Limerick Soccer - Pike reach Champions final

PIKE Rovers reached the final of the Munster Champions Cup when they beat old adverseries St Michaels 1-0 at the Pike Club on Sunday afternoon.

For two teams with such ability, the game proved very disappointing but Pike will not be complaining as they did just enough to deserve their victory. Pike will now play St Brendan’s Park of Tralee in the prestigious decider at Turner Cross in a couple of weeks time.

Once again John Tierney was instrumental in this Pike victory and while both defences were on top throughout the Pike midfielder kept chipping away and had the visitors on the back foot for much of the game.

Conor Moloney scored the only goal of the game firing in after a goalkeeping mistake by the St Michael’s netminder with 15 minutes remaining.

Pike manager Declan Considine opted for a much changed starting XI and when Tommy Heffernan forced a good save from John Ryan in the opening few minutes you wondered if the Manager erred.

However Pike slowly came into the game and the strength of John Okoro was causing the Saints defence many problems.

On the half hour mark a diving header from Alan Barry was cleared off the line and five minutes later Okoro’s through ball presented Barry with a chance he should have converted, but the normally accurate Barry shot wide of the post.

The second half saw the game deteriorate even further but 15 minutes from the end Eoin Hanrahan delivered a corner into the danger zone.

The visitors keeper Breen failed to hold onto the ball and the opportunist Conor Moloney took full advantage prodding the ball over the line.

A vicious volley from Keith Harnett for Pike was inches away from doubling the home side’s lead and making the Cup tie safe.

In the final minute, James Walsh went within a whisker of equalising for the Tipperary outfit.

However, Walsh smashed his header off the crossbar before the Pike defence managed to cleare the ball to safety much to the relief of the watching home supporters.

The final whistle sounded soon after to confirm Pike Rovers’ place in the prestigious Munster Champions Cup final in a couple of weeks time.

Pike Rovers - John Ryan; Gavin O’Shea; Martin Deedy; Pat Mullins; Conor Moloney; Eoin Hanrahan; Keith Hartnett; John Tierney; Jason Heffernan; Alan Barry; John Okoro. Reserves: Dave Ryan, Paul Doona

St Michaels - Derek Breen; Paul Tobin; Mick Fitzgerald; Richard Ryan; James Walsh; Michael Buckley; Jimmy Carr; John Connery; Alan Hayes; Pat Quinn; Tommy Heffernan