Mouth-watering FAI Junior Cup ties highlight of Limerick District League action

THE FAI Junior Cup has thrown up some mouth-watering games as Limerick’s remaining hopefuls battle it out for a place in the open draw stages of the competition.

The action kicks off tonight, Friday evening, when Ballynanty Rvs host Aisling Annacotty at LIT Grass pitch under their new floodlights.

Balla expect to have a number of players back in action for this one after suspension and injury and they are determined to have a good run in the remaining cup competitions.

Aisling, after an early season wobble, are back in the groove, although a 2-1 last minute win over Carew Park last weekend will have given pause for concern.

With Joel Coustrain back with the club, their attacking options take on a scarier look.

Balla, as always, will ensure that league form counts for nothing when it come to the FAI so we can expect a cracking tie.

On Saturday evening, two more sides with real designs on national success cross swords when Regional Utd host Fairview Rgs in Dooradoyle.

Both sides come into the tie on the back on good wins last weekend.

Fairview beat Geraldines to take over top spot in the table while Regional proved too strong for Hyde Rgs.

The sides met two weeks back when Fairview won 2-1. Regional will feel they have more to show next time out but the Blues are in fine form and they welcome back Irish international Jake Dillon.

Pike Rvs were not in action last weekend so will come into theur home tie with Janesboro raring for action.

An injury to Adam Lipper in the last minute of Ireland’s lost to Switzerland will be of concern to the Hoops who will also welcome Gary Neville back for international duty.

Janesboro go into the tie as outsiders so have nothing to lose.

They are in great form and are well capable of casing an upset so Pike should be wary of any complacency.

The all-Tipperary clash of Nenagh and Newport will be intriguing. Newport beat Mungret last weekend on a penalty shootout while Nenagh were drawing with Balla.

The two sides met in the league on opening day when Nenagh took the spoils in a 1-0 win. Expect the game to be equally close this time out.

The final game pits Murroe, as the only no Premier team in the mix, at home to Paul Danaher’s Mungret Reg.

We all know the threat Murroe pose up front with Liam Quinn and Jay Ryan but Mungret will be used to such opposition most weekends. As long as they treat the opposition with their due respect, they should be too strong but they will not get it easy.

The Inter County Youth Tournament kicks off this weekend with a quiet optimism surrounding Limerick’s hopes this year.

Limerick welcome their Clare counterparts to Jackman Park on Friday evening.

The highly talented Pike Rvs side make up the bulk of the squad which is strengthened even further with the best of the rest.

The Players that will carry Limerick’s hopes into action are as follows; Alan Kiely, Jayden Hennessy (Aisling), John Hehir (Carew Park), Darragh Newman (Corbally), Alex Koyce, Ryan Goggin, Sean Madden (Fairview), Alex Burchill (Holycross), Aaron Cusack, Calum O Hanlon, Cameron Walsh, Eoin Cunningham, Ethan Joyce, Jamie Mitchell, Marius Palen, Pa Steed, Scott Connolly, Scott Maguire, Shane Finucane (Pike Rvs), Gideon Oyibo (Regional), James Doherty (Shelbourne)

In the lower leagues the Premier A has a good game on offer when Caherdavin Celtic take on Kilmallock.

Division 1A leaders Star Rvs face a difficult assignment away to Pallagreen while the clash of Herbertstown and Croom Utd in Division 1B always offers excitement.

In the Munster Youth Cup, Fairview Rgs host Shelbourne while Nenagh welcome Mungret. Murroe are at home to Corbally Utd and Lough Derg host Aisling.