TSDL Premier League 10th September 2023 Match Reports
St Michael’s 3 – 0 Clonmel Town
In a really feisty and fiery encounter, St Michael’s ran out three goal winners against a Town side that completely lost their discipline by the end of the game. But it was the home side that saw the first of four red cards given out on the day, losing a defender in the first minute of the game, which looked like it would give the home side a mountain to climb. They dug deep however, and gave a battling courageous performance of character and application. By the sixth minute, and buoyed up by having an extra man, Town’s Jack French Davis crossed for Ashley Lasslett who brought a save from Adrian Walsh in the home goal. The same combination minutes later, saw Lasslett go close again, but eventually the home side weathered the storm and played themselves back into the game. They were rewarded for their perseverance six minutes before the break, when a long ball over the visiting defence saw Jimmy Carr in on goal but he was tripped and brought down, winning himself a penalty kick. He stood up himself and fired it to the net, to give his side an unlikely lead at that interval. The home side upped the ante following the break, and following a Colin Bargary free from the left three minutes in, the ball broke kindly for Russell Quirke who found the corner of the net to put the home side two up. A powerful shot from the left angle from Shane Ryan just before the hour mark, brought a save from Evan Comerford in the visitors goal. And then they seemed to inexplicably lose their heads, seeing two players dismissed in short order on second yellow cards, before their day went from bad to worse, when they had another player reduced twenty minutes from the end. Six minutes from time, the home side added the coup de grace when Shane Ryan rolled a free kick to Ashley Kelliher who hit a spectacular shot to the top of the net, and ensure they took all three points.
Bansha Celtic 3 – 2 Two Mile Borris
After a run of three defeats in their opening three games, this looked already like a must win game for the home side, and they delivered by overcoming a young Borris side by the odd goal in five on Sunday afternoon. The opening fifteen minutes of the game were very cagey, with neither side wanting to give up much, and produced little of any kind of shot on goal. The game eventually opened up, and the visitors took the lead in the twentieth minute, when a great move up the right, saw a ball flashed across the area, and Jamie Lee fired home from ten yards out. Cock a hoop now, the visitors dominated the next twenty minutes, and the home keeper kept his side in the game with three magnificent saves. And that became even more important, when the home side against the run of play after they were awarded a penalty, which Daniel O Dwyer scored to bring the game back to parity at one all. But they couldn’t hold it level to the break, when on the stroke of half time, Borris retook the lead after Urban Nolan crashed the ball to the roof of the net. Still playing the better, the away side had a great chance to make it three on the hour mark, but again the home keeper produced a great save. Eventually the home side seemed to wake up and equalised for the second time when Tony Egan scored from twenty yards out in the seventy fifth minute. And almost incredibly they took the lead for the first time minutes later, when Daniel O’ Dwyer was taken down in the box and he dusted himself down before firing home his second. The visitors dominated the final fifteen minutes, and both sides were reduced to ten men as tempers began to flare, but the home side defended brilliantly to hang on and claim the three precious points.
Cahir Park 1 – 3 Peake Villa
After two wins from two since their return to the Premier League, Cahir Park faced their toughest assignment yet, when they welcomed the league champions Peake Villa to their home on Sunday in glorious sunshine. And although they acquitted themselves well, giving as much as they got for large parts of the game, in the end it wasn’t enough against the very strong Thurles outfit. The opening exchanges were pretty even with both teams showing good attacking intent. It was the visitors who had the first half chance in the minute when they saw an effort curl narrowly wide. The home side responded with an effort of their own when Willie Dunne fired over from the edge of the box minutes later, but as they half went on, the visitors started to assert themselves on the game and went close again on twenty seven minutes, when only a last ditch clearance from Park centre back Christopher Higgins kept the score at nil all. The home team kept the visitors at bay for remainder of the half with an excellent defensive performance, and the teams went in nil all. From the start of the second period, the visitors continued where they left off and finally took the lead in the fiftieth minute, when Ronan Mc Guire headed home from close range. The hosts didn’t drop their heads however, and on the hour mark Niall Daly went close with a shot from inside the area was deflected narrowly wide. They continued to grow into the game and Willie Dunne was next to go close five minutes later. Peake finally gave themselves some breathing space nineteen minutes from the end, when Keith Cahill finished from close range, and Pippy Carroll made the game safe in the eighty second minute with a signature strike that gave the Park keeper no chance of saving. The home side kept going and got a deserved goal five minutes from time when Pa Quinn headed home a John O Brien free kick, but it was too little too late to stop the champions claiming all three points.
