Clodiagh Rangers maintain perfect start
By Gary Culbert
PREMIER DIVISION
Ballymackey 4-5 Clodiagh Rangers
A crazy game unfolded in Ballinree on Sunday as Clodiagh Rangers just about continued their perfect start edging a nine-goal thriller with Ballymackey.
The home side were 2-0 down at the break after strikes from Oisin Treacy and Brian Hanrahan. However, a Sam Rosney brace and a goal apiece from David Haverty and former Sallypark man Kevin Kennedy saw Ballymackey come out strong in the second half, however, further Clodiagh goals from Conor O’Brien, Paul Hanley and a TJ Butler penalty made it three wins from three for the Drombane men.
Lough Derg 2-2 Borrisokane
Borrisokane earned their first point of the campaign with a draw away to Lough Derg on Sunday.
The sizable home crowd thought they had a goal to celebrate after two minutes, but Darragh Hickey’s sweet strike rattled the crossbar.
The hosts did make the breakthrough on the half hour when some fine ball control set Leon Kerin up to score his first of the day.
As Lough Derg pressed for a second, they got caught out by a long ball over top which caused uncertainty in their backline, Jack Mahoney capitalized on the indecision to level.
The home side’s lead was restored with a fine finish from Leon Kerin following a defence splitting pass from Dave Cassidy. Lough Derg dictated play and had more good chances in the first half but couldn't add to the score line.
In second half, Borrisokane fought their way back into the game and got their reward in the 60th minute when Brian Donnelly scored off the back of a well-worked short corner.
It was all to play for as both sides went at it for the last half hour; Lough Derg’s Jason Comley lob was denied by a super David Nevin save, while Cathal Mullane saved well at the other end when Borrisokane tried to capitalise on another defensive mix-up.
Borrisokane could have won it with ten minutes to go as they had one cleared off the line and also hit the crossbar. Derg too had chances to win it through Jay Collins and Jason Monaghan, but the spoils were shared in the end.
Gordon Harding had an outstanding game for Borrisokane at centre back, whilst Leon Kerin was the stand out player for the Shannonsiders.
Rearcross 0-0 Arra Rovers
The spoils were shared between promoted sides Rearcross and Arra Rovers in Rearcross on Sunday.
The home side enjoyed a phenomenal season last year, however, they have been dealt a difficult hand at the start of this campaign as injuries to Paddy Dawson and James Deegan mean they are without two crucial first team players.
Chances were few and far between in this very even game. Arra emptied their bench in the second half, but due to injuries and other commitments Rearcross could only call upon one substitute. In the end it mattered for little as both sides secured a point. Goalkeeper Luke Conneally was the best for the visitors, whilst the home side’s best was Brian Nolan.
Division 1
The story of the Moneygall ‘A’ team since Gerry Larkin led them to final day Division 1 glory a number of years back is quite the case study for other North Tipp clubs. Essentially, for various reasons there has been a high turnover of players in that time and many of those who came did not stay, which sees the Moneygall squad in such a period of transition which could result in back-to-back relegations as they fell to a 4-3 home defeat to Ardcroney on Friday evening.
Andrew Hodgins netted in the first half for the home side, but a Jamie Heffernan strike and a free kick and another from Shane Doran the visitors went in 2-1 up at the break. Lee Doran put Glen Austin’s side 3-1 up before Andrew Hayes added a fourth.
Ardcroney rung the changes, but this allowed Moneygall back into the game. Sean Moroney netted to give the hosts a lifeline and then Cameron Fleming scored to make it 4-3. Ardcroney held out for the win thanks to a fine central defensive display by Luke Dervan and Shane Doran.
On Sunday, a depleted Cloughjordan outfit made the trip to Latteragh to take on Sallypark who won 5-3.
The visitors opened the scoring when Kevin Kennedy netted his third goal in as many games. Sallypark saw the majority of the ball in the first half and would have been good value for a goal, but the closest they got was having an effort cleared off the line. At the other end Dean O’Meara had a great chance to double Clough’s lead but the pacey winger saw his low effort well saved.
