FAI Junior Cup, 2nd Round, 16th October Match Reports
Clonmel Celtic 0 – 1 St Michael’s
In one of two massive all Premier League ties in the FAI Junior Cup at the weekend, Clonmel Celtic suffered their first defeat of the new season when they went down by a single goal to a strong St Michael’s team at the bypass on Sunday afternoon. The game was tight from the outset with not a lot between the teams and very few clear chances made by either side, so it was no surprise when the game went to the break scoreless. The second period opened up a little and chances were created at both ends as both sides chased the crucial opener. In recent years the visitors have had a lot of experience in these close tight games and when Joey Mulcahy headed them ahead in the sixty eight minute, the Celtic supporters knew it would take a monumental effort to turn the tie around. They did come close with Darren Sweeney having their best effort turned away late on, but in the end the vast experience of the visitors held, and they advanced to the next round by the single goal.
Peake Villa 1 – 0 Clonmel Town
The Tower Grounds was the venue for the tie of Round two in what was tasking conditions with heavy rain falling from the start of play. Like any cup tie it was a cagey affair early on, with the best early chance falling to Mick Ryan of Villa whose effort went just the wrong side of the crossbar. Although the Thurles side were playing some good football it was going to be difficult to break down the opposition, and they got the perfect opportunity when in the twenty ninth minute when a great flick from Pippy Carroll found Ronan McGuire in space, but the striker was taking down in the box and the referee pointed at the spot. Carroll stood up to take the all important penalty kick, and he made no mistake to open the scoring. The two teams continued to battle to make chances but it proved difficult with the deteriorating conditions, and there were no more goals before the break. The second period saw the two teams have a real go at each other, and there were chances for both sides with Villa coming close on a few occasions through Carroll and a Keith Cahill effort that came back off the post. The save of the game came in the seventy second minute when Shane McGuire made a great save from a deflected free kick to keep Villa ahead. Conditions were awful for the last ten minutes and Town pressed hard looking for an equaliser with corners and free kicks coming into the box but the home defence held their ground and held on for a good win.
Cullen Lattin 2 – 0 Moneygall
This was an end to end affair in appalling conditions in Aisling Park, but in the end the home side held on to book a place in the third round after a good win against their NTDL opponents. The visitors started well and came close a number of times in the first twenty minutes, with the hosts keeper being in inspired form to keep his side well in the game. Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half but the home side were much the better outfit right from the start of the second period. They opened the scoring ten minutes in, when a well hit free kick from John Looby was saved and Tom O Mahony pounced on the rebound, to poke home from six yards out. Moneygall came back with good chances and hit the post with a long range shot, but they were rocked for a second time midway through the half when Darren Neville whipped a ball into Tom O Mahoney and he doubled his and his sides tally for the day, to put the hosts two goals up. Late on Mikey Stokes had a chance to make it three and put the game completely beyond the visitors but he was denied by a great stop by the Moneygall keeper. That however made no difference to the final outcome, with the TSDL side coming out on top and moving into the next phase of the tournament.
Cashel Town 1 – 0 Rearcross
Struggling in the domestic league, Cashel Town also faced off against NTDL opposition when they hosted Rearcross at Palmershill on Sunday afternoon. The game was played in atrocious conditions, but both teams did their best to play football in the almost impossible conditions. Chances were few and far between with neither keeper having much to do for long periods, and the game went to the break scoreless. The second half was nearly worse as the pitch got heavier making it even more difficult for both sets of players, but the home side finally got the goal they craved eighteen minutes from the end. It came from an excellent passage of play between Lee O’ Riordan and Callum Meagher, which ended seeing Meagher finish well from ten yards out. In the end this was enough to send the home side through, much to the delight and relief of their fans and connections.
Killenaule Rovers 1 – 3 Wilderness Rovers
Premier League side Wilderness Rovers eased past their Third Division opponents Killenaule Rovers on Sunday afternoon to advance to the third round of this years FAI Junior Cup. The visitors dominated the early possession, but needed a penalty to finally break down the resolute home side with Graeme Kelly converting from twelve yards out. The hosts fought back and found themselves level ten minutes before the break when they were awarded a penalty of their own which Dylan Walsh fired to the net sending the visiting keeper the wrong way. That was all the scoring in an entertaining first half, and the Clonmel side took control again in the early part of the second period, with Kelly heading them back into the lead when he was found unmarked with a cross to the back post. Killenaule forced a brilliant save from the Wildies keeper and had a shot come off the crossbar, as they fought to get back into the game, but were punished a third time when Sean Browne scored Wildernesses third late on, that proved to be the insurance goal for the higher league side.
