Clonmel Credit Union Tipperary Cup, 10th March 2024 Match Reports
Bansha Celtic 2 – 3 Cashel Town
First Division league leaders Cashel Town humbled Premier League side Bansha Celtic, by dumping them out of this year’s Tipperary Cup, by the odd goal in five on Sunday afternoon. The visitors took the lead on ten minutes when a cross into the box wasn’t dealt with by the home defence and Kyle Ryan pounced to score. They made it two just before the half hour mark, when a shot from twenty five yards out, struck the bar and Kevin Keating headed home the rebound, giving the away side a two goal advantage at the break. Celtic made a comeback early in the second half, and reduced the deficit to a single goal in the sixty fifth minute when a cross from the left was struck home by Shane Egan. Flying now, they equalised from the penalty spot, when Egan was taken down in the box and Tony Egan scored the resulting penalty kick. They looked like the more likely team to go on and win from there, but Cashel showed a steely resolve, and retook the lead five minutes from time, when Sean Fitzpatrick scored a from a free kick. The hosts threw everything forward for the final five minutes, but were unable to get the equaliser, and Cashel head into the draw for the next round of the competition.
St Michael’s 7 – 0 Powerstown
Saints got back to winning ways, when getting the better of a game Powerstown side at Cooke Park on Sunday afternoon in the Tipperary Cup. The visitors were hoping to put in a good performance and cause a shock, and they started well, forcing a good save from veteran keeper Derek Breen in just the fifth minute. But once the home side found their feet they took the lead on eleven minutes when Danny O’Brien received the ball and turned making space to fire past Shane Doyle from eighteen yards. It was two in the fifteenth minute, when Mikey Nash scored from close range after good work by Ashley Kelliher. Derek Breen again did well on just before the half hour mark, when Oisin Napier played in Cathal McKeown but Breen turned his effort round the post. Two goals in a minute sealed the deal late in the half when firstly Danny O’Brien made it three when he converted a rebound after a Russell Quirke shot, and on forty one minutes an Ashley Kelliher free kick beat the stretching hands of the Powerstown net minder. The second period was played at a less frantic pace, with the home side dominant and they made it five seventeen minutes from time when Doyle failed to hold an effort by Kelliher. Seanie Guerins made it six in the eighty third minute, and Seanie Murphy finished the scoring going into time added on when he turned a Colin Bargary chip to the net.
TSDL Premier Division reports 10th March 2024 Match Reports
2Two Mile Borris 8 – 1 Wilderness Rovers
This was a huge relegation six pointer for the two teams, and Borris gave themselves a fighting chance of survival, by posting a big win against a Wilderness team that now look doomed to going down. That said, the Clonmel side opened the scoring in the tenth minute when a defensive mix up at the home end, allowed Jake Guiney to capitalise and he made no mistake. That was as good as it got for the visitors however, and the home side dominated from there on. They finally got a leveller in the twenty fifth minute when Daniel Rafter, broke through and gave the visiting keeper no chance from ten yards out. Minutes later they were in front, when Rafter forced the keeper into a parried save, but Jamie Lee was in hand to tap in the rebound. Rafter then completed a hat trick before the break, adding two more goals, when he finished off a flowing move in the thirty fifth minute, before slamming a thirty yard free kick to the top corner of the net, with seconds left in the half. The second period got no better for the away team, and they conceded a fifth just five minutes into the half when Anto Walker found the net. Youth player Tom Tyan added a sixth on the hour mark, before an Eoin Sheridan header made it seven with fifteen minutes left. Walker wrapped up the scoring with a late goal and finished off his sides biggest win of the season.