Clonmel Celtic 6 – 0 Wilderness Rovers
Clonmel Celtic proved too strong for local rivals Wilderness Rovers on Sunday morning, running out by six goal winners to make it two wins from two at the start of the season. The home side made the perfect start on two minutes with Seanie Hawkins cut in from the left before firing a fine effort to the top corner. They dominated proceedings but the visitors keeper produced some fine saves to keep his side in the game. But eventually the hosts doubled their lead seven minutes before the break when Ayo Williams converted from the spot to leave Celtic two up at the break. They scored again early in the second half with Philly Drohan turning home Darren Sweeney’s effort five minutes after the restart. On the hour mark it was four with Darren Sweeney finishing well. There was no let up for the visitors with Philly Drohan getting on the end of a centre to slot home his second fifteen minutes from time. And not to be outdone Sweeney also got a second when he showed good footwork to power home Celtic’s sixth and final goal in the dying minutes of the game.
TSDL First Division 10th September 2023 Match Reports
St Michael’s 3 – 3 Cullen Lattin
Saints seconds really gave youth its head on Sunday, with a starting eleven all made up of players twenty years of age or younger, and they put in an excellent performance against an older and more experienced Cullen team who began the morning at the top of the First Division table. After a patchy start, where Max Riordan had a good chance for the visitors who were slow into stride, Josh Flannery got in on six minutes to give the home side the lead with a good finish. It took only two minutes to add the second, when Antonio Rea did well to lay off a ball for Flannery to strike again from the edge of the area. The visitors finally began to get back into the game, and brought out some good saves from the home keeper, but still in was the hosts who were unlucky not to add to their tally before the break, with Rea a constant threat up front. Cullen improved in the second half with the introduction of Colin Marnane and Darragh O’Brien, and got a goal back in the fifty fourth minute when Max Riordan found the net from a tight angle. They levelled the game four minutes later when Mikey O’Brien found himself unmarked in the area and fired home. Flannery missed a header from, a Cathal Berrigan free kick just after the hour mark, and the Saints were left to rue the miss when the away side the lead in the sixty-eight minutes after Eoin Doocey was deemed to have fouled in the area and Mikey Stokes converted the penalty. Michaels brought on a raft of substitutes near the end, and it was one of them, Evan Hawkins who got an equaliser in the final minute of the game to make it three all, and ensure a deserved share of the spoils for both teams.
Galbally United 2 – 3 Vee Rovers
After relegation last season, and a first game defeat this season, Vee Rovers finally got their long journey back to Premier League football off and running by coming from behind to beat an in form Galbally United side on Sunday afternoon. The game was played in very warm conditions, that both sides struggled with, and chances in the first half were at a premium. The home side finally fashioned one of note however and took the lead ten minutes before the break, when Jordan Dineen found the net after some good build up play. They kept that lead at the break, and doubled it ten minutes into the second half, when Dineen got his second, getting on the end of a Kieran Sheehan cross to beat the keeper from close in. That looked like being it for the visitors, but they kept battling and found a way back into the game when they were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark that was converted by Shane Mc Grath. This was a turning point in the game, and the visitors began to dominate, finally getting a deserved equaliser ten minutes from time, when Dylan Flynn flashed a shot to the net. Both teams then went for the winner and the game flowed up and down the pitch. It looked however that they were going to have to share the spoils until the final minute, when Vee fashioned a final chance that was finished by Bob Child’s, much to the delight of the travelling supporters, a goal that was enough to win the game and take the three points on offer.
Old Bridge 3 – 1 Peake Villa B
Old Bridge opened their league campaign on Sunday on an emotional day, when a presentation was made to the family of the late Luke Mc Sweeney who passed away in the recent tragedy in Clonmel, with Luke being a Bridge player. The game itself was played in tough conditions, with torrential rain falling during the first half, a sharp contrast to the very warm weather of the previous days. But it didn’t affect the home side when they took the lead in the twentieth minute, after a brilliant counter attack when under pressure. To Villa’s credit they kept the heads up and were rewarded on thirty seven minutes when Luciano Carelli scored to make it one all and the teams went in at the break level. Bridge were the stronger team after the break and had some good chances early on but David Purcell was in fine form in the Villa goal. The second period belonged to the home side, and after soeme good pressure finally took the lead with twenty minutes left. That left Villa chasing the game, and as often happens, they were left open to a counter attack, which Bridge exploited and fired a third goal to end the tie with a home win.
