot from the edge of the area that nestled in the Cashel net.
TSDL Third Division 15th January 2022-2023 Match Reports
Tipperary Town 0 – 1 Killenaule Rovers
In a tight affair, the away side started well and had the Town defence under pressure without creating any clear-cut chances. As the half went on, the home side seemed to grow into the tie and put pressure of their own on, but again good chances were at a premium on a pitch that made it tough to perform fluid football. The only goal of the game came from nowhere in the twenty fifth minute when a speculative cross into the home goalmouth was misjudged by the keeper and sailed over his head to nestle in the corner of the net. The hosts didn’t drop their heads and for the rest of the first half battled hard but unsuccessfully to try to get back on level terms. The second period was a more open affair with both sides willing to throw men forward, but time and again the respective defences came out on top. Unfortunately for Town despite throwing everything bar the kitchen sink in the final minutes of the game, they were unable to find that final piece of quality and Killenaule continued their good run in this seasons league with another three points to add to their already impressive tally.
Powerstown 5 – 4 Two Mile Borris
On an afternoon, where the points mattered significantly to both teams, it was Powerstown who came out on top by a single goal in a nine goal thriller to further cement their position at the top of the table. But it was the away side that started the brighter and could have found themselves ahead inside the first ten mins only to be denied by a fantastic Kieran Quirke save. But they continued to attack and after sixteen minutes, found themselves in front after a ball was tapped to the net from close range. This kicked off a whirlwind few minutes with the hosts almost instantly hitting back after David Grace was fouled in the box to win his side a penalty. But his initial attempt was saved, only to see it ordered retaken, and he made no mistake with the second attempt. Gaining confidence from this, they took the lead shortly after when Darren Murphy was hand to finish a sloppy back pass to the net. They continued to attack with incredible intensity and should have had a third in the twenty third minute, when a ball in behind found Brian McKeown ten yards, and only the keeper to beat, but he somehow put his effort wide of the goal. But they kept the pressure up and found the third goal in the twenty seventh minute when Conor Mc Grath coolly finished to the net after a David Grace effort came back off the post. But the visitors kept creating chances of their own and pulled a goal back nine minutes from the break, to send the teams to half time on a three goal to two scoreline. Chances were few and far between in the opening stages of the second period, where the quality of football was second to the quality of the surface which had taken a real battering due to the recent weather. However, the hosts made it four to two and found some breathing room when a Conor McGrath free kick was spilled to the net by the opposing keeper just after the hour mark. The last twenty minutes saw three more goals scored and plenty of drama. The away side brought it back to a single goal game after they were awarded a penalty ten minutes from time, but Darren Murphy stretched it back to two goals of an advantage again minutes later with an impressive strike from the right hand side of the box. But Borris couldn’t be shaken off easily and they got the final goal of the day, deep into time added on. Unfortunately for them time ran out and the home side were mightily relieved to hear the final whistle in the end.
Tipperary Youths Cup 1st Round
Slievenamon Celtic 1 – 0 Mullinahone
After waiting all year for their first win of the season, the Slievenamon youths picked up their second win in two weeks when they defeated Mullinahone by a single goal to advance in this years Tipperary Youth Cup. On what proved to be a freezing day for a game of football, both sides played well despite the conditions. However, both sides couldn’t carve out any clear-cut chances in the first half and they went into the break goalless. The home side began to find more space in the second-half, with Darragh Landers, Jamie Ryan & Senan O’Shea all coming close to opening the scoring. Finally, with fifteen minutes the deadlock was broken when the ball fell to the feet of Jamie Ryan and he fired home to net from twelve yards out. The hosts saw out the remainder of the game and will hope to continue their good run of form in the later rounds of this competition.
TSDL Munster League Champions Cup final 2022-2023 Match Report
St Michael’s 1 – 1 Villa FC (Waterford)
TSDL Premier League champions St Michael’s showed discipline and resolve to withstand a late rally from Villa FC of Waterford, to take this game to extra time, and win a nail biting penalty shootout to take the Munster Champions Cup final at Celtic Park in Clonmel on Sunday. This has been a highly successful competition for the Tipperary league, and was the third win by the Saints, in five outings in the final, making them the most successful individual team, and the TSDL the most successful Junior league in the competition since it was conceived a decade ago, with Clonmel Celtic also seeing their name on the honour roles in the past. The game was played at a frenetic pace from the start with both teams having early chances. The Waterford striker Cam Browne looked dangerous every time he got on the ball, and the Saints partnership of Jimmy Carr and David Slattery showed flashes of brilliance when they were given the opportunity in return. But it was Villa who took the lead in the fifteenth minute when a long ball from Luke Walsh saw Dean Walsh slip behind the Saints cover, and although his initial shot was brilliantly saved by Aido Walsh in the Michael’s goal, the ball rebounded back onto the striker and into the net, much to the bemusement of the watching Tipperary supporters. After that the pattern of play resumed with both sides having chances, but increasingly their respective defences getting on top and dealing with what was thrown at them. Half time came with Villa having slightly the better of matters at a cold and windy Celtic Park.
The pace was upped at the start of the second half, and Russell Quirke went close five minutes in, but the ball got stuck in his feet from a Jimmy Carr cross. Aido Walsh was then called back into action to keep the deficit at a single goal as Villa began to look for a second goal that might be enough to shut off the game, but their efforts came to nought and they conceded minutes before the hour mark, when David Slattery forced the ball home from close range to make it one all. This saw the momentum change with the Tipperary side having a period of dominance around the middle of the field, but again clear chances were at a premium and neither side rally did enough to suggest they deserved to win the game in normal time. The game was opening up with twenty minutes to go as both sides looked for a winning goal, and DJ Cremins was on hand in the final minutes to clean a Dean Walsh effort off the line. The final chance in regulation time also fell to the Waterford side when a back header from Dylan Walsh three minutes from the end came back off the bar. This was it and the teams were left to prepare to play another twenty minutes to see if they could break the deadlock. Both sides had one big chance in extra time, with Villas coming when substitute Regix Madika found Cam Browne who looked sure to score but Aido Walsh made a superb save to keep Saints alive. A Joey Mulcahy free in the first minute of the second period of extra time came back off the bar, which might have been the score to snatch the game for the Saints. And although the TSDL side were reduced to ten men near the end, they had the experience and wherewithal to ensure they could regroup and do enough to force the game to penalties. In the shootout, Saint showed all that experience again, holding their nerve and were successful on a four goal to three scoreline much to the delight of their fans at the game.