Clonmel Town 4 – 2 Peake Villa
Peakes Villa’s recent run of poor form continued on Sunday, when they went down to a Clonmel Town side whose form has been up and down of late, and might just have put a huge dent into the Thurles sides chances of retaining their Premier League title. Despite starting well and taking an early lead through Liam McCormack, Peake Villa failed to kick on and were made to pay by a Town side who were clinical throughout. Once Juan Aguedo cancelled out McCormack’s opener it was all Town and they added a second immediately through Charlie Barlow to take the lead. Town pushed on again and again but it was from a breakaway that saw them score a third. It was a goal reminiscent of that famous Ryan Giggs effort all those years ago in an FA Cup semi-final, when Jake French Davis picked up the ball in his own half and took on the entire visiting defence before finding the net with a brilliant finish. Davis then was on hand to add a fourth goal for Town early in the second half to put the game to bed. Villa did however mount a comeback and pulled a goal back through Billy MCarthy and despite forcing Daniel Hade into making a couple of fabulous blocks their efforts where much too late to seriously threaten the home side.
TSDL First Division reports 10th March 2024 Match Reports
Old Bridge 6 – 0 St Michael’s
The Bridge had a good win against a young St Michael’s side and, in doing so, gave themselves a little bit of hope in their battle against relegation. They seemed more focused than in recent games and scored early on when Alex Greene forced the ball home after great work from Dylan Guiry. This was followed by the first of Michael O’Sullivan’s brace after he followed up his own shot, which came back off the post to finish the ball to the net. Luke O’Donnell made it three to nil with a powerful shot, which went in via the post, as they took complete control of the game in the first half hour. Michael O’Sullivan got his second when he finished to the net after a good move to make four to nothing for the home side at the break. Saints to their credit, continued to play nice football, and had their best period of the game in the early stages of the second period, but on the hour mark Ciaran Walsh headed powerfully home following a corner kick, to give the home side a five-goal cushion. The scoring was completed with two minutes remaining when Aaron Larkin found the back of the net with an absolutely stunning shot from all of thirty yards. It was a big win for The Old Bridge, but they must now wait anxiously on St. Michael’s to complete their programme to see what their fate will be.
Peake Villa 1 – 2 Cullen Lattin
A highly entertaining game up at the Tower Grounds Sunday afternoon with both teams giving it everything, seen Villa losing out to a Cullen team, desperately trying to stay involved in the title and promotion race. The home side started bright and got at Cullen from the off with some good passing play. They finally took the lead in the twenty eight minute when a Mark Lennon corner was headed into the top corner by Jordan Fahey. There were some half chances for both teams before the half ended, but both defences were in good form, and there were no more goals. The visitors came out with more purpose in the second half but found David Purcell in the Villa goal in good form. His goal was finally breached however, just after the hour mark, when Tom O Mahony scored from a Cullen corner to draw the sides level. Both sides went for the win after this, and Villa had a great chance with five minutes to go when Billy McCarthy broke through the Cullen defence but he scuppered his shot and the keeper saved it. With that looking like the last big chance of the game, the home side were shocked well into injury time when Michael Elligott scored, to give Cullen what might yet become a huge three points in their season.
TSDL Second Division reports 10th March 2024 Match Reports
Suirside 2 – 1 Moyglass United
This was a tense and tight game in Grange on Sunday afternoon, but it was the home side that hit the front in the tenth minute when John Allen Lowes fired to the net with a brilliant strike into the top corner of the net from the edge of the eighteen yard box. After this, the home side began to dominate, and five minutes later a brilliant through ball found John Darmody, and he curled the ball around the out stretched hand of the visiting keeper to double the home sides advantage. They continued to make chances, and should really have put the game to bed, but a combination of wayward finishing and brilliant goalkeeping, kept Suirside at bay. They went into the second period with that two goal lead, but Moyglass found a way back into the game twenty minutes from time, when Stephen Houlihan finally beat the home keeper after a number of efforts, to reduce the deficit to a single goal. Moyglass did push for an equaliser, but in the end Suirside managed to hold on for a precious three points that sees them up to second in a really tight Second Division table.