TSDL Second Division 10th September 2023 Match Reports
St Nicholas 1 – 1 Rosegreen Rangers
This game got off to a very even start in the first quarter of an hour, with both teams probing for weaknesses in each other, before the home side began to dominate and almost opened the scoring when Jason Sutton found Jack Downey free in the area, but he directed his header just wide. Three minutes later Paul Ryan had another header off target, and Ryan was unlucky again just before the half hour mark, flashing a shot just over the bar. The away side were left fighting for scraps in terms of chances throughout the first period, but they put in a massive defensive effort to keep the game level at nil all at the break. The second half was only two minutes old, when Pakie Farrell thought he had opened the scoring for the visitors, but he shot cleared the crossbar by inches. He didn’t make the same mistake however in the sixty-eight minute, when he got on the end of an excellent through ball and finished past the stranded Saints keeper. This pushed the home side to pile on the pressure, and they finally found an equaliser with ten minutes left in the game, when Aiden O Riordan found Paul Ryan and he made no mistake from ten yards out. Both sides had half chances to win the game after this, but in the end, the points were shared.
Suirside 3 – 3 Dualla
A six goal thriller in Ardfinnan saw the points shared in this game, with some excellent football and great finishes on show. The match was very entertaining with the home side opening the scoring in the eight minute through debutant Colin O Shaughnessy, whose bullet header found the bottom corner of the net. Dominant in the first twenty five minutes, the home side doubled the lead when a loose ball was picked up by O Shaughnessy again and he scored from six yards out. Dualla came roaring back, and just after the half hour, David Clarke latched onto a ball played forward, and finished to the net, a score which left his team only a single goal behind at the break. In the second period Suirside started better, and re-established their two goal cushion five minutes in, when John Darmody made it three goals to one, with a clever finish. But Dualla wouldn’t give up, and sixteen minutes from the end, Patrick Ryan got his toe on the ball in a goal mouth scramble to poke to the net and set up a grandstand finish. Five minutes from time, it was a Darmody again that found the net, but this time it was the visitors Tomás Darmody to make it three all with a good finish from just inside the area. That was how the game ended with both teams happy to take a point for the tie.
Moyglass United 1 – 3 Cashel Town
Starting the day at the top of the table, albeit after only one game, Moyglass United were brought back down to earth when they were turned over at home by Cashel Town’s seconds on a scoreline of three goals to one. Cashel started brightly, and were ahead inside fifteen seconds, when the home side were caught cold from the kick off and Ryan St John delivered a brilliant finish from outside the area. But the home side put that behind them, played themselves into the game, and equalised in the fifteenth minute when Stephen Houlihan curled an effort to the net from the edge of the visitor’s area. The rest of the first half was fairly even, with the visitors content to allow the home side have a lot of the ball, and look to catch them on the break. They finally managed to make this tactic work, when Nicky Kirkov picked up the ball in his own half, beat the home defence and produced a tidy finish midway through the half. They did it again in the final minutes of the half, with this time Niall Hallissey finding the score sheet, with a delightful chip over the stranded home keeper, to give the visitors a three goal to one lead at the break. The second half was only a pale shadow of the first though, with the away side very comfortable in defending what was thrown at them by a game but limited Moyglass attack. In the end, no more goals were scored and Cashel got their first win of the season at the second time of asking.
Powerstown 0 – 2 Two Mile Borris
Borris’ seconds took all three points on the road at Powerstown on Sunday, with a very accomplished performance by a young but talented side. They took the lead after just five minutes, when Adam Daly put the away side in front. A ball into the box caused chaos, before falling to Daly who made no mistake, from six yard out. Powerstown chances were few and far between with the visiting keeper not being been tested during the half. The hosts best chance of the game came with twenty minutes left on the clock. A ball into the box forced a save and a goal line block to keep the visitors in front. Ten minutes from time however, the destination of the points was put beyond doubt, when the away side got a deserved second goal, with Kyle Shelley who finishing from close range.
