Arra hold nerve in shoot-out
North Tipperary and District League Review
By Gary Culbert
Premier Division - Ricky Fogarty Cup
The dreaded penalty shootout was required in Portroe on Sunday to separate Arra Rovers and Ardcroney, with the hosts advancing to the semi-finals.
Ardcroney led at the break thanks to a Luke Dervan goal, however, Brian McEvoy levelled proceedings on the hour mark. Extra time saw no more goals so penalties it was with Jack Maloney, Stephen Kennedy, Eoin Maloney, and Callan Cottrell all scoring for Arra; while the visitors only found the net through Jack Daly and Darren Moran as the home side progressed 4-2.
Lee Doran was best for Ardcroney, while Jack Maloney stood out for the Premier League holders, who will be at home to Ballymackey or Borroway Rovers in the semi-finals.
Clodiagh Rangers went away to Rearcross and were 2-1 winners, after extra time. It was scoreless at the break, then goals from Clodiagh’s Matty Stakelum and Rea’s Stephen Rochford forced extra time. Oisin Treacy got the all-important winner for Clodiagh in extra time. TJ Butler was best for Clodiagh, who face a daunting away trip to BT Harps or Killavilla United in the last four.
Division 1 League
Cloughjordan and Moneygall played out a scoreless draw in the freezing cold last Friday night.
Chances were at a minimum in this one. Clough’s best chance fell to Cian D’Arcy early on, whilst Moneygall looked threatening through Jack O’Brien late in the second half. Seamus Williams was Clough’s player of the match, but it was Moneygall’s Jack O’Brien that was the player of the match. O’Brien never stopped moving to create space or an angle to receive the ball, he seems to truly enjoy every second on the pitch and he really elevates this Moneygall team. The point sees Eoin Killackey’s side maintain a slender lead at the top of the table, but in truth it’s two points dropped.
The only other game in division 1 saw Sallypark Odhrans put nine past Shinrone United on Sunday. Danny O’Donoghue, Jack Saunders, and Stephen Murray netted a brace apiece while Craig Connolly, Brian Mitchell and Stephen Flynn all chipped in with a goal each. Danny O’Donoghue was Sallypark’s player of the match, whilst DJ McLoughlin scored Shinrone’s sole reply.
Division 2
On Friday night, Rearcross ‘B’ eventually beat Sallypark ‘B’ 1-0 having hit the woodwork four times. The only goal came in the 70th minute when Rob Harrington found Callum Wallace, who in turn unleashed a super strike from twenty yards which beat the keeper.
Cloughjordan ‘B travelled to the Thurles Greyhound Stadium on Sunday and came away with an unlikely point following a six-goal thriller, against a Thurles Town side boasting four wins from four games up to that point.
Andrew Brennan had the visitors one up early on after a dominant start, during which Shane Williams and Alex Wade caused all sorts of trouble for Thurles through relentless pressing. Thurles manager Andreas Schlingloff smartly switched to a back-three midway through the half, which saw Thurles overload Clough and they began to come into the game. The pressure culminated in added time when Dylan Gayson powered his header from a corner back across goal and just inside the post.
Cloughjordan were the better team in the first half, but Thurles came out for the second half more composed and took the lead shortly after the resumption, again from a set-piece. The ball was swung in from the side-line and Willie Creedon eventually forced the ball over the line after some questionable defending from the away side.
A woeful mix up between full back, Gary Culbert and his goalkeeper, Derrick Mhlanga saw Thurles go 3-1 up shortly after, courtesy of a calamitous own-goal in which the keeper had the ball kicked into his face from very close range. Clough were all at sea now and very much there for the taking, but a mixture of poor finishing from Thurles and a touch of good fortune at times for the visitors saw no more goals, the closest call being Ryan Curtis’ speculative effort from 40-yards, which flashed just inches wide.
Daniel Parker stood out for the away side when introduced off the bench midway through the half. He got Clough back into it with ten minutes to go thanks to a tap-in from close range – and now the comeback was on. With seconds remaining, Clough won a throw-in down the right, Daniel Parker contested the resulting aerial dual with Dylan Gayson, whilst Gary Culbert stole in behind unmarked, before looping in a cross and it was a case of cometh the hour cometh the man as Shane Williams arrived late to the six-yard line to place his header neatly into the bottom corner to rescue a draw.
Grange United went away to Villa Park and continued their title chasing form on Sunday against a progressive footballing side in Killavilla United ‘B’.
Grange went in at half time leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Darren Drennan and Vinnie Cleere. They looked comfortable and very confident, however, the first ten minutes of the second half were frantic, Killavilla came out and hit two quick-fire goals through Shane Reynolds and Fionn Ryan within the first six minutes to draw level.
Now it was Villa that looked like they had all the momentum. But it didn’t last long as Jason McCormack stole in behind moments later and was taken down inside the opposition penalty box. Brian Bowe duly stepped up and slotted home from twelve yards to restore the visitors lead. The goal of the game came in the 68th minute and it fell to the Laois men, Brian Bowe loomed over a freekick at the edge of the opposition box before unleashing, with great precision, a strike of the highest quality to the goalkeeper’s side.
Clodiagh Rangers ‘B’ were 4-3 winners over Ballymackey ‘B’ thanks to a brace from Oisin Treacy and a goal apiece from Pa Dwyer and Jim Dwyer. James Kenneally, Cathal Dervan, and Jack Kenneally were all on target for the Ballinree side, but it mattered for little in the end as they left Drombane empty handed.
Templetouhy and Moneygall ‘B’ played out a 1-1 draw that was marred by a serious injury to Aaron Lee very early in the game. Christy Moore gave Templetouhy the lead, but Anthony Devereux pulled one back late on to restore parity.
Youths
Rearcross and Cloughjordan played out a 2-2 draw in Tierney Park on Saturday.
Rea’ opened the scoring just inside ten minutes when some fine build up play between Sean Griffin and Larry Collins resulted in James Butler being played in down the right and applying a deft finish. The visitors doubled their tally in the 23rd minute when Padraig Griffin let fly with a splendid strike that whizzed into the top corner.
Johnny Naughnane kept the home side in the game with some fine saves, and as the half grew on the home side started to grow into the game. Clough got their reward a minute before half time when Donnacha O’Meara found space down the right to whip a pinpoint delivery across the box to Scott O’Brien, who finished emphatically to halve the deficit. Michael Hennelly scored in the second period for the home side to rescue a point. Johnny Naughnane was the player of the match.
BT Harps went away to Ballymackey on Saturday and came away with an impressive 9-2 victory, with the goals coming from Cormac Foy, Ryan Loughnane, Liam Delaney, and a hat-trick each from Dayle Hogan and Finan McAleese. Ballymackey’s goals came from Jack Hogan and James Kenneally. Liam Delaney was the player of the match.
Killavilla United were 3-1 winners away to Holycross. Villa were 2-1 up at the break courtesy of the player of the match, Jack Moloney and Leigh Loughnane. Miko Pasalic secured the win in the second half.