TSDL Premier League 27th November 2022 Match Reports
Galbally United 2 – 3 Cullen Lattin
Cullen put a stop to neighbours Galbally United’s recent run of wins with a late goal to push themselves back into the promotion race in Division Two. The away side were well on top in the early stages, as the league leaders had a sluggish start, but eventually Galbally played themselves into game and took the lead in the twenty seventh minute when Owen O Sullivan finished well from a clever Cathal Flynn cross. But just three minutes later, the visitors were back on level terms when Jack O Halloran was fouled in the area, and Mikey Stokes stood up to fire home the resulting penalty kick. One all at the break, Cullen took the lead almost from the resumption of the second half when the ever lively O Halloran pounced on a Galbally mistake and slid the ball past the stranded keeper. But just after the hour mark, the home side levelled things up once again when Cathal Flynn fired home and unstoppable volley from fifteen yards out. The game ebbed and flowed from then until the end, and it looked like the game would finish all square. However, right at the death the away side managed to manufacture one last chance, and Mikey O Brien popped up to score the decisive goal that gave his team all three points.
Suirside 1 – 2 Rosegreen Rangers
Suirside would have been hoping to take advantage of Galbally’s slip up to restore themselves to the top of the Second Division, but they were frustrated by an excellent performance from a Rosegreen side who have put their early season travails behind them as they push higher up the table. The home side started the more dominant and had a number of early chances, but were not able to apply the little bit of quality needed to open the scoring. Gavin Ryan and John Darmody had the best of the chances of the half, but they found the visiting keeper in inspired form, and he was the main reason that the game went to the break scoreless. Rosegreen then started the second half better and had a couple of opportunities from set pieces, but again, goals seemed impossible to come by. The home side did finally take the lead four minutes after the hour mark, when Jason Coffey was played in my Gavin Ryan and he made no mistake from twelve yards out. Like busses however, after waiting so long for a goal, two arrived almost together when within four minutes the visitors were level thanks to a Niall O Brien finish. This set up a barnstorming finish as both sides went for broke in pursuit of a winning goal. Jason Coffey and Gavin Sheehan both went close for Suirside before Rosegreen snatched the game with a late goal from Seanie O Halloran who chased down a long clearance before firing low and hard beyond the keeper, and breaking the home sides hearts and hopes.
TSDL Youths 26th November 2022 Match Reports
Clonmel Celtic 2 – 1 Kells Celtic
Celtic looked to progress to the last 16 of the Fai U17 cup with a tough home tie against last years champions Kells Celtic. The hosts took the game to their opponents early on and almost opend the scoring in the third minute when Jack Lawlor fired over from a Max Ryan cross. They continued to dominate first half but could not convert chances, while always being wary of being caught by quick counter attacks from their Royal County opponents. The second half was slightly more even and fiercely contested. Jack Aylward was denied probably one of the greatest goals ever at Celtic Park when facing away from goal he flicked the ball over a defender’s head spun and hit a 40 yard volley straight at the top corner only for the very impressive Kells keeper to somehow claw the ball onto the underside of the bar. But in the end, the deadlock was finally broken by the visitors when they took advantage of a turnover at the edge of their own area to sweep downfield and score. The Clonmel youngsters didn’t drop their heads after this setback and kept pushing for an equaliser. However as time ran down it looked like the might not get back into the game, until in the final minute of time added on, Mikey Maguire broke down the right and put in a cross which was met on the half volley by Rhys Lonergan, flying past the Kells keeper causing wild celebrations. Extra time saw the home side determined to grab a winner and brilliant work from Max Ryan saw him set up a flying diving header from the excellent Jack Lawlor, putting Celtic in front. They made things harder for themselves than necessary when they were reduced to ten men for the final few minutes, but they held out to take the win and progress to the next round and a home meeting with Kilkenny kingpins Evergreen some time in the New Year.