TSDL Third Division 10th September 2023 Match Reports
Burncourt Celtic 1 – 2 Ballingarry Albion
In a keenly contested game, it was Albion who enjoyed the better of the first half and following a mix up in the Celtic defence they won a penalty on twenty two minutes which was duly despatched by Ricky Cashin to put the visitors in front. The hosts had to work hard afterwards, and defended well to keep the score at just one to nil by the break. At the beginning of the second period, the home side had another setback when they were reduced to ten men after a straight red card. But as often is the case the ten men lifted their game and just after the hour mark, Jamie Hally Hogan kept his cool inside the box to slot past the keeper from twelve yards out to make it one all. However, while they were still celebrating the goal, within a minute the visitors were back in front, when a long range effort from Ian Ivors found the top corner to make it two goals to one for the Albion. The home side continued to probe with Eddie Kendrick leading the line well creating a few opportunities with Pa Ryan and Jamie hogan unlucky not to equalise. It wasn’t to be in the end, and the away side held on for the three points.
SK & C United 3 – 1 Donohill and District
Newly renamed as SK & C United, to reflect the addition of their junior club to the Kilsheelan ranks, they got their first win of the season defeating Donohill FC by three goals to one at the Ormonde Stores pitch. After an opening ten minutes of both sides sharing possession, the hosts eventually found the breakthrough in the thirteen minute, with a strike by Ben Smith. Mark Heffernan ran towards the Donohill defence, before finding Smith on the left who cut in beyond his marker and fired low into the far corner to give us the lead. They almost doubled our lead soon after, when Nathan Dolan forced the Donohill keeper into a great low save from a free-kick, with Smith firing the rebound narrowly over from close range. The visitors got back into the game ten minutes into the second half, firing home from close range to level the scoring. And the away almost took the lead soon after, only to see Cianan O’Brien clear a looping header off the line to keep the score at one all. The home side were then offered a gilt edged chance to retake the lead mid-way through the second period when we were awarded a penalty, but the visitors keeper pulled off a great save to keep his side in the game. The home pressure finally told however, and in the seventy eight minute, they regained the lead through Mark Heffernan. Jack O’Gorman won possession before playing Heffernan in down the right-wing, and he fired a low effort from a tight angle beyond the keeper at his near post. In the final minute of injury time, they made sure of the points through Heffernans second. He intercepted a pass back, played a quick one-two with Evan Forristal, before finding the far top-left corner from twenty yards out, to give his team all three points.
Clonmel Celtic 4 – 1 Tipperary Town
This game saw the away side take charge in the opening half, with the home side looking unusually flat, conceding a goal midway through the half, and going into the break a goal behind. The second period was a different matter however, and they equalised minutes into with a fantastic strike by Ben Nugent. The hosts began to dominate possession and were rewarded again with Sean Cronin finding the net to make it two goals to one for the hosts just before the hour mark. Dean McLaughlin who added a third, twenty minutes from time, and they completed their comeback five minutes from time, when Michael Morrissey added a fourth from a lovely free kick whipped in by Sean Cronin, that was headed to the net.
TSDL Youths Report 10th September 2023 Match Reports
TSDL Youths Div 1
Clonmel Celtic 4 – 2 Clonmel Town
Clonmel Celtic and Town started their League campaigns on Saturday at the Bypass in very challenging conditions with extreme heat proving very difficult for the players. In the opening exchanges Celtic started the brighter and sought to maintain possession of the ball however a resolute Town defence kept chances to a minimum. On seventeen minutes Jack Aylward dispossessed a Town defender outside the box and setup Michael O Reilly to hit an early contender for goal of the season driving home from all of twenty-five yards to give the hosts the lead. They continued to press forward with Cillian O Brien and Michael O Reilly controlling the midfield and looking dangerous however, but the visitors broke ten minutes before the break, and came very close to levelling, just narrowly shooting wide. Within three minutes of the restart, the home side made it two when Cillian O Brien squared the ball to Dominic Mendel who slotted home. At this stage the home side were in control of the game, but just after the hour mark, Monsur Emibiatta broke free in the box to finish well for Clonmel Town. For the next five minutes Town sensed an equalizer and when pushing forward Celtic broke down the right through Max Ryan who squared the ball for Jack Aylward to slot home and re-establish sides two goal cushion. They continued to push and twelve minutes from time, put the result to bed with a fourth capitalising on confusion in the Town defence allowing Cillian O Brien to finish from close range. Eight minutes from the end, the visitors got a second goal back through a Harry Tobin penalty kick, but it was never going to put the final result or destination of the points in doubt.