Borroway and Ardcroney book top-flight passage

By Gary Culbert

Division 1

Moneygall 2-3 Borroway Rovers

On Friday night in Moneygall, Borroway Rovers finally secured the Division 1 title, while in the expense relegating the home side in the process.

In truth, the title has looked destined for Loughtagalla Park ever since Paul Gould’s side got their noses in front early in the season and never looked back.

Indeed, it was a similar story for Borroway on Friday night when two quick fire goals inside the opening five minutes, and a third on the half hour, were enough to relegate a youthful Moneygall side who piled on the pressure late on to almost nick an equalizer.

Jack Derby got the ball rolling for Borroway in the fifth minute, and Cormac Lanigan added a second just two minutes later. Moneygall woke up after this and to their credit went on to dominate possession and territory for the next 25 minutes without ever really getting a sight of goal. Jake Moore fired in a third on the half hour mark as Borroway regained control heading into the break.

Moneygall pushed up in search of an elusive goal, Niall Maher and Jack O’Brien covered every blade of grass but they could not break down the meanest defence in the league. Sean Moroney was introduced for the hosts and suddenly more chances came their way. Niall Maher pulled one back with fifteen minutes to go and gaping cracks were beginning to show in the tiring Borroway back line when Cameron Fleming lashed one in with four minutes remaining.

This young Moneygall team showed incredible fight, passion, and desire late on and would have been good value for a draw, but ultimately it was too little too late for them as they went down swinging into the second division.

For Borroway Rovers, it is a fantastic achievement to return to the Premier Division at the first time of asking, however, there will be no room for celebrations this week as their season is not over yet, Paul Gould’s next task is to find a way of stopping a Sallypark in the Tipperary Cup quarter finals.

Although the holders will be without Sean Ryan and Paul Ryan for the this clash, there is plenty of danger throughout the ‘Park team: Paul Walsh and David Young will be a constant threat from set-pieces; Padraig Ryan and Willie Connors can pick you apart from central midfield if given time and space; Tom McCutcheon and Mikey Hallinan will be providing the running power and pace up top, whilst London expat Jack Sanders brings flair and trickery to the side.

The newly crowned Division 1 champions have extremely exciting players themselves in Liam McCormack and Jake Moore, but one suspects they will get little opportunity to show this on the day.

A low scoring game is on the cards, and Borroway would be wise to play their own game and not get sucked into a physical battle with the back-to-back Tipperary Cup holders, because many sides have tried that and failed.

Holycross 1-2 Ardcroney

Following Borroway’s title win and Moneygall’s relegation on Friday night, the only other matter to be settled in Division 1 was the coveted automatic promotion place. A win would have secured Holycross promotion to the Premier Division when they hosted Ardcroney on Sunday morning, but once again it was the Darren Moran show as the Kiladangan man got a goal and assist for the second crucial game in a row as Ardcroney claimed the second promotion spot with a 2-1 win.

Holycross once again lined up without star man Callum O’Connor, whose free kick did the damage in Ardcroney when they won the Shield on penalties way back in July.

This match had a real feel of a promotion decider to it; neither side gave an inch during the opening quarter in Glenbane which belonged to Ardcroney. Jack Daly played to his potential, turning in a man of the match performance in the heart of midfield. It was the Nenagh native’s quick thinking which sent Ardcroney on their way in the 20th minute when Darren Moran was brought down in the area by Holycross centre back, David Manning. Kieran Spain converted from the spot.

Seanie Comerford and Jojo O’Meara had plenty of chances for the home side but they fired over on more than one occasion and when they did manage to find the target, returning keeper Paddy Reddan was more than equal despite all those years out of the game.

Holycross gained control in the closing stages of the half and went closest when a Jack Dwan snap-shot viciously rattled the crossbar, whilst Jojo O’Meara also struck the woodwork.

The hosts carried that momentum into the second half and were improved by the half time addition of Ben Slattery. Holycross drew level just five minutes into the second half when Jack Dwan got to the end-line before whipping a cross to the back post for Seanie Comerford, who could not miss from five yards, and Holycross were back in second place.

However, three minutes later, Darren Moran gave the hosts a reminder of the threat he poses on the counter when it took three Holycross men to dispossess the lone striker. The home side did not heed this warning and just two minutes later they went behind when an uneven offside trap saw Darren Moran one yard goal-side of his man and onside when Jack Daly got the ball at his feet deep in his own half. In a repeat of their goal a week previous, Daly found the ever willing runner, Moran, who never looked like missing as he bore down on goal from 35 yards and held off the retreating defenders to side foot into the far corner.

Paddy Reddan was a safe pair of hands late on, but Jojo O’Meara will certainly have wanted to do better with some of his efforts at goal. In the end, Ardcroney killed off the game to gain promotion.

Holycross were definitely a better outfit earlier in the season than they showed on the day, but you can’t take anything away from Ardcroney, who pulled it out of the bag when it really mattered in their last two games.

Next up for Glen Austin’s side is a difficult trip to Portumna Town in the Tipperary Cup quarter finals. Whilst Holycross have a chance for redemption next week when they host a Killavilla side with a point to prove.

Premier Division

In preparation for the Tipperary Cup quarter finals, Killavilla United hosted Ballymackey in their final league games that did not matter for much for either side on Sunday.

It was scoreless at the break, but Brian Moloney netted a brace in the second half, whilst Dylan Carroll was also on target for the hosts in a 3-0 win as they secured runners-up spot behind champions Arra Rovers.

Lough Derg and Clodiagh Rangers played out a 2-2 draw in their final game at Clarisford Park on Sunday. Jay Collins continued his purple patch with a brace for the hosts, whilst Paudie Guidera and Matty Stakelum were on target for Clodiagh.

Division 2

Shinrone were five points clear of Birdhill heading into their top of the table clash on Sunday but first half goals from Colin Floyd and Niall Duffy and a late brace from Brian Tobin sealed a 4-1 win for Birdhill which moves them to within two points of the Offaly side heading into the final two league games.

Shinrone did pull one back from the penalty spot through Conor Ryan mid-way through the second half but the young side could not push on from there to get anything from the game.

Under 19 Premier Division

Lough Derg went away to Michael Fennell Park but fell to a 2-1 defeat to BT Harps. The sides were level at the break with a Jack Grace goal cancelling out a Dylan Quinlan strike for the hosts who secured all three points in the second half thanks to a Sean Purcell goal. Player of the match was BT Harp’s Michael Cahill.

Under 19 Championship

Silvermines recorded a 3-1 win over Ardcroney thanks to a brace from man of the match, Cathal Dervan, and a Morgan Connolly strike.