TSDL Premier League 27th November 2022 Match Reports
Clonmel Town 3 – 1 Two Mile Borris
Clonmel Town gained a hard fought three points against a dogged Two Mile Borris side in the Dr Pat O Callaghan Complex on Sunday morning, that kept them at the summit of the Premier League as their closest rivals were busy playing elsewhere. The three goals to one scoreline might suggest a comfortable morning’s work for the home side but as always Borris proved once again just how formidable side they are, especially this season, where they have managed to compile a nice blend of experienced and younger players into their squad. The visitors started on the front foot, and the first chance of the game fell to Jamie Lee, when in the thirteenth minute, his strike from twenty-five yards out, brought a great save from Town custodian Ben Cooney. Five minutes later the home sides Rhys O Regan blazed over with the goal at his mercy, and that miss was shortly followed by Cillian Crowe shot that cannoned off the cross bar before being cleared to safety. But as the game progressed, the home side began to make more chances, and just after the half hour mark, went ahead when Crowe got on the end of a delicious pass from Keith Guiry and fired past Endiss Mickelson in the Borris goal. But the visitors didn’t panic and just on half time their positive play was rewarded when Stewart Hanrahan headed home a Jamie Lee corner, to leave the sides level at the break. Right from the start of the second period, the home side began to dominate, but found a Borris defence that was well marshalled by veteran Martin Darmody and Loran O Toole, very difficult to break down. They finally cracked however in the sixty third minute, when a clumsy challenge in the visitors area saw Town awarded a penalty, and Alan O Donnell made no mistake to put the hosts back into the lead. They pushed on in search of a third as they tried to put the result beyond doubt, and five minutes from time O Donnell added his second and his sides third, when he curled the ball around the wall at a free kick, and into the bottom corner, much to the relief of the home supporters. After that it was a case of what they have they held as the Clonmel side took the three points without any more problems.
FAI Junior Cup, 4th Round 27th November 2022 Match Reports
Pike Rovers 2 – 2 Peake Villa (AET, Villa win 4-2 on penalties)
In flying form domestically, Peake Villa travelled to Limerick on Sunday to take on one of the favourites in this seasons FAI Junior Cup, Pike Rovers, in one of the most eagerly watched ties of the round. Conditions for the start of the game were ideal, and in the first twenty minutes, the defences were on top as the side felt each other out. The visitors did have the best chance of the opening period when Alan Leahy found Keith Cahill in space, and he played in Pippy Carroll, but the final shot was fired straight at the keeper. When the deadlock was finally broken in the twenty third minute, it turned out to be worth waiting for, after Carroll unlashed a screamer that flew into the top corner of the net from all of twenty five yards out. On top now, Villa tried to press home the advantage and thought they had a second when Eoin O Dwyer played in Keith Cahill, just after the half hour mark, but his shot went wide of the post. The home side were living off scraps at this stage, but always remained a danger from set pieces and came close ten minutes from the break, with a free kick that just cleared the bar. But that was good as it got for them and Villa went in at the half time whistle a goal to the good. The second half went back to being a cagey affair with neither side wanting to open up too much, and conditions worsened as the half went on with persistent rain falling that made conditions difficult. Eventually a second goal arrived, but it went to the home side when they finally made a set piece count, with Robbie Williams saying take that, and making it one all with a smashing finish. The TSDL side now required a little patience as they had to absorb a period of pressure from Rovers, but they continued to probe for chances and retook the lead eleven minutes from the end when great work from Keith Cahill saw him cross to the far post to find Alan Leahy, headed home to make the score two goals to one for the Tipperary side. It was time now for the Thurles supporters to pray that they could hold on, and it looked as if they would, but deep into injury time their defence was to come undone and Rovers managed to score a second and bring the game into extra time. A supreme effort was now needed and Villa were determined that this was not going to be another of these days when they looked good but didn’t bring home the result. Both sides are giants in their respective leagues and neither wanted to be the one doing something stupid that would see the tie lost, so they defended stoutly and saw the game left to be decided by penalty kicks. This was where Villa finally got the chance to shine and they ended up taking the spoils on a four goal to two scoreline, to advance to the next round.
