Munster League Champions Cup, semi final 23rd October 2022
Abbeyfeale United 2 – 3 St Michael’s
TSDL champions St Michael’s came from two goals down in this tie to win against Limerick opponents Abbeyfeale to set themselves up for another crack at silverware, in a brilliant game in Abbeyfeale on Sunday afternoon. Abbeyfeale got off to a perfect start taking a first minute lead through TJ Lane after he took advantage of indecision in the Saints defence to toe poke the ball home from close range. The visitors had to wait until the tenth minute before they got their first sight of goal when Joey Mulcahy played in Ashley Kelliher on the right but his shot from an angle was saved by Billy Quirke. Kelliher came close again in the eighteenth minute, but Quirke again got down to turn the ball around the post for a corner. And these misses were punished just before the half hour mark when TJ Lane again picked the pocket of a Saints defender and beat Adrian Walsh from twelve yards out to put his side two goals up. But the Tipperary side struck back only four minutes later when Paul Breen first went close with a header, only for the ball to drop to the feet of David Slattery who found the corner of the net to make it two goals to one. The same player thought he had levelled matters in the thirty seventh minute, but his shot went narrowly over the bar, and after that neither side troubled the respective keepers, leaving the game go to the break with the home side in front. The Tipperary town side brought in some reinforcements for the start of the second period and they began to dominate proceedings, levelling the game five minutes in when Ashley Kelliher turned the ball home from close range from a Kenny Cunningham left wing cross. David Slattery was always looking dangerous and consistently troubled the host’s defensive line. Saints looked the more likely to get the next goal and it came on sixty nine minutes, when Kelliher was brought down by Billy Quirke from a Slattery pass and Slattery kept his nerve to convert the penalty and put the visitors in front. Both sides used their benches over the last twenty minutes but Michael’s have huge experience in these situations, and closed out the game to make the final, where they will be a force to be reckoned with no matter who they face on the day.
TSDL Premier League 23rd October 2022 Match Reports
Clonmel Celtic 2 – 3 Peake Villa
Clonmel Celtic fell to their first league defeat of the season going down by the odd goal in five in an entertaining if sometimes scrappy encounter with Peake Villa at Celtic Park on Sunday. It was a blistering start to the game with four goals shared within the first twenty five minutes. The visitors opened the scoring after just two minutes with some neat interplay in the Celtic box culminating with Keith Cahill’s low effort beating Julian Bentacur, who was making his debut in goal for the hosts. Celtic’s response was instant with a fine header from Simon Ahearne making it one all after just five minutes. The home side then hit the front in the seventeenth minute when Paul Kennedy converted from the spot after a handball. However, their lead was short lived when Dylan Cody took advantage of a stray clearance to fire in a fine effort from distance. Although the goals dried up there was no let- up in the hectic pace of the game as both sides battled to get on top. In the twenty second minute the home side put together a good move which finished with Paul Kennedy firing over while at the other end Robbie Stapleton was just off target with an effort. As the first half finished both sides would have fancied their chances of grabbing the important league points. But the home side were dealt a double blow shortly after the break. After losing Evan Maguire to injury they then lost a player to a second yellow card, and were reduced to ten men. They seemed to raise their efforts to compensate and came close on a couple of occasions during a good ten minute period. In the sixty third minute Mark Heffernan lifted an effort that was just over, and a minute later Seanie Hawkins had a snapshot that was just wide. But the Thurles side soon started to take advantage of the extra man finding more space as they drove forward and they were denied on sixty nine minutes by a last gasp save. Celtic almost scored in the seventieth minute, when Ben Brown did well in the box to find Mark Heffernan but his effort was charged down when it looked destined to find the net. Within two minutes Villa were ahead. They were awarded a free kick and although Fabian Kerton got down well to save Keith Cahill’s effort Darren McGuire was quickest to react to tap home the rebound. Celtic pushed for an equaliser but the heavy pitch began to takes its toll on the ten men and Villa created the better chances to put the game to bed. With eight minutes remaining Darragh Byrne fired wide when well placed and the Thurles side felt a little aggrieved when a late effort from Steve Carroll was ruled out. However they just about did enough to claim the spoils.
Vee Rovers 0 – 3 Cashel Town
With both sides suffering disappointing starts to the season, this was always going to be a vital game in the search to pick up points and move away from the bottom end of the table. In the end it was to be Cashel Town’s day, leaving the home side firmly rooted to the bottom of the Premier League pile. In the game itself, the home side started on the front foot and pinned the visitors back in the early part of the game. But it has become a pattern this year that despite playing well, Rovers have found it hard to make that count on the scoreline, and they found themselves a goal behind in the fifteenth minute when they were caught on the break and Sean Fitzpatrick opened the scoring for the away side. After that the home side continued to dominate the possession but created no chances of note and went into the break a goal behind. Cashel had the elements at their back in the second period and doubled their lead eleven minutes in, when Brian Og O Dwyer broke the home sides static offside trap and finished well from close in. Although the hosts continued to probe and even hit the crossbar twice in the second period, they were unable to find the net, with Town wrapping up all three points four minutes from time when Fitzpatrick got his second and his sides third, hammering a free kick effort to the net.
