FAI Junior Cup 1/4 final report 05th of March 2023 Match Reports
Buncrana Harps 0 – 1 St Michael’s
Saints dug out a victory here in a tense dogged affair with the TSDL side showing good resilience to keep their Donegal opponents out in the last quarter. It was a tense affair from the start, with a wait until the seventeenth minute before the first chance of note, when Kieran Mc Daid found his namesake John Mc Daid, who headed just over the bar. The visitors went close nine minutes later, when a Jimmy Carr cross was spilled, but by the end of the half, there were no goals from either side after a close affair. The away side had the first good opportunity of the second period when Russell went close just three minutes after the restart. And the defining moment of the game came just minutes later, when a Buncrana defender was judged to have handled the ball and Saints skipper Jimmy Carr kept his nerve to beat Rory Kelly from the penalty spot. Bouncing now, David Slattery went shortly afterwards, but his effort was turned away for a corner by Kelly. Despite being behind, the home side were always dangerous with Kieran McDaid on the right wing and Sean Mullan at centre forward going close on a number of occasions. Saints had a big let off in the sixty third minute, when Mullan got in behind the defence but when he looked sure to score his effort hit the post, and rolled away to safety, much to the relief of the travelling Tipperary crowd. The highly decorated visiting defence came into their own in the final quarter, with veteran Paul Breen marshalling things, and though the hosts had a number of half chances late on, it was Michael’s who held their nerve to book their place in the competition’s semi-finals.
TSDL Premier League report 5th March 2023 Match Reports
Cashel Town 2 – 4 Peake Villa
Both these teams came to this game looking for the points, for differing reasons, as Cashek try to escape a relegation dog fight while Peake still hold out hopes of getting involved in a title challenge. This meant that the early part of the game was tight and tense, with neither side wanting to the other an advantage, and the home team ceding possession and territory for the first half an hour. But their defence was finally breached in the thirty eight minute when the visitors were awarded a free kick just outside the home area, and Mikey Wade drilled home an effort that wrong footed the home keeper. That was the only goal of the first half, but the Thurles side added a second in the fifty second minute with a great strike from Ronan Quirke. The game looked done and dusted four minutes after the hour mark when a corner was nodded in at the far post by Kieran Hennessey who was just on as a substitute, but the home side pulled a goal back four minutes later with a header from close range by Jack Fitzpatrick. Peake were in no mood to slip from their hard earned lead however and extended the advantage once again fifteen minutes from time when Mikey Wade got his second goal of the day. The scoring finished ten minutes from time when th hosts were awarded a penalty which was converted by Jack Fitzpatrick, but they will now be nervously looking over their shoulders with just one game left to play in their season’s schedule.
Tipperary Cup 1/4 final report 05th of March 2023 Match Reports
Clonmel Town 0 – 1 Old Bridge
A Tholem Guiry rocket ensured Old Bridge caused the upset of the round as they claimed the scalp of Premier League leaders Clonmel Town in the Tipperary Cup on Sunday afternoon. It was a brilliant performance by the Bridge who reduced the home side to few chances throughout the ninety minutes. Rhys O’Regan had the best opportunity to put the favourites in front but scuffed his lines from the penalty spot and although the ball made its way to the net, referee Mark Jordan correctly adjudged that the ball had hit his standing foot and scratched the goal off. Buoyed by the let-off, Bridge responded well and got the only goal of the game on the hour mark. A Town corner was cleared into the home sides’ half and after Sean Martin outmuscled the home defender, before showing brilliant composure to square the ball to Guiry who unleashed an unstoppable volley to the net. The goal gave the visitors the energy they needed for the remaining half hour and they eased their way into the next round, reducing the hosts to a couple of half chances with goalkeeper Cian Quinn a spectator for the most part.
Clonmel Celtic 1 – 0 Cahir Park
A Darren Sweeney goal twenty minutes from the end, was enough to send Clonmel Celtic through to the semi final of the Tipperary Cup as they overcame Cahir Park on a one goal to nil scoreline at Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon. Celtic were the better side on the day and deserving winners though they found it hard to break down a resilient Cahir side. The home side started brightly with Brian Sweeny denying Seanie Hawkins after just four minutes. The game became a bit scrappy with the hosts failing to create any clear chances although Philly Drohan did come close with a lofted effort that just dropped wide of the post. At the other end a snapshot brought a good save from Fabian Kerton as the first half finished scoreless. The home side upped the pressure in the second half and were nearly a goal up a minute in when Darren Sweeney broke free but he couldn’t keep his effort on target. They were well on top now but were struggling to break the visitors down. But they finally managed to do so, in the seventieth minute, when a smart ball from Rory O’Dowd released Seanie Hawkins and his cross was headed home by Sweeney despite the best efforts of the visiting keeper. The Park rallied late on in search of an equaliser but a great tackle from Jason Hahessy followed by a fine save from Fabian Kerton denied them a late leveller as the home side progressed.