St Nicholas 4 – 2 Dualla
St Nicholas pulled off a huge win in the relegation battle with Dualla on Sunday at Danny O Dwyer Park, that leaves the away side with a mountain to climb if they want to stay in the Second Division next season. The game started evenly enough but Dualla took the lead in the sixth minute with the first real chance of the game when he finished well from just inside the box. They held that lead for most of the remainder of the half, but minutes before the break they were pegged back when Aaron Ryan Shiner found the net with an excellent finish after being teed up by Jack Downey. It looked like that would see the teams to half time all square, but right on the stroke of half time, Ryan got a second when he and Downey combined again, to send the Saints in a goal to the good. But Dualla once again started the second half the quicker, and five minutes in, Tossy Ryan levelled the game once again with another well taken goal. But that was as good as it got for the visitors as the hosts began to dominate, and retook the lead twenty minutes from the end when Jack Downey went from provider to scorer with the strike from close in. The visitors were out on their feet after this, and Downey ensured the win minutes later when he scored a goal after a quick break up field.
TSDL Third Division reports 10th March 2024 Match Reports
Killenaule Rovers 0 – 8 SC & K United
Kilsheelan United will play Division 2 football next season after securing promotion at home to Killenaule this morning with a big victory. After coming close through Cathal de Faoite, Billy O’Connor & Jamie Roche early on, they deservedly found the opening goal after ten minutes through Mark Heffernan, before the same player made it two, eight minutes later, firing home from close range after a quick throw from Jamie Roche. Roche got on the act himself just before the half hour mark, when Heffernan returned the favour by setting him up, and then he added his second from a Cathal de Faoite cross five minutes before the break. de Faoite was next to get on the scoresheet, heading home after the visitors failed to clear a corner on the stroke of half-time. Heffernan completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, finding the bottom-right corner from all of twenty five yards out, before Jamie Roche got a hat-trick of his own fifteen minutes from time when he tapped home after great play from Jamie Ryan and Evan Forristal to make it seven. Mark Heffernan finished off the scoring in style inside the final minutes, beating four Killenaule players before slotting beyond the keeper.
Tipperary Town 3 – 3 Burncourt Celtic
This was a cracker of a game played out at the Arra Road on Sunday morning, with Burncourt racing to a two-goal lead inside the first fifteen minutes, thanks to goals by Dylan Ryan and Pa Ryan with neat finishes after good work in the middle of the park. The hosts didn’t panic however, and the early nerves settled when Adrian “Butch” Swords cooly slotted home after some good work from the Town front five. Jamie Ryan popped up shortly after and fired home from ten yards to make it level pegging on the half hour. The tide turned in the favour of the home side then Evan Ryan who was anchoring the Tipp midfield made a late run into the box and cooly slotted home from six yards, just before the break. Burncourt came out hammer and thongs in the second half and were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark, but Timmy Esmonde stood strong in the home goal, and pulled the ball out of the top corner to send the home fans wild. They must have sniffed a victory at this point, but they were cruelly denied late on, when Dylan Ryan popped up to score from close range to earn a share of the points.
Cahir Park 5 – 2 Donohill and District
Cahir Park’s seconds stayed in the promotion hunt with a good win at home against Donohill on Sunday afternoon. And they got the best possible start, when they took the lead in the first minute, with a Hichem Briem goal from close range. After that however, the game settled down and there were no more goals in a very even first half. Ten minutes into the second period, Briem made it two with a good finish from eight yards out, following a good thought ball from Conor Murphy. He added his third just after the hour mark when he finished well after being played in one against one with the visiting keeper. But Donohill battled away, and pulled a goal back twenty minutes from time, when Alan O Dwyer followed up on a save by the Park keeper, and tapped home. The home side weren’t in any mood however to allow this to be the springboard for a revival, and re-asserted their dominance and their three-goal lead, when Leigh Murphy volleyed home five minutes later. The two teams swapped a goal each in the final five minutes, with Murphy getting the fifth for Cahir, to set them up for an interesting final few weeks.