Two Mile Borris 2 – 1 Wilderness Rovers
This clash between two mid table sides in the Premier League saw the hosts take all three points after a somewhat fortunate win against an unlucky Wilderness Rovers side. The going was tough on a sticky pitch, with the away team having the majority of possession in the opening quarter of the game. The home keeper Anders Mikkelson was called on, on a number of occasions to ensure his team didn’t fall behind, making a number of excellent saves. And this allowed the home side to capitalise when a hopeful long ball from Anto Walker, found Jamie Carey in the area, who was pulled down just as he was about to fire towards goal. Martin Darmody stood up to take the penalty kick and he made no mistake putting Borris in front. They held that lead to the break and although the early period of the second half was a closer affair, things seemed to have turned within a minute around the seventy fifth minute, when Borris were reduced to ten men, and from the resulting free kick, Kyle Walker levelled the game. But the real turning point came ten minutes from the end when Daniel Rafter came on for the home side and within two minutes was played through on goal, rounded the keeper and slid the ball home. The Wilderness kept up the pressure all the way to the end in trying to get back into the game, but were themselves reduced to ten men in time added on. Rafter thought he had wrapped the game up for the home side when he hit the net a second time, but this effort was ruled out for offside. In the end Borris held on for the win, much to the delight of their supporters.
TSDL Second Division 23rd October 2022 Match Reports
St Nicholas 1 – 6 Galbally United
The home side went into this game joint top of the Second Division table. But were well and truly mugged by a Galbally side who brought their best performance of the season to Solohead on Sunday afternoon. The visitors started strongly and were a goal up inside five minutes thanks to some good build up play, finished off by an excellent strike from Jordan Dineen. They added a second in the sixteenth minute when Eoin O Sullivan got in behind the home defence only to be taken down in the area, and Cathal Flynn stood up to fire home the penalty kick. Completely on top now, they added a third in the twenty eight minute when Jack English fired home from the edge of the area after he’d beating the home sides offside line. The only real chance of note from the home side came ten minutes before the break, when Jack Redican was desperately unlucky to see his excellent volleyed effort just clear the crossbar. But there was to be another goal in the opening period and Jordan Dineen, who was proving a handful all afternoon, added a second five minutes before the break. The home side started better in the second period and pulled a goal back eight minutes in when a Jason Sutton corner kick landed on the head of Aiden Riordan who made no mistake from less than five yards. But whatever chance that might been the start of an unlikely comeback, was extinguished within a minute as Galbally went back upfield and hit a fifth with Dineen finishing off his hat trick. The game kind of fizzled out after that, and had to wait until the final ten minutes before the visitors applied a coup de grace, with Dineens fine shot being palmed by the Saints keeper into the path of the onrushing substitute David Mc Grath who belted the rebound to the net to make it six goals to one.
Cashel Town 0 – 1 Rosegreen Rangers
Rosegreen Rangers went into this hotly contested local derby as one of only two teams in the Junior league still awaiting a victory this season, but got rid of that unwelcome record with a win over neighbours Cashel Town at Palmerhill on Sunday afternoon. And they did it in the most dramatic manner possible, when after what had been a relatively dull game with few real chances of note they scored in the final minute of time added on through Niall O Brien, to secure the three points. O Brien was in the right place at the right time to put the finishing touches to a cross from the left side of the pitch, to the delight of the travelling Rangers supporters. Overall, a draw would probably have been a fair result, but that didn’t stop the visiting team claiming the bragging rights for the time being anyway.
Dualla 2 – 1 Cullen Lattin
Dualla started this game with some hesitation but after blowing of the cobwebs they produced a fine result that sees them now move to the top of the Second Division table, and right into both the title and promotion mix for a second year in a row. The first half was really bereft of good chances, but the home side finally took the lead on the half hour mark when they were awarded a penalty kick that was despatched to the net by Brian Sheehy. They held that lead to the break and from the beginning of the second half, the game opened up and became very eventful. The home side lost Ger O Dwyer to injury on the hour mark, but found a second goal shortly after when Toss Ryan found room between the centre backs stroked the ball past the visiting keeper to the corner of the net. But the away side never gave up the fight and pulled a goal back with fifteen minutes left, when Danny O Dwyer slammed a twenty five yard effort to the net. This made it a nervy ending for Dualla, but keeper Eoin “Batman” Fitzgerald was inspired between the posts, and made sure his side would finish the weekend on top with all three points.
