Exciting home ties for Rearcross and Nenagh

FAI Junior Cup 4th Round preview

By Gary Culbert

Rearcross v Cockhill Celtic (Donegal)

Rearcross

Sunday, 1st December

Kick-off @ 12.00pm

Rearcross have not been in the best of form domestically of late, but one thing is for sure – they always find another gear in the big cup competitions, and it does not get much bigger than the FAI Junior Cup.

This Sunday at midday they welcome the reigning champions, Cockhill Celtic to Rearcross. The visitors are based out of Northern Donegal and will have to travel ten hours in total to complete the eight-hundred kilometre round trip to the small North Tipperary village set in the Slieve Felim Hills.

On their way South, Celtic’s team bus will bypass Galway, at Eamonn Deacy Park, the ground at which they overcame Gorey Rangers 3-1 on penalties to claim the FAI Junior Cup last season.

Celtic’s historic achievement last season was built on an air-tight defence; where on their way to the final, they conceded just a single goal in eight games, while dumping out big names such as Pike Rovers and Clonmel Celtic. Coincidentally, the latter is the team Rearcross squeaked past on penalties in round two of this years competition, before overcoming Cullen Lattin in round 3 with the helping hand of lady luck and the woodwork on more than one occasion.

This generation of Rearcross players have pedigree outside of the NT&DL; recent trips to Cork - on more than one occasion - in the Munster Junior Cup will have them well prepared mentally for the big match on Sunday.

However, despite all of the experience and stability in this club and team, there have been some significant improvements of late: Anthony Ryan has come in as head coach, and has shrewdly recruited the former first team manager and player duo of Eamonn Devitt and Robert Harrington to his backroom team; captain and goalscorer Michael O’Gorman has returned from long-term injury; and there has been the crucial signing of the O Siochru brothers, who have come straight into the first eleven and thus bolstered the quality that Rea’ can introduce off of the bench.

This has all resulted in a resurgent Rearcross this season, but as previously mentioned, it has not been completely rosy to-date. Understandably, this counter-attacking side struggled when Arra Rovers came to town and sat in, opting to beat Rea’ using their own tactics.

This is precisely why Rea’ thrive in these big cup competitions; it is an opportunity to play teams on the counter. It is obvious that Cockhill Celtic will see a majority of possession on Sunday; Rea’s best chances of scoring will no doubt come on the counter, in the two or three minutes immediately after regaining possession.

However, it will not be easy, and any goal that Rearcross score will be hard earned:

Currently, the visitors from Ulster sit second in the Inishowen Premier Division, having won four and drawn two of their opening six games. Again, their defence has proved miserly, letting in just one league goal, whilst at the other end they have found the net fifteen times thus far.

No matter the result on Sunday though, Rearcross have done all of the NT&DL stakeholders proud, breaking a glass ceiling and hopefully encouraging more teams to enter this competition, the biggest cup competition in Europe in terms of participants.

Indeed, it is true that some teams in the NT&DL have been on the end of some very heavy defeats in recent years in the FAI Junior Cup, and this has no-doubt influenced their decision to re-enter the following year, but hopefully Rearcross have shown what can be achieved. The village of Rearcross and the wider community will be out in force, filling out the stand in their picturesque ground on Sunday. Rearcross will need to get the crowd involved, use it to their advantage, and hopefully continue their magnificent journey into the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup.

Nenagh AFC v Evergreen (Kilkenny)

Brickfields

Sunday, 1st December

Kick-off @ 2.00pm

Brickfields is sure to attract a bumper crowd also on Sunday as Nenagh AFC welcome Evergreen from Kilkenny for an FAI Junior Cup fourth round clash.

Evergreen have been one of the powerhouses of Kilkenny soccer through the decades and have reached two FAI Junior Cup finals in their history but have yet to get their hands on the coveted trophy. Last season, they exited at the quarter final stage toSt Michael’s AFC of Tipperary Town.

Evergreen are the current champions of the Kilkenny & District League, having gone unbeaten in the league last season, winning 13 and drawing 1 of their 14 games, whilst boasting a goal difference of plus 38.

Their most recent league title was their seventh on the bounce, highlighting the stranglehold they have in the county.

This season, both Evergreen ‘A’ and ‘B’ take part in the Kilkenny Premier division, showcasing just how much strength in depth is within the club.

They are only two games into their league season, having drawn with Thomastown United, conceded a dramatic 95th minute equaliser; and won 3-1 against their ‘B’ team.

If Nenagh are to overcome the visitors on Sunday, they will need to find a way through Lee Delaney. The 31 year old captain plays at the heart of a defence that, last season during their invincible campaign, conceded just eight goals. Indeed, Delaney is a threat at the other end from set-pieces too; so far this season he has netted in both the Maher shield and the FAI Junior Cup, the former a fine header from all of 17 yards.

Another one to watch for the hoops is David Grincell. The number 9 has recently been on target for the K&DL Oscar Trainor team in a 5-0 win over the Defence Forces, and he also bagged a brace in the last round of the FAI Junior Cup.

For Nenagh AFC, it is always an achievement to progress from the ultra-competitive Limerick District League section and got the better of fellow premier division sides Hyde Rangers (2-3) and then a 7-1 thumping of local rivals Newport Town.

The return of Nathan Kelly, Bryan McGee, and Dylan Morrison this season has added massively to the quality and experience of the side that have been a little inconsistent in the league with three wins, four draws and three defeats from their ten games to date, competitive but feeling they should be higher in the league.

They have the ability to be a strong cup side, particularly with the quality of Michael O’Gorman and Dan O’Meara in the attacking third, plus they also have an impactful bench.