Clonmel Credit Union Tipperary Cup semi-finals, 14/15th May 2024
St Michael’s 4 – 3 Two Mile Borris
Saints dug out a victory here against a very game and lively Two-Mile Borris team who brought a lot to the game and deserve great credit for their resilience and application. And the hosts were rocked within four minutes of the start when one of the goals of the season at Cooke Park was scored by Borris youth player Tom Ryan, after a Sean Guerins defensive header was met with a superb volley from Ryan which whizzed past Derek Breen in the Saints goal. The game was level in the eleventh minute, when Colin Bargary flicked on a DJ Cremins cross and Jimmy Carr was on hand to make it one all from close range. It was two one to Saints by the seventeenth minute, when a Russell Quirke through ball deflected kindly for Ed O’Dwyer who finished to the net from inside the area. Breen was called upon to make a superb save in the twenty sixth minute from Urban Nolan, after the ball broke to him from the left wing. But Borris did make it two all six minutes from the break, when Danny Rafter outwitted the Saints defence and his run saw him round Derek Breen to even things up. It looked like the teams were going to go in level at half time, but Cillian Coonan conceded a free on the right wing and Loran O’Toole rose to head home from inside the six yard box, to give the visitors a lead at the break, and set up a giant killing second half.
But it only took eight minutes of the second period, to find the teams at parity once again, when Jimmy Carr got on the end of a deep Ed O’Dwyer cross to score at the back post. Thirteen minutes from time, the visitors again had an opportunity to hit the front when Urban Nolan cut in from the right, but his shot was straight at Derek Breen. And they rued the miss, when the hosts got the crucial goal three minutes later, with Ed O’Dwyer doubling a volley on a ball after Jimmy Carr did well to keep the ball alive. The last real chance of the game to take it to extra time, saw Loran O Toole fire just wide when he had the goal at his mercy, and the Cup holders closed out the game to achieve yet another shot at Tipperary cup silverware.
Cashel Town 1 – 4 Clonmel Celtic
The home sides dreams of a place in this seasons Tipperary Cup final, were brought down to earth at Dixie Currivan Park on a sunny Wednesday evening, with a Sean Browne hat trick helping Clonmel Celtic to a four goal to one win away setting up a final in Cahir with the Cup holders St Michael’s. All the damage was done in a five minute spell before the break, after Browne had put his side in front, midway through the first half. The home side stayed in the game, and levelled five minutes before half time. But they were still celebrating when they found themselves behind again, thanks to another Browne goal. If that wasn’t bad enough, they conceded a third in the dying moments of the half, to go in to the break, three goals to one behind. The second half was played at a much slower pace than the first, as both sides showed signs of fatigue. Darren Sweeney was on target ten minutes into the half to make it four goals to one, and there was very little real goalmouth action for the rest of the game.
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Galbally United 0 – 2 Cashel Town
The teams had to wait until extra time to see the goals that decided this game, before two goals in that time gave Cashel Town a final place to make up for their heartbreak in the Tipperary Cup semi final earlier in the week. It was a tense cup tie with few chances. Jordan Dineen had a goal ruled out in the first half for offside, and Ger Quinlan went close early in the second half for the hosts. Cashel got on top for the final fifteen minutes and were unlucky not to score with a couple of goal line clearances saving the home side. But deep in time added on in the first half of extra time, the deadlock was finally broken when a superb thirty yard pile by Sean Fitzpatrick found the bottom corner of the Galbally net. The visitors doubled their lead less than a minute later when Callum Meaghar bundled home from close range to put them in pole position for a final spot. Galbally piled on the pressure in the second period of extra time with Owen O Sullivan and Cathal O Mahony both going close, but Cashel held out to secure a place in the final.
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Second Division Shield Final
Powerstown 2 – 0 Rosegreen Rangers
A superb second half performance saw Powerstown put beat Rosegreen to the sword in the Division Two Shield final in Cahir on Friday evening. The first half was a close and tense affair, with the best chances on both sides coming from set pieces, and it took until ten minutes before the break, to really test one of the keepers. Powerstown’s Mark Olney got on the end of a cross that was swung in by David Grace, but it fell into the clutches of the Rosegreen keeper and the chance was lost. Rosegreen’s best chance of the half came from a free kick from deep, when a headed effort was flashed just over. The sides went to the break level at nil all.
It only took ten minutes of the second period to finally break the deadlock. Gino Lonergan and Darren Murphy combined down the left to find David Grace, and some excellent trickery from Grace took him past the Rosegreen full back, before he crossed to Brian McKeown who fired Powerstown in front. Seven minutes later, a moment of magic from Gino Lonergan doubled the lead. Cathal McKeown was fouled thirty yards from the Rosegreen goal, and Lonergan stepped up to rifle the free kick into the top right corner, with a spectacular effort. Aaron Kiely was unlucky not to put one more on the score sheet fifteen minutes from time, when David Graces inch perfect cross was headed off the bar. Brian McKeown also hit the bar two minutes later, again with a header. Powerstown continued to create more chances but the game ended with just the two goals, to the delight of the travelling Powerstown fans. They can now look forward to trying to make their mark in the First Division next season, a wonderful achievement for such a new club.