TSDL Third Division 23rd October 2022 Match Reports
Kilsheelan United 2 – 1 Tipperary Town
Kilsheelan United welcomed Tipperary Town B to the Ormonde Stores pitch on Sunday afternoon, and arrested a poor run of results with a deserved win, albeit needing a late goal to secure all three points. Both sides shared the possession early on, before the home side got the breakthrough in the twentieth minute. John O’Dwyer picked up the ball on the edge of the visitor’s box, before his effort was handled and up stepped Evan Forristal to calmly slot home to open the scoring. The lead didn’t last long however, as moments later Kilsheelan gave away a penalty for handling themselves and Town levelled the game with a successful spot kick of their own. The hosts were dominant for the rest of the half, causing havoc in the visitor’s box on a number of occasions through Ruairi Doyle’s long-throws, but they eventually went to the break level at one all. The second period saw the game open up a lot more. Both sides got in behind each defence on numerous occasions, but were unable to apply the necessary quality to add to the scores. The game looked destined for a draw, but with three minutes left to play, Jamie Roche hunted down the visiting defence, picking up a loose pass, and fired to the corner of the net to the delight of his team mates and supporters, ensuring the three points for his side.
TSDL Youths Division 23rd October 2022 Match Reports
FAI Youth Cup, 3rd Round
Cullen Lattin 1 – 3 Clonmel Celtic
Cullen hosted league leaders Clonmel Celtic in the national cup at the weekend and despite putting in a very credible performance were unable to stop the Clonmel side continuing their very strong start to the season thus far. On a beautiful day for football, the game turned out to be a great cup tie. Celtic played lovely flowing football but the home side were winning big tackles and chasing every ball. Chances were coming and going for both teams, and on the half hour mark, Javier Serrano turned over a Celtic defender, before finding Evan Carrie who made no mistake to finish into the bottom corner and put the hosts a goal up. The game in this over and back fashion to half time, with the hosts intent on holding onto the lead they fought hard to create. They started the second half as they finished the first, chasing every ball and working very hard. But eventually the quality of the visitors began to wear them down and eventually that showed when twenty minutes from time after some loose play in the middle of the pitch, the visitors finally got the equaliser their play deserved. With their tails up now, the league leaders added a second five minutes later, and when they converted a penalty kick five minutes from time, they assured themselves that they would be going into the hat for the next round at the expense of a game but beaten Cullen side.
Peake Villa 3 – 1 Freebooters (Kilk.)
FAI Youth Cup, 3rd Round
Peake Villas youths advanced to the next round of the FAI Youth Cup with a deserved three goals to one win over a fancied Freebooters at the Tower Field in Thurles on Saturday afternoon. Both teams created chances in the first half but failed to convert any in what was a typical cagey Cup tie with both defences on top. The second half was a more open affair, with the home side getting off to the perfect start when they opened the scoring two minutes in thanks to a brilliant strike from the edge of the box by Kieran Purcell. The lead was short lived however when in the fifty first minute Freebooters were awarded a penalty which they duly despatched to level the score. Villa retook the lead when Danny Moore ran onto a ball over the top and volleyed to the top corner, in the seventieth minutes, and they scored again with a well struck free kick from Daniel Rossiter nine minutes from time to complete the victory.
Munster Youths Cup
Ballymackey United 3 – 8 Clonmel Town
Clonmel Town overcame North Tipp side Ballymackey to advance in the Munster Youths Cup in a game played in good dry conditions on Saturday last. Town opted to play with the wind in the first half, and that decision paid dividends as they dominated the opening exchanges and took the lead in the thirteenth minute through John Buckley. Alex Lawless doubled town’s lead in the twenty second minute, and Darragh Cronin made it three shortly after with a well taken free kick from just outside the box. Lawless got his second and his sides fourth just after the half hour mark, with Harry Ryan adding a fifth just before the half time whistle. Although the second half was a much more even affair Town still drew first blood, with a well finished goal by Darragh Cronin to make it six. The home side then got two on the bounce before Cian McGrath steadied the ship with a seventh for the Clonmel side, twelve minutes from the end. Ballymackey were still game and pulled another back from the penalty spot to make it seven to three, but Milo McNamara sealed the win with an eight goal late on.
TSDL Youths Division Two
Mullinahone 0 – 8 Cashel Town
Cashel Town cemented their position at the top of Division Two in the Youths league with a good win over a young Mullinahone side. The visitors were in charge from the off and ran in six goals in the first half to put the tie out of reach. Two more goals were added in a more pedestrian second period to complete the scoring.