Newport slip up in promotion push
By Pat Sheehan
In an amazing week in the race for the Premier ‘A’ League title, Newport Town handed the advantage to Geraldines with three games remaining, after dropping five points in two games.
A couple of injuries to key players have come at the wrong time for the Tipperary side as Geraldines won both their games v Corbally 3-1 and Athlunkard Villa 4-0.
Newport Town will be livid with themselves for not taking full points in their tussle with Hyde Rangers last Tuesday.
Darren Collins and Brian O’Sullivan scored to put Newport in control. When Hyde were reduced to ten men Collins added another to make it 3-0. Seamus O’Regan saved a Hyde penalty suggesting it was not Hyde’s day. However, the home side never gave up and three goals in the last fifteen minutes earned a share of the spoil.
With the confidence levels low, Newport went down 2-0 to Kilmallock on Saturday evening.
In the Premier League, Nenagh AFC welcomed Aisling Annacotty in a game of little consequence to either side and it was the visitors who came out tops thanks to a goal from Tom Kidd.
Nenagh AFC: Cillian Fitzpatrick, Eoin Coffey, Lee Mowat, Colm Hayden, Mark McKenna, Bryan McGee, Kieran Barr, Eamonn White, Adam Ryan, Aidan White, Saeed Ryan. Subs: Matthew O'Gorman, Jonathan Lawlor, Marcin Kolkowski.
In the Division 1B Cup, Newport Town ‘B’ recorded a surprise 4-0 win over Mungret Regional ‘B’ to reach the final where they will meet Parkville. Colin Coleman, Ben O'Sullivan, Oran Brett, and Conor Brett scored the Newport goals.
In the race for the title in Division 2A, Corbally United ‘B’, leading Nenagh AFC ‘B’ by four points with two games remaining, only needed a point when they sides met on Thursday. As it transpired the celebrations must be put on hold as Nenagh ensured it all goes to the final game after a 2-1 win.
A superb goal by Alan Kelly put Nenagh in front but the leaders levelled before the break through Eoin O’Neill. With the tie evenly poised, Kieran O’Brien struck the winner for Nenagh.
The same two sides will meet in the final of the Divisional Cup after weekend wins. Nenagh AFC ‘B’ put seven past Murroe ‘B’ courtesy of Diarmuid Fitzpatrick (2), Alekx Marinov (2), Kieran O'Brien, Liam Maher, and Casey Finn.
Elsewhere, it was Munster Junior Cup semi-final time when Regional United pulled off a shock 4-2 win over Ballynanty Rovers on Saturday evening and a day later Newmarket Celtic beat Fairview Rangers 1-0 in a disappointing game.
Youths
In the Youth Division 2 Cup semi-final, goals from Conor Brett and Jamie Kavanagh saw Newport Town past Granville Rangers to secure a place in the decider.