Rosegreen Rangers 3 – 2 Cahir Park
Struggling at the bottom of the Second Division, Rosegreen pulled off the shock result of the weekend, when they came from two goals down to snatch the unlikeliest of wins against First Division Cahir Park at a wet and windy Nijinsky Park on Sunday afternoon. The visitors were the stronger team in the first half and controlled possession for most of the time, fashioning some good chances along the way. They eventually broke down the home defence midway through and took the lead with a goal by Ger Quinn. That was the only goal of the half and when Quinn doubled the Park’s led ten minutes into the second half it looked like they were going to stroll to a relatively easy victory. But Rosegreen are always a team that can put in a performance and got themselves back into the game just after the hour mark thanks to a wondrous volleyed goal from all of twenty five yards out, struck by Ian Collins. This gave them the impetus to launch an all out blitz and they levelled the game twelve minutes from time when substitute TJ Ryan found the net after he was played through on goal. Both sides went looking for the winner after that, and just as it looked like the game would have to go to extra time, the hosts came up with a winner, with Ryan adding his second with the final kick of the game to the delight of the home supporters.
TSDL First Division 16th October Match Reports
Mullinahone 3 – 4 Peake Villa
Mullinahone and Peake Villa played out a seven goal thriller on Sunday morning, that say the Thurles side pick up their first win of the season and move off the bottom of the First Division table for the first time this season. Conditions were good for the game, and the visitors started all guns blazing, opening the scoring in the sixth minute with a goal by Scott Brennan. They doubled that lead four minutes later when Kevin Patan got in behind the home defence and made no mistake from close in. Absolutely dominant in the half the away side had the ball in the net twice more before the break, but both efforts were ruled out for offside, as they attempted to steam roll the home side. On the few occasions that Mullinahone did manage to get a shot away, their efforts were dealt with in the Villa goal by the excellent Jack Condon. The game looked done and dusted when the visitors extended their lead to three early in the second half, when Niall Dunnes speculative shot was deflected into the home net. But Mullinahone battled on and got a goal back just after the hour mark from a good strike by Ryan Hicks from outside the box to make it, three goals to one. It was game on when the home side brought on substitute Paul Fogarty in the seventieth minute, and he had an immediate impact in firing home to make it three goals to two. But the young Villa side dug deep and extended their lead back to two goals ten minutes from time when Conor Murphy blasted a free kick to the net with a great strike. To the home sides credit they never gave up and brought it back to the minimum once again four minutes from time when Hicks scored a spectacular second with a bicycle kick, but eventually the away side saw out the game to take the precious three points in the end.
TSDL Second Division 16th October Match Reports
St Nicholas 4 – 1 Clerihan
With only one game surviving the weather in the Second Division at the weekend, West Tipperary side St Nicholas climbed to the top of the table with a comfortable win in the end against Clerihan on Sunday afternoon. The home side dominated the early proceedings and opened the scoring the twentieth minute when Jason Sutton converted a penalty kick after being pulled down in the Clerihan area. There were no more goals in the first half as the poor weather conditions made it hard for both teams to get a handle on the ball and try to play it round with any consistency. Nothing of real note took place in the early part of the second half, but on sixty minutes the home side brought in Aaron Ryan Shiner from the bench and he had an immediate effect but scoring with a strike to the bottom corner of the net. Two minutes later Ryan Shiner scored a second goal as he put in a super substitute performance, making the score three to nil. Five minutes later it was the turn of Sean Maher to find the net as Clerihan pulled a goal back. But the Saints made sure there would be no comeback when five minutes from time, Ryan Shiner put a ball on the head of Jack Redican to score a fourth and ensure the points.
TSDL Third Division 16th October 2022 Match Reports
Burncourt Celtic 1 – 4 Donohill and District
This game was played under a continuous downpour in Burncourt on Sunday, with the home side being on top early on, and opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Timmy Darcy met a cross into the box to score. But that really was as good as it got for the home side as Michael Bowes got Donohill level with the first of a hat trick of goals just before the half hour mark, smashing home an effort from the edge of the area. Five minutes later Dinny Crosse scored a fine individual goal to make it two goals to one for the visitors, but just before the half time break, the hosts got the perfect opportunity to equalise when they were awarded a penalty kick. However the Donohill keeper was up to the task, and made a fine save. Ten minutes into the second half, Bowes extended the lead to three goals to one when he got his second goal and with fifteen minutes left on the clock he added a third to make sure his side would take the three points.
