Arra Rovers power to historic Premier Division title win

By Gary Culbert

Premier Division

Arra Rovers 4-1 Lough Derg

A Ruadhan Mulrooney hat-trick was the highlight on Sunday in Portroe when Dermot O’Halloran’s newly promoted Arra Rovers side sealed an historic NTDL Premier Division title win thanks to a 4-1 victory over Lough Derg.

The permutations were simple for Arra Rovers going in their final league game of the season; three points and the league was theirs, anything else would leave the door open for Killavilla United who had a game in hand.

The village of Portroe descended onto Shouldice Park to witness Arra Rovers bridge a 27-year gap and lift the North Tipperary & District League Premier Division title.

A morning of high passion and top-class football saw the Portroe side dominate the scoring in this season finale against a very slick Lough Derg side, who battled to the last minute and added greatly to the entertainment and the occasion overall with their positive style of football.

For the early kick off, we were thoroughly entertained as Arra applied the early pressure down the flanks and over the top against a Lough Derg side with little to play for.

The home side did not delay in getting the scoring underway in the third minute as the elusive Eoin Maloney jinked down the right before crossing beautifully for Ruadhan Mulrooney, who peeled off his man at the back post, creating a yard of space in which the red-hot striker made no mistake, driving home the header to send the home crowd into dreamland.

Despite the huge points gap and polar opposite positions on the table, there strangely was not that much between these two sides on the day, bar in the final third where Arra blitzed their fellow Shannon-siders.

Arra are lethal up top and punish opposition errors deeply, and that’s exactly what happened on the half hour mark when a misplaced goal-kick from the extremely talented young Derg goalkeeper Oisin Conacur, inadvertently gifted Mulrooney with an easy second goal which settled the hosts nerves.

Two became three shortly before the break as Arra worked the ball down the right before it was pulled back to the edge of the box for Kevin O’Halloran, who rifled home a low rasping shot to the delight of the Portroe faithful.

To their credit, Lough Derg came out fired up for the second half and really gave it everything, dominating for large spells in the opening twenty minutes. Their resilience paid off in the 68thminute when Jay Collins pulled back a fine goal.

There were some uneasy looks exchanged within the large Portroe crowd that maybe this was an opening to perhaps upset the occasion for Arra Rovers, but you always felt they had another gear or two in them if required.

From the restart, Arra proved just that as they won a corner on the left, which was floated in towards Mulrooney, who headed powerfully off the crossbar and down over the line to complete his hat-trick and restore the three goal lead on seventy minutes.

The game completely died off from this point on and in truth the last twenty minutes dragged on for an eternity for the neutral. However, for John Gleeson, Dermot O’Halloran and the Arra faithful; this writer has no doubt that they soaked in every second before the final whistle did eventually blow to rapturous scenes of unbridled happiness and tears of joy, as a 27-year wait for in Premier Division titles for Arra Rovers was ended.

Dermot O’Halloran has a quarter of a century of a playing career behind him with Arra Rovers, and in the past three seasons he has managed their rise from the depths of the second division all the way to the summit of the premier division, impressively picking up the Nora Kennedy Cup and Barry Cup along the way.

That Barry Cup final win was the moment that this Arra Rovers side came of age, the young team expressed their confidence and flair by scoring some of the finest goals this writer has ever seen in the NT&DL.

Before Arra Rovers captain Diarmuid Boyle lifted the cup to a tumultuous roar, Dermot O’Halloran thanked all in attendance, and passionately concluded his speech with a touching note: “we are family, we are community, we are Arra Rovers”.

Borrisokane 1-5 Killavilla United

Killavilla United kicked off in Borrisokane at the same time as the game in Portroe, so all they could do was fulfil their side of things, and that they did, emphatically.

Sean Delaney netted a hat-trick for the visitors, while Robbie Farrell and Paul Kirwan were also on target for Denis Moloney’s men. Gordon Harding got Borrisokane’s final Premier Division goal as they head for the first division next season.

Division 1

A point does not do a lot for both Holycross and Portumna Town as they push for promotion and survival respectively, but that is what these two sides got on Sunday in Glenbane after four goals were evenly shared.

Portumna took a one goal lead into the break thanks to a Donnacha O’Meara goal, and Graham Fogarty’s side also netted in the second half through Oisin Fogarty. Both goals for the home side came in the second half courtesy of Jack Dwan and Seanie Comerford.

Ardcroney once again have promotion in their own hands, so Holycross will be cheering on Borroway Rovers next weekend as the Thurles side travel to Ardcroney in search of single point to secure the title.

To avoid relegation, Moneygall need to win their remaining two games against Borroway and Sallypark whilst also hoping that ‘park can do them a favour against Portumna Town in their final fixture.

Division 2

Lough Derg righted the wrongs from the week before in the reverse fixture to come away from lead leaders Shinrone with a massive three points thanks to a 4-2 win.

Just like the week prior, Derg went 2-0 up, this time thanks to goals from Shane Grace and Cian McAuley. The title favourites fought back to 2-2 thanks to a Simon Hayes brace. However, a Kieran Larkin penalty and then another from Larkin ensured that Lough Derg remain in the hunt for promotion.

Clodiagh Rangers ‘B’ went away to Ballymackey ‘B’ on Sunday and scored four unanswered goals. Oisin Treacy netted a brace, while Jack Butler and Seamus Cullagh scored one each.

Under 19 Championship

Ardcroney ‘B’ and Silvermines played out a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Lucas Jones netted a brace for Ardcroney, while the visitors scored through Morgan Connolly. Cathal England and Cathal Treacy were the best on show.