St Mary 1 – 0 Wilderness Rovers
Wilderness Rovers made the long trip to Cork on Saturday to represent the TSDL in the fourth round of this seasons FAI Junior Cup, and put up an excellent performance that unfortunately fell just short after a great game of football. The conditions were tough at the beginning of the game, with high winds and relentless rain, and the Clonmel side got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal from the first attack of the game, when the Cork side broke from the kick off and whipped a ball in from the left that caught the visiting keeper unaware and was tapped in at the back post. Wilderness responded fantastically though, creating chance after chance with the best opportunity falling to Graham Kelly on the half hour mark. Unfortunately, just as he was about to pull the trigger on his shot, the ball got stuck under his feet allowing the Cork defenders to scramble the ball away to safety. Rovers continued to press down the right-hand side with Danny Hogan and Jayden Cagney combining very well together, but just couldn’t seem to break down a strong home defence. The second half followed a similar pattern as the first, with the away side dominating possession and chances, and the home side happy to sit back and wait for chances to arrive on the counter attack. As the game progressed however the weather worsened making it almost impossible to build any fluidity into the game and Rovers just could not force home a goal that might have taken the game to extra time. In the end, they just fell short, but can have no qualms as to the level of effort that they put in, and will now be re-doubling their efforts to ensure they remain in the top flight of local football and building hopefully for more successful days in this and other competitions.
TSDL Second Division 27th November 2022 Match Reports
Dualla 3 – 2 Cashel Town
This local derby turned into a firecracker, with Dualla bouncing back from a defeat last weekend, to put more pressure on a Cashel Town team currently rooted to the bottom of the Second Division. The visitors started well and forced some early saves from home net minder Batman Fitzgerald. But fifteen minutes in, they over committed to an attack and were caught out by a classic counter, that saw Tossie Ryan slipped through to finish superbly and give Dualla the lead. Just before the break the hosts produced almost a carbon copy of the first goal to add a second when Ger O Dwyer timed his run into the area perfectly, and headed neatly to the top corner, to double the home sides lead. They held this to the break, and midway through the second half, found themselves three up after some hard work and pressure from Mark Downey on the Cashel backline, finished with him rifling a shot high into the roof of the net. But Cashel never gave up and with fifteen minutes left they got rewarded for their good play when Murty Browne, drilled a shot low and hard into the bottom corner, to make the score three goals to one. Minutes later, a panicked Dualla defence failed to clear their lines and Darragh Browne reacted quickest to tap home a second goal for the visitors, setting up a grand stand finish. And they looked to have levelled the game in the final moments, only to see a shot come back off the crossbar when they home keeper was well beaten. But Dualla managed to hold out, and take the precious points, leaving Cashel in a very precarious relegation position that will need them to start being more clinical in the future if they are to stave off relegation to the division below.
Suirside 0 – 4 Galbally United
The top two in the Second Division faced off in Ardfinnan on Sunday afternoon, when league leaders Suirside hosted in-form Galbally United in a game that will have repercussions on where the title may land at the end of the season. And it took only two minutes for the away side to show their intent when they took the lead thanks to a wonderful strike from all of thirty yards out by Patrick Murphy, that fizzed to the net and left the home keeper flat footed as he watched it fly by. The home side eventually settled and almost equalised ten minutes later when a goalmouth scramble saw the ball fall to Gavin Ryan, but his effort was blocked and kicked away to safety. Six minutes later a John Allen free kick was touched around the post by the visiting keeper, when it looked destined for the net. Three minutes later the home side were to rue the missed chances as the visitors added a second when a Bernard O Brien free kick deceived the home keeper and flew directly to the net, giving Galbally a very strong position in the game. Despite the home side pressing, they were unable to break down the Galbally defence and the away team went to the break leading by two goals to nil. The second half saw Suirside press forward at every opportunity as they tried to get back into the game, but in doing so they were leaving gaps behind in defence which Galbally were looking to exploit on the break. The home side were desperately unlucky on the hour mark to see a John Darmody effort shave the post, but go wide. Seven minutes later, they were dealt a hammer blow, when Galbally added a third, courtesy of another wonder strike by Patrick Murphy, much to the delight of his team mates. John English added a fourth eighteen minutes from time as the visiting side seemed to be trying to outdo themselves in terms of the quality of their goals, with another long range effort that saw the rigging in the home goal tested. From then until the end, the visitors just toyed with the home side and ran out easy winners to also take their place at the top of the Second Division table.