Kilsheelan United 5 – 3 Two Mile Borris
The game was played in terrible conditions with wind and rain for the whole game but to the credit of both teams it turned out to be a very exciting game. Kilsheelan started the brighter and they opened the scoring inside five minutes when Aaron Larkin’s strong shot was parried by the keeper into to the path of Cathal De Faoite who slotted home from close range. Minutes later they doubled their advantage when John O’Dwyer picked up the ball in midfield and went on a run down the wing, before crossing for Evan Forristal to put the ball into the net. Eventually the visitors played themselves back into the game, and they pulled a goal back just before the half hour mark through a fine shot by Thomas Darmody. But the home side held the lead to the break. Two minutes into the second half though, Borris were level after a looping header from Rory Ryan deceived the keeper to nestle in the net. And things got better for the visitors when the turnaround was complete just before the hour mark, after an unfortunate attempted clearance from the home area ended up in their own net, to put Borris in front. But the home side continued to battle and levelled the game twenty minutes from time when Nathan Dolan was taken town on the edge of the area, but he stood up to fire the resulting free kick to the net. They retook the lead ten minutes from time when Cathal De Faoite beat two defenders and calmly curved the ball into the bottom corner, before ensuring they would take all three points with a fifth goal from John O Dwyer shortly before the end of the game.
Cahir Park 1 – 1 Powerstown
This was a terrific game played in atrocious conditions between two teams who will be hoping to be involved in the title and promotion race come season end in Division Three. Powerstown opened the scoring on twenty-five minutes when a pin point cross from the right was met perfectly by an inrushing forward who made no mistake with his header. Ten minutes later the home side were handed a chance to level the game, when they were awarded a penalty kick, but it was brilliantly saved by the visiting Powerstown keeper. As the rain continued to pour down in the second half the Park finally got their equaliser in the sixty second minute when a spectacular long range effort by Shane Bennett found the back of the net. Both teams had chances to win the game after this, but no more goals scored meant that it finished in a draw, which seemed the fairest result on the day.
TSDL Youths 15th October Match Reports
FAI Youths Cup, 1st Round
Freebooters (Kilk.) 2 – 1 Clonmel Town
Clonmel Town’s youths travelled to Kilkenny to play the first round of the FAI Youths Cup on Saturday and despite putting in a valiant display, they bowed out after losing by the odd goal in three. The home side started the first half with a strong wind at their back which they used to keep the Town lads pinned back in their half for the first twenty minutes, but once the away side got to grips with the conditions, they started to create opportunities, and for most of the remaining half it was end to end football. But Freebooters eventually took the lead just before half time from a brilliant free kick, which bent around the Town wall and into the top corner keeper, leaving the visiting keeper with no chance of saving. Into the second period, the Tipperary team thought they got a brilliant start when a well-executed free kick from time Darragh Walsh initially found the head of Maks Ciesnik, whose effort was parried into the path of Darragh Cronin, but he saw his chance cleared of the line. Town did equalise ten minutes later however after they broke quickly from a ‘Booters attack and found Cronin in the area, before he was chopped down to earn his side a penalty kick. He stepped up himself and made no mistake, levelling the game at one all. As the game wore on, it became stretched, with the Kilkenny side having the better of the chances, and they finally forced a penalty kick of their own ten minutes from the end. This resulting kick put the hosts back in front, and despite the TSDL sides efforts to get back into the game, they were unable to and exited the competition with their heads held high.
Munster Youths Cup 1st Round
Bansha Celtic 4 – 5 Peake Villa (AET)
Despite creating a few early chances Villa found themselves a goal down following an unfortunate own goal in this game, but responded well and scored three goals in quick succession from Paul Noonan, Michael Anthony McCarthy and Daniel Rossiter, to lead three one midway through the first half. The home side continued to battle though and had the final say in the first half, scoring a second to leave the game at three goals to two to the Thurles side at half time. And Bansha came out all guns blazing early in the second period, scoring a quickfire brace to take the lead once again, with the visitors needing a late goal from the head of Daniel Rossiter to force the game into extra time. Although both sides were pretty evenly matched in the extra twenty minutes, Villa managed to avoid the drama of a penalty shootout when in the second period of extra time Danny Moore pounced on an error by the Bansha keeper to score the winner.
TSDL Youths Division 2
Cashel Town 4 – 0 Cahir Park
Cashel Town’s youths maintained their status at the top of the Youths Second Division with an easy win against Cahir at Palmershill on Saturday afternoon. Evan O Neill opened the scoring with a neat finish in the third minute of the game, and it looked like the home side might run riot, but the visitors kept them out for the remainder of the half. The second period saw the home side take over and they added three more through Paraic Ryan, Lee O Riordan and a second from O Neill to secure the points