Nenagh exit Munster Cup with narrow away defeat
Nenagh AFC bowed out of the Munster Junior Cup going down by the only goal of the game against Avondale United in this fifth round tie in Cork on Sunday.
A below par pitch and a gale-force wind did little to bring out the best of either side in a game that failed to reach the heights expected.
Nenagh will be disappointed that they didn’t take the chances presented to them. Saeed Ryan and Nathan Kelly both went close in the first half. Kelly also had a goal disallowed, which along with a number of other calls by the officials, left the Nenagh sideline less than happy.
The winning goal by Brian Nolan also had a touch of fortune attached which suggested it was not going to be Nenagh’s day.
Once again, Kieran Barr excelled for the Tipperary side but the overall feeling in the camp is that it was a chance let slip.
Nenagh AFC: Eoghan Tinkler; Colm Hayden; Kieran Barr; Eoin Coffey; Saeed Ryan; Lee Mowatt; Dylan Morrison; Adam Ryan; Nathan Kelly; Matt Spain; Aidan White
Elsewhere, Regional United raised quite a few eyebrows when they trounced FAI Junior Cup winners Villa FC 4-0. Eoin Duff scored all four goals for United.
On Saturday, Ballynanty Rovers travelled to Charleville and came back with a 2-0 win over the local side. Cian Power and James Fitzgerald were the goal-scorers.
League
In the Premier League, Pike Rovers opened up a seven-point gap on the chasing pack with a 2-0 win over Aisling Annacotty on Sunday. Colm Walsh O’Loughlin and Shane Clarke scored the winning goals.
In the Premier ‘A’ League, a thrilling game in Newport saw the home side open a three-point gap at the top of the table after a hard fought 4-3 win over Moyross United.
Jay Ryan pounced on a rebound to fire Newport in front and then turned provider to set up James Lynch for number two. On the stroke of half-time, new signing Cillian O’Shea opened his Newport account to make it 3-0.
Moyross regrouped after the break and a foul on Craig Collopy gave James Cleary the chance to score from the spot. Two minutes later, in a repeat action, Collopy was fouled and Cleary netted to make it 3-2.
Newport restarted and went straight through to make it 4-2 through Dan Egan but with ten minutes remaining another foul on Collopy gave Cleary his hat-trick of penalties but Newport held on for three priceless points.
Newport Town: Seamus O’Regan, Killian O’Malley, Pa Murtagh, Elliott Slattery, Peter O’Sullivan, Cillian O’Shea, Darren Collins, Brian O’Sullivan, Dan Egan, James Lynch, Jay Ryan, Subs, Joe Shanahan, Conor Brett, Stephen Madden
Sympathy
The Limerick Junior Soccer fraternity dealt with the shock news last week of the death of Fairview Rangers member James Flanagan.
Well known and liked across all teams in the league, James was a successful manager, coach and administrator and his sudden death put things in perspective over the weekend.