TSDL Second Division 05th of March 2023 Match Reports
Cullen Lattin 3 – 1 Rosegreen Rangers
Cullen celebrated their return to the First Division and possibly a league title with a win at home in Aisling Park against Rosegreen Rangers on Sunday afternoon. They enjoyed much of the early possession in this game but it was the visitors who struck first when a long throw into the box was headed on by Trevor Downey and Corey Hynes was unmarked at the back post to head home in the fifteenth minute. The home side continued to have the most of the ball but were being constantly frustrated by some excellent defending by the visiting team. That was until ten minutes before the break, when a well delivered Tony O Neill corner was headed goalwards, but was stopped by an excellent save by the keeper, only to fall to the feet of Micheàl Elligott who volleyed the rebound to the net. That was how the game went to the break, and the hosts got their noses in front twelve minutes into the second period when Thomas O Mahoney teed up Tony O Neill and his left footed shot sailed into the bottom corner. O Neill then sealed the victory for the home side fifteen minutes from time, when his powerful shot took a deflection and put the keeper the wrong way, before nestling in the net. Micheàl Elligott also rattled the crossbar with a header inside the final few minutes, but it had no effect on the final outcome of the game, with his sides supporters celebrating the very important win afterwards.
Clerihan 2 – 6 St Nicholas
In this battle at bottom end of the Division 2 table Clerihan got the dream start in the eleventh minute when a Sean Maher Corner was headed home by Nicholas Ryan. After this set back the visitors grew into the game and dominated the remainder of the first half. They were level in the eighteenth minute, when they took advantage of a dropped ball catching the home defence napping, and a through ball and cross found Brian Lowry at the back post for a tap in. Ten minutes before the break, they took the lead from an Eoin Riordan bullet of a free Kick. With the home side knowing nothing but all three points today would be good enough, they pushed forward and got themselves back on level terms seven minutes before the break when Sean Hahessy volleyed home a corner into the area. But just as they had thought they would get to the break at parity, disaster struck and their good work was undone by a long clearance from the visitor’s keeper finding James Scanlan who rounded the keeper and slotted home to give the Saints the half time lead. The opening period of the second half was scrappy with very little controlled possession for either team, but in the fifty sixth minute the away side extended their lead when Brian Lowry got his second goal of the game. Heads on the home side seemed to drop after this, and the Saints took control, extending the lead to three just after the hour mark when Aaron Ryan Shiner tapped home from a well worked break. With the game seemingly over as a contest Clerihan were giving a lifeline on sixty eight minutes when a back pass was handled by the keeper setting up a free kick inside the box. But with all eleven visiting players on the goal line, the home side were unable to force home a goal. With twelve minutes left, the Solohead outfit assured their win when Philip O’ Doherty added the final goal to round up the scoring and give the visiting side a well-deserved win and guaranteed Division 2 football next year.
TSDL Third Division report 2023 Match Reports
Tipperary Town 0 – 4 Powerstown
With things at the top of the Third division table getting tight Powerstown needed a performance and duly turned in a high quality one in Tipperary on Sunday afternoon. After even enough early exchanges the visitors took control of the game after a Gino Lonergan cross was headed onto the cross bar and it was Connor McGrath that reacted quickest to turn the ball home for one nil in the eighteenth minute. The home side were not playing badly but struggled to create clear cut chances, keeping with the league leaders until half time and only one goal between the sides. Early in the second half visitors was awarded a penalty for a hand ball in the area, and Lonergan made no mistake from twelve yards to double his sides lead. Darren Murphy then scored the goal of the game with a moment of real quality from just inside the Tipp half, when he spotted the keeper off his line and lifted a quality strike over his head and into the net, with twenty minutes left to play. Another good strike late on from Davy Grace made it four and even though the home side kept pressing it just wasn’t their day.
