Arra Rovers claim first Youths Premier title

North Tipperary and District League Review

By Gary Culbert

Arra Rovers claimed their first ever NT&DL Youths Premier Division title on Saturday by comprehensively beating Ballymackey 9-1 at Shouldice Park, Portroe.

The home side knew heading a win would see them crowned champions, whereas anything less would leave the door open for BT Harps.

Any nerves from the league leaders were dispelled early on after a flying start saw them lead 3-0 after ten minutes. Dara O’Dwyer opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes after some fine work from defender James Dillon. Captain Diarmuid O’Donoghue led by example then to double the Arra lead almost immediately and just a few minutes later a Luke Power in-swinging corner deflected in off the post to make it three.

Arra were playing with confidence and could have had more but a combination of decent defending from Ballymackey and a few shots missing the target meant the score remained 3-0 at the interval.

Paul Power’s side picked up where they left off in the second half with quick-fire goals from Luke Power and Diarmuid O’Donoghue.

However, to their credit, Ballymackey stayed fighting and eventually pulled one back with a well worked breakaway and a cool finish from Jack Kenneally. The visitors could have had a second shortly after, but Arra keeper Caelebh Ryan did well to claw the goal-bound effort off the line.

From here, Arra pressed home their advantage, with captain O’Donoghue completing his hat-trick in the 70th minute, before substitute Tom Boland matched him with three of his own late on.

First Division Barry Cup

With Moneygall and Shinrone United neck and neck in the first division league title race, there was far more than just a place in the next round of the Barry Cup up for grabs on Saturday night; a huge confidence boost was up for grabs for the winner heading into the run-in.

It was Moneygall who got that boost; the young side dominated the midfield battle, making full use of their expansive pitch to really make this ageing Shinrone team feel every bit of their age.

However, for the opening ten minutes it was all Shinrone as Paul Lake and Riann McLoughlin ran the channels and harried the Moneygall backs.

But true to form, Billy Hayes’ side kept trying to pass and eventually played themselves into the game. The real difference of legs in midfield became apparent; the footwork of Cameron Fleming, Jack O’Brien and Kevin Fitzgerald were just too good and they skipped clear of Derek McLoughlin, Kian Fallon and Collie Browne on multiple occasions.

The chances started to come for the home side, and they took the lead on the 20th minute after a second successive set-piece, Mikey Ryan up from full back to force the ball home from inside the six-yard box.

During the first set-piece there was a skirmish between Paul Lake and Dylan Hogan, with both players receiving yellow cards.

Kevin Fitzgerald provided the dead-ball assist for Ryan’s opener, and on the half hour he got on the scoresheet himself with a powerful curling effort from a free kick, which was awarded after Jack O’Brien was fouled twenty yards from goal in a central area by Kian Fallon. Fitzgerald whipped it at pace inside the post at the keeper’s side, leaving Darren Browne rooted to his spot.

Michael Cordial performed very well for Shinrone at centre back. not many strikers can beat the athletic veteran in a foot race, but Niall Maher got the run on him just before half time and he really should have made it 3-0.

The pace and aggressive pressing of Paul Lake was Shinrone’s best chance of a route back into the game, but this was dealt a huge blow just two minutes after half time when the striker was late on his old foe Hogan and given his second yellow card.

Reduced to ten men, you would think that the floodgates would open, but quite the opposite happened: Shinrone introduced Cleiton Da Silva Jesus from the bench onto the right wing, and they immediately started to hold onto possession a bit more and actually got a bit of joy down the right flank.

John Bevans also came on for Shinrone at centre half and added an extra bit of physicality against Niall Maher, which was needed as the game was becoming stretched.

Billy Hayes looked to his bench to freshen things up and came back with a debutant, 20-year-old James Carroll who added the all-important third goal to kill the game off in the 80th minute with a finish from range. Carroll had been away from the sport for a number of years due to injury. The youngster could yet play an important role off the bench for Moneygall as they look to complete the treble.

The pick of the goals was saved until last, a Jack O’Brien special to cap off a player of the match display. The captain danced and jinked his way through five tired Shinrone defenders before smashing the ball passed Darren Browne from the edge of the box. It was the type of goal that really rubbed salt in the Shinrone wounds; a bit of an embarrassing goal to concede.

Moneygall will be away to Clodiagh Rangers in the semi-finals but one negative from a Moneygall point of view was the second yellow card that Niall Maher picked up for a cynical foul on Darren Browne, meaning he will miss a crucial game against Portumna in the title run-in.

In terms of the league run-in, you could argue that this changes everything or nothing.

Moneygall have always been difficult to play at home and have made many teams chase shadows on their vast pitch. Furthermore, Shinrone do not have to go there again, in fact Moneygall have to travel to Shinrone as one of their final three games.

But it must be said that Shinrone have been blowing smoke for a while now and need to bring in some fresh legs in midfield.

Scott Kelly showed great energy on Saturday night and could be an option to disrupt Jack O’Brien and Kevin Fitzgerald when they come to Shinrone for the likely title decider. Similarly, Cleiton Da Silva Jesus has now done more than enough to be given an opportunity from the start of games, potentially in the attacking midfielder role.

Second Division

Due to heavy rain, the only game to go ahead on Sunday saw Ardcroney ‘B’ host Templetouhy in a very one-sided game, 6-1.

Ardcroney’s Oisin O'Meara got the onslaught started early on with a composed finish inside the box having been played in over the top by Gary Culbert. The box-to-box midfielder was left a lot to do by his midfield partner but battled through two defenders before slotting home.

Chris Fogarty doubled Ardcroney’s lead shortly after with a poachers tap-in. The goal came after some good play between Diego Galera and Kevin Boyle down the right.

Templetouhy would have come out in the second half with good intentions of a comeback, but Oisin O'Meara dashed those hopes almost immediately after the restart when his low precise shot nestled into the bottom corner from twenty yards out.

The floodgates then opened as allowing Diego Galera, Kevin Boyle and Gary Culbert all scored. Galera finished his goal with real venom, whereas Culbert almost walked it into the net.

Lucas Jones did well to get into countless scoring opportunities for Jamie Heffernan’s side, but the closest he could get to scoring was an effort off the upright. Eoin Stakelum stole in with a consolation goal for Templetouhy in the dying moments.

David Murphy was the best for the visitors while Ardcroney’s new keeper Keith Kelly has made a significant impact to the team with his composed voice from the back and speed off his line when called upon.

A good news story from the game was the return of Luke Dervan from a serious long-term injury. The centre half was a crucial player in Ardcroney's first team reaching the Premier Division, and he may yet have an impact on their Tipperary Cup run.