Eoin Killackey’s side doubled their lead shortly after the interval when a ball into the box by Gary Culbert was sliced clear but only as far as Dean O’Meara, who made no mistake from six yards. The home side did not lie down, however, and got their just rewards through Padraig Ryan. Cloughjordan restored the two-goal advantage through O’Meara again when the winger was played in by Gary Culbert.
Many teams would lie down when 3-1 down with twenty minutes to go, but not this Sallypark side. Clough began to tire, and Paul Walsh started to run the show from centre midfield. Noah Nevin headed in from six yards to halve the deficit. Tom McCutcheon then equalized and at this point Cloughjordan were at sixes and sevens. Sallypark smelled blood and sliced through the visitor’s spine almost straight from tip-off, Kieran Ryan putting the ball in the net with Padraig Ryan wrapping up the win late on with his second.
Thurles Town made the long trip to Galway to take on Portumna Town on Sunday and came away with a 4-3 win.
The home side took the lead in the fifth minute when David O’Meara latched onto a ball over the top and just got his toe to it to poke home. In the eighth minute, Adam Fogarty blasted in a great strike to double Port’s lead.
The visitors settled after a quarter of an hour and began to pepper the Portumna goal. Thurles’ star man Tommy Brophy was denied on several occasions, but the veteran goal ace would not be denied on the half hour when a great first-time ball by man of the match Joe Hennessy found him with time and space to pick out a clever finish. Despite being in the ascendancy Thurles went in at the break 2-1 down as they could not convert their pressure into goals.
However the second half was a different story as the Thurles frontline netted three goals from Brophy and a brace from Jack O’Donnell. Thurles had an abundance of chances to put the game to bed, but Portumna hung on despite being reduced to ten men and Graham Fogarty’s charges made a game of it with fifteen minutes to go when Cormac Houlihan netted off the back of a free kick, but they couldn’t fashion an equaliser and remain rooted to the bottom of the table
Borroway Rovers continued their perfect start with a 1-0 away win over Holycross. The home side held out until the 61st minute when Aaron Cullen scored the only goal of the game.
Division 2
Templetuohy earned a 4-3 win at home to Borrisoleigh to continue their strong start to the season.
The home side went two goals up inside the opening ten minutes from Eugene Davy and Christy Moore before Borrisoleigh scored through Fintan Holland and a Dan Ryan brace to go in ahead at the break. Templetouhy responded in the second half with Davy bagging his second, and Jason Quinlivan to earn victory.
Title hopefuls Shinrone were held to a 1-1 draw away to Borrisokane ‘B’. The hosts were one up at half time thanks to a Kieran Fox penalty. Shane Reynolds scored in the second half to rescue a point for Declan Mullalley’s side.
Clodiagh Rangers ‘B’ ran out 3-1 winners at home to Lough Derg ‘B’ in Drombane.
Mike Griffin gave the hosts the lead in the fourteenth minute courtesy of a wicked deflection. Cathal O’Donnell equalised in the 25th minute but they were behind again five minutes later when Griffin latched onto a long ball over the top and finished well. Lough Derg pushed hard for an equalizer in the second half which left a gap at the back for Loughlin Ryan to capitalise on and wrap it up for the home side.
Birdhill recorded a 2-1 home win over Rearcross ‘B’. the hosts took the lead in the eleventh minute, direct from a Colin Floyd free-kick from just outside the box. Birdhill caught Rea’ cold just after the break and Conor Hickey doubled their lead.
Good play between Rearcross’ Eoin Sheldon and Brian Nolan in the 70th minute saw the latter skip past two defenders before slotting into the bottom corner to halve the deficit. The visitors almost equalized five minutes from the end when Gary Ryan's cross was met by the head of Declan O'Toole only for his effort to come of the crossbar.