Kilsheelan United 5 – 1 Bansha Celtic
Kilsheelan followed up on last weekend’s big win over top of the table Powerstown, with another big win over the bottom side at home on Sunday afternoon. This rounded off their league campaign, which they will look back on as probably having too many lost opportunities, but with plenty to look forward to next season. They got off to the perfect start when Mark Heffernan got in behind the visiting defence after just twenty five seconds, before lofting his effort over the keeper to give themselves an instant lead. But it almost lasted just two minutes, as they had goalkeeper Conor Grant to thank when he pushed a long range effort onto the post and away to safety. But those efforts didn’t do much to dent the dominance that the home side were showing, and they extended their lead in the fifteenth minute when Cian Roche headed home from a Ruairi Doyle long-throw. Just before the half-hour mark, Bansha pulled one back when they scored from a free kick, but the home side regained their two goal advantage just minutes before the break when a clever touch by Mark Heffernan played in Evan Forristal, and he dinked his effort over the stranded keepers head to give his side a two goal cushion at half time. After coming on as a substitute at half time, Cathal de Faoite made it four ten minutes into the second half, when a free kick eluded everyone to nestle in the far corner of the net. And just five minutes later it was five, when Nathan Dolan scored with another well taken placed ball.
TSDL Youths report 5th March 2023 Match Reports
TSDL Youths Cup
Cullen Lattin 4 – 2 Cahir Park
Cullen eased into the next round of the Youths cup with a hard fought victory over Cahir Park on Saturday afternoon. They sprang out of the blocks and opened the scoring in the first minute when Javier Seranno fired home from the edge of the area. They continued making chances and added a second in the tenth minute when Dylan Mc Grath was brought down in the penalty area, and he stepped up to fire the resulting spot kick home. This put the home side in cruise control and allowed the visitors to fight their way back into the game, and the Park got a deserved goal ten minutes from the break through a Lee Murphy strike. The rest of the half was very competitive but it remained the same scoreline to half time. The away side started the second half on top, and levelled the game just before the hour mark with a second Lee Murphy strike. The introduction of some substitutes by the home side though, changed the momentum of the game, which seemed to be running away from the hosts, and they regained control of the central parts of the pitch. With ten minutes to go, they retook the lead when a wonderful free kick delivery from Jake Ryan was headed home by Tom Ryan Bob. It was all Cullen after this, and with five minutes left Jason Henley got the goal he deserved racing in behind the defence to slot home, making it four goals to two to the home side, a scoreline they didn’t give up from there to the end.
Clonmel Celtic 6 – 0 Slievenamon Celtic
Clonmel Celtic Youths continued their recent good form and are through to the Tipperary Cup semi-final after a six goal win against Slievenamon Celtic in Clonmel on Saturday. The visitors had the better of the early exchanges and were unlucky not to take the lead in the seventh minute when a header at the far post from a free just went to wrong side of the upright. But eventually the hosts took control, but could not convert this into scoring chances until four minutes before the break when Paddy Ormond’s ball in to the box was pounced on by Jack Aylward, who after a bit of indecision by the visiting defence fired his side into a lead going into the break. They got a second in the fifty sixth minute when Alex Greene spun his marker from Max Ryan’s pass and slotted home. And it became three just minutes later when Jack Lawlor was fouled in the box and Paddy Ormond put away the penalty. They took complete control after this, and added a fourth in the sixty seventh minute when Alex Greene crossed for Julian Kerton to head home. They made it five ten minutes from the end, when Reece Farrells pass found Michael Prendergast unmarked and he slotted home, and the sixth arrived right on the final whistle, when Paddy Ormond found Alex Greene in space and he rounded the keeper and finished to the net.
TSDL Youths Div 1
Two Mile Borris 2 – 3 Clonmel Town
The home side went into this game at Newhill on Saturday, knowing nothing less than a win was required if they wanted to keep the Division 1 title race alive, but they were unable to take the points, going down to Clonmel Town by the odd goal in a five goal thriller. The visitors started the livelier and had were unlucky not to open the scoring inside the first ten minutes. But Borris eventually settled and took charge of the game, opening the scoring in the twenty fifth minute when Tristan Kelly broke into the Town area and was tripped, resulting in a penalty for the home side. Kelly stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, drilling it to the left and beyond the reach of the keeper. Ten minutes before the break, the home team were awarded a second penalty, but it was driven against the post and cleared to safety. But astonishingly they were awarded a third minutes before half time, and this time managed to hit the net, to give Borris a comfortable two goal cushion. But the second half, belonged to Town. Right from the get go, they were winning possession and making chances, getting a goal back in the fifty third minute when Ronan Walsh converted after some good work in the build up. They continued controlling the game, and added two more goals in the final fifteen minutes, through John Buckley and a second Walsh goal, to take a deserved win, and effectively hand the title to local rivals Clonmel Celtic.