Killavilla complete Premier League and Cup double

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League Premier Division Cup Final

Killavilla United 2

Ballymackey 0

Report: Gary Culbert in Templemore

An organized and well-drilled Killavilla United outfit completed the North Tipperary & District Leagues’ Premier Division league and cup double when they comprehensively dispatched a youthful Ballymackey side in the newly renamed Michael Fennell Park, Templemore on Sunday.

The Roscrea sides’ joint-managers Denis Moloney and John Cordial deployed an experienced three-man defence which never looked in any real danger of conceding, whilst the midfield duo of Mark Dwyer and Paul Scully kept the Ballinree men at arm’s length for the entirety of the contest. Tom Ahern and Michael Ryan worked tirelessly on the flanks, and in attack, Craig Phelan was the ball in behind and John Pio Fitzpatrick was the ball to feet.

Very early on in the game Craig Phelan asked a question of pace down the inside left defensive channel that Cathal Delaney and Thomas Sheppard were protecting, the veteran winger found the net, but Ballymackey’s blushes were saved by the offside flag. Indeed, this through ball in between the centre back and full back was always on for the Villa striker, because Thomas Sheppard was being pulled wide by the advances of Tom Ahern.

Ballymackey tried to press Villa high, but Ian Tracey and Stephen Delaney were cool enough to find a way out every time.

Killavilla were physically dominant over this young and light Ballymackey side. The Roscrea men enjoyed the better of a very scrappy first half and they got their reward five minutes before the break through big-game player, Tom Ahern.

The goal came on the counter after Mark Dwyer travelled with the ball at his feet for thirty yards across the pitch from left to right. There were shouts from the ‘Villa management and subs to shoot, but Dwyer displayed composure beyond his years to slip in Tom Ahern at the back post who took a touch to steady himself, before getting his head up and blasting low from six yards out.

Damien Bentley, George Haverty, and Johnny Kenneally’s Ballymackey side enjoyed a much better start to the second half, but they lacked a focal point up top and could not hold onto the ball long enough to sustain any real attack.

Villa got the all-important second goal in the 63rd minute through John Pio Fitzpatrick. The Ballymackey centre backs rushed up to try and catch the former Ballymackey man Fitzpatrick offside, but his run was good and his finish even better; an emphatic right footed volley with his laces from the left edge of the area, which flew across the keeper and nestled neatly into the far bottom corner.

Ballymackey were a bit aimless in their approach and it was all far too intricate and central. In hindsight they might have had more joy had they utilized Thomas Sheppard up top and Gearoid Murphy centrally from the start, but it is still a fantastic achievement for this very young side to come second in the league and be runners-up in the cup.

The season belongs to Killavilla United, however, as they managed to equal Nenagh Celtic’s double from last season.

Young Mark Dwyer was the man of the match on the day, but it was an all-round team performance which delivered the double to Roscrea in Denis Moloney’s debut season in charge.

Player of the Match: Mark Dwyer (Killavilla United)

Killavilla United: Brian Parlon; Michael Ryan, Pauric Phelan, Ian Tracey, Stephen Delaney, Tom Ahern; Paul Scully, Mark Dwyer, Fergal Flanagan; John Pio Fitzpatrick, Craig Phelan.

Subs: Dion Carney for C Phelan (59), Paul Kirwan for Fitzpatrick (83), Roddy Teehan for Delaney (83), Ruairi Murphy for Flanagan (87), Liam Doran for Ahern (87).

Ballymackey: Brendan Hayes; Warren Kenneally, Thomas Sheppard, Darragh Spillane, Cathal Delaney; Cathal Conneally; David Haverty, Stephen Cantwell, Aiden White; Dennis Haverty, Paddy Touhy.

Subs: Gearoid Murphy for Touhy (40), Cathal Spillane for Kenneally (67), Timmy Flemming for David Haverty (80)

Referee: Derek Halpin.