TSDL Third Division 27th November 2022 Match Reports
Burncourt Celtic 1 – 3 Kilsheelan
This game went ahead with the underfoot conditions heavy, and the visitors continued their recent upturn in league fortune, going ahead in the fifth minute when Jamie Roche headed home a cross from the right at the back post. In the twentieth minute the same player doubled his sides advantage with another fine headed effort, as Kilsheelan took control of the game. From there to half time, neither side fashioned any chances as conditions underfoot began to deteriorate, making fluent football difficult. Burncourt started the second half well and pulled a goal back nine minutes in when Alex Meaney won a ball on half way line, before beating a couple of defenders and finishing well from just inside the area. The home side were well on top for the next twenty minutes, but could not get the vital equaliser as the visitor’s defence held firm. Then with a quarter of an hour left, Roche completed his hat-trick with a fine side footed finish from a cross from the left, re-establishing their two-goal cushion. Rovers created a couple of chances late on, but failed to take any and the visitors ran out three goals to one winners.
Killenaule Rovers 2 – 3 Powerstown
Powerstown had to come from behind in this game to continue their unbeaten run in the league, and put them in prime position to challenge for the Third Division title. In a game switched to Redmondstown, Killenaule started the brighter of the two sides, and Dylan Walsh’s deflected effort from the edge of the box put them in front in the nineteenth minute. Seven minutes later Conor Dwyer doubled their lead, when a swift counter attack exposed Powerstown and Dwyer clinically fired to the net. Well on top now, they were unable to add to the scoreline and went to the break two goals to the good. But the league leaders turned the game on its head in the second half, with Gino Lonergan pulling a goal back just before the hour mark with a fantastic free kick from all of thirty yards out, to halve the deficit. Pushing on in search of an equaliser, they dominated possession, but found it hard to break down a resolute Killenaule defence. However, with just five minutes left to play, Powerstown’s persistence paid off, and Brian McKeown levelled the game. A ball crossed in caused havoc in the visitor’s box and Mc Keown got the crucial last touch to put it in the net. It looked like ending in a draw, but two minutes from the end, the hosts got a third when Conor McGrath fired a ball into the box from the right-hand side, and found Cathal Mc Keown finished, who blasted the ball to the net. A nervy final few minutes ensued, but the home side held on to secure the victory in a game which could have huge implications on the TSDL Division 3 title race.
Donohill and District 1 – 0 Tipperary Town
Donohill took the points after a scrappy game against local rivals Tipperary Town on Sunday morning in West Tipperary. The hosts started the better, and created several early chances but found visiting keeper Michael O Dwyer in fine form. But just before the half hour mark, they finally breached the visitors defence, when a Darragh Mooney pile driver flew to the roof of the net. That was the only goal of the first period, but they continued on top in the early part of the second half. Their best chances fell to the very lively youth player Alex Webster who went close on a few occasions. On the other side, the visiting attacks were limited and what chances were created were dealt with easily enough by the home defence. In the end the home side took the points, and will hope to build on this result in upcoming games as they try to play themselves back into contention for promotion.
TSDL Youths 26th November 2022 Match Reports
In a weekend decimated by poor weather and unplayable pitch conditions, two ties managed to survive with the only Division One game potentially having a huge effect on where this years title may end up. Two Mile Borris travelled to local rivals in Thurles Peake Villa, at the top of the table, albeit having played more games than their nearest rivals, but were unable to leave again with the three points, after they drew one all in this derby game. The result also gives hope to the home side that if they can continue their improving youth form in recent games, they may also have a chance of getting right into the mix in the title battle. In Division Two, Moyglass United had a horrendous start to their season, but have looked like they are getting stronger in recent weeks, and they picked up their first win of the season at home to Cahir Park, a result that will surely give the Moyglass Youths some impetus to take on games in the weeks and months ahead.