BT Harps put one hand on Premier League title

North Tipperary and District League Review

By Gary Culbert

PREMIER DIVISION

BT Harps 4-2 Killavilla

What’s rare is wonderful! Heading into last Sunday’s top of the table clash in the NT&DL Premier Division, BT Harps had lost five of their last six meetings with Killavilla United. However, the tide had turned of late, and a bumper crowd turned up to Michael Fennell Park in Templemore to witness Harps come from behind twice to record a 4-2 victory, which sees Henry Newman’s side surge seven points clear of holders ‘Villa at the top of the table, albeit with a game more played.

It was the visitors who took the lead through a rather unorthodox goal in the fifteenth minute when stand-in goalkeeper Jordan Moloney was adjudged to have carried the ball over his own line after snatching a shot-come-cross from the air.

Sean Paddy Guerins is a constant threat from set-pieces, and in the 20th minute the former Treaty United man drew a great save out of Aaron Mulready.

Jack Johnson brought Harps level five minutes later with a lethal strike from outside the box. The ball bounced up just as the 20-year-old hit it, resulting in a rasper of a half volley which flew into the roof of the net.

Villa boss Michael Lynch used all three of his subs at half time, which saw more flair and pace added to their attack while Harps replaced Eanna McBride with Ben Stapleton, who helped to stretch the opponents back three with runs in behind.

Guerins made an uncharacteristic mistake to allow Killavilla regain the lead, young winger Michael Fitzgerald on target for the visitors. But the former League of Ireland player made up for it just five minutes later by scoring from yet another Stevie Nolan corner to level matters once more.

Harps went on to dominate most of the half and took the lead in the 65th minute through Szymon Popiela, a clinical finish at the back post after Dylan Cody flicked on a Lorcan Campion cross. This goal was all about the high pressure from the nippy Harps forwards, who never gave the experienced Villa back-three a moments piece to play out from the back.

Killavilla had good chances from set-pieces and often caught the hosts overplaying in central areas, but ultimately the reigning champions could not find an equalizer. It was Harps who looked more likely as Ben Stapleton drew another brilliant save out of Mulready, whilst young Cormac Foy hit the upright too.

Eventually, Szymon Popiela stole in for another clinical finish in the 83rd minute to put daylight between the sides. Once again, it was the intriguing relationship between Foy and the Polish hit-man that did the damage, as the youngster held the ball just long enough before playing it into the path of the overlapping Popiela, who expertly dinked it over the onrushing keeper to seal a massively important three points in the title race.

Harps boss Henry Newman deserves huge credit for blooding young talent like Foy, Johnson, Filippo Fini and Rhys Loughnane in the premier division. Harps are reaping the rewards of such a stacked squad; they were easily able to deal with the hamstring tear that Lyndon Fairbrother picked up in the warm-up.

Of course, it must be mentioned that the signings of Sean Patrick Guerins and Dylan Cody have been a huge factor in their recent rise. The latter came in from Peake Villa over the Christmas period and was the player of the match from central midfield.

These are testing times for Michael Lynch and Killavilla United. It’s easy to point at the heavy defeat in the Munster Junior Cup as the start of their problems this season, but there are other factors at play in their drop off. Some of their most exciting attacking talent have not delivered of late, Ruairi Murphy was not available at the weekend and has not come close to his usually goal tally this season. Nineteen-year-old Ben Lynch was an important first-team player last season but has not featured at all since October.

The big question now is how will Killavilla react? They are away Borrisoleigh next Sunday in the Tipperary Cup, a trophy they will have earmarked to retain, especially given the fact that Harps are no longer in contention. However, Borris are a very young and athletic team that are enjoying an upturn in form themselves of late. This promises to be one of the games of the weekend. An upset is possible, but it’s more likely that we see a high-scoring game, with both sides contributing to the tally.

First Division

Borrisoleigh made the great escape from relegation by easily turning over their old sparring partner Grange United on Sunday.

Borris had spent the entire season in the sole relegation spot, conceding a whopping 47 goals in just eleven games, but they knew that a win would be enough to beat the drop if Cloughjordan lost at home to Clodiagh Rangers - which they did.

The revival of Borrisoleigh has coincided with the return of Jerry Kelly from Canada. He assisted Dan Ryan for the opener in the eighth minute, before scoring himself in the sixteenth minute for his third goal in as many games.

Dan Ryan doubled his tally just after the half-hour mark and completed his hat-trick just after the hour mark. Gearoid Gaughan scored a consolation goal late on for Grange, who will be happy enough with their mid-table finish.

Clodiagh Rangers went top of the league on Sunday and simultaneously consigned their hosts Cloughjordan to relegation thanks to a 3-1 win on the road.

It was the last ever junior men’s league game at Tierney Park, but unfortunately for Clough they came up against a side that thrived under the circumstances of long balls and a physical game.

Clough went behind when former Ballymackey player Terry Delaney conceded a penalty, which Oisin Treacy converted past Ger Corcoran. Luke Morkan was the home side’s biggest threat; the winger slipped an equaliser under the onrushing keeper in the 35th minute to leave it all-square at the break.

This game was far from a classic and it would take a Cloughjordan mistake from a set-piece for Clodiagh to regain the lead just after the hour mark as young Jim O’Dwyer finishing from four yards after a nice, cushioned pass across the box by Daniel Moloney.

The provider turned scorer in the 75th minute when another mistake at the back saw Clodiagh put daylight between the sides.

Clodiagh are now joint top of the table with Shinrone United, albeit with two more games played. The Drombane side will conclude their league campaign this Sunday with a top of the table clash away to the Offaly side.

Mathematically, the title can still end up with any of the top four teams, including Moneygall and Portumna Town, but it is expected that Shinrone will maximise home advantage and end Clodiagh’s late leap for silverware.

Cloughjordan’s final ever junior men’s game in Tierney Park will also be this Sunday. Eoin Killackey’s side face Grange United in the Barry Cup semi-final. Goals are guaranteed. If bookmakers did take bets on the NT&DL, they would be wise to suspend betting on Tommy Brophy to score against Cloughjordan; the veteran striker has scored a brace in his last two meetings with Clough.

Anne Gilmore Youths Cup

The BT Harps and Killavilla United rivalry will get another chapter on Saturday afternoon in Moneygall in the Anne Gilmore Youths Cup final. Rhys Loughnane scored four for Harps in the semi-final and will be a huge threat in behind, as will Villa’s pacy striker Eoghan McLoughlin, who scored a hat-trick in the other semi-final.