Limerick District League round-up: Janesboro dent Fairview Rangers title charge

JANESBORO caused a huge upset at the Fairgreen on Saturday evening when they beat runaway leaders Fairview Rangers 2-1 in the Premier League of the Limerick District League in the Fairgreen.
It was the first league defeat for the Blues and the result gives belief to the chasing group of sides with nine games in the title race.
Carrying a seven-point advantage at the top of the table we were wondering who was going to haul in the champions as they raced towards back-to-back title wins.

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Few thought Janesboro would be the fly in the ointment particularly as they were missing top scorer Shane Clarke, but the visitors were superb on the night and were rewarded for their efforts.
In the opening half Fairview had plenty of possession but rarely tested Boro keeper Aaron O’Sullivan. Boro opted for quick ball to their speedy front runners and it worked a treat with Fairview struggling time and again to contain the visitors youngsters.
Fairview wasted a couple of superb deliveries across the face of goal, when no one was on hand to apply the finishing touch.
Boro took the lead after 25 minutes. From a Fairview corner, Dylan Moriarty gathered on the edge of his own area and ran the length of the field before firing across Josh McCarthy into the bottom corner.
Fairview responded well and were back on level terms ten minutes later. Shane Duggan’s corner from the right ping-ponged around the area before Cian McNamara blasted home from eight yards.
Many felt that was all Fairview needed and they would regroup at the break and take control.
However, a minute before the break Shane O’Briens throw in picked out Moriarty in the box and despite being well marshalled he somehow swivelled to volley home from an acute angle.
Fairview’s expected response in the second half never really materialised. While they had plenty of possession, they failed to get the better of a well drilled and hard-working Boro defence.
Fairview Rangers: Josh McCarthy GK; Jake Dillon; Brian Aherne; Jason Cross; Thomas O'Connor; Conor Kavanagh; Shane Duggan; Oleg Vysochan; Cian McNamara; Adam Dore; Yoyo Mahdy, Subs: Gbadebo Habideen; Michael Omojoefodun; Josh McCarthy; Blake Curran; Danny O'Neill
Janesboro: Aaron O'Sullivan; Rubin McCarthy; Cillian Redmond; Fionn O'Leary; Shane O'Brien; Dylan Moriarty; Colin Doody; Kai Joyce; Josh Toomey; Ryan Mawdsley; Dion Lynch., Subs: Jack O'Connor; Conor Artur; Graham Bourke

Ballynanty Rovers 2, Mungret Regional 1
Following Fairview’s slip up the previous evening, Balla had the chance to close the gap at the top of the table to just four points with a win at home to Mungret Regional.
The Blues achieved their goal but had to endure some nervy moments at the death to ensure the points.
Ballynanty Park held up well throughout but the miserable conditions did not make things easy for the players.
The Blues started brightly with Vinny Ryan’s free kick forcing the Mungret keeper into a good save.
The deadlock was broken on ten minutes. Jamie Greaves did well on the right to get his cross into the danger zone and when the ball fell to Kane Connolly he fired low into the corner out of reach of Doyle.
Leo Kirrane had a great chance to double the lead when he latched onto a wayward back pass but he fired wide of the near post.
Vinny Ryan went close with a couple of efforts but the league's top scorer was not to be denied with an effort worth waiting for.
Adam O’Regan played inside to Ryan who feigned a return pass before cutting infield. Looking up, he dispatched a beauty from 25 yards to the top corner.
Just before the break good pressure by Connolly presented an opening for Kirrane but Doyle made a good recovery save.
After the restart, Mungret came more into the tie and substitute Hamarneh had a header blocked on the line by Shane Walsh.
The visitors pulled one back ten minutes from time when their best player Kian Barry cut infield and fired low under Balla keeper Eugene Hurley.
Mungret smelled blood and had a goal ruled out for offside before Josh Adams made a super block to deny Cian McNicholas.
Balla were awarded a late penalty but keeper Doyle saved from Shane Walsh but it mattered not as the final whistle followed.
Ballynanty Rovers: Eugene Hurley; Adam O'Regan; Adam Costello; Josh Adams; Cian Lynch; Gavin Hehir; Leon Kirrane; Eddie Byrnes; Vinny Ryan; Jamie Greaves; Kane Connolly, Subs: Alex Kiely; Shane Walsh; Calum Kiely
Mungret Reg: Daniel Doyle; Conor Myers; Sean O'Sullivan; Conor Madden; Gary Kelly; Darragh Killian; Danny McCarthy; Kian Barry; Hamza Selman Celik; Evan Barrett; Cian McNicholas, Subs: A Hamarneh; Barry Danaher

Athlunkard Villa 1, Aisling Annacotty 4
Aisling took over third place in the table with a 4-1 win away to Athlunkard Villa.
Scoreless at the break, the game sprung to life just after the restart when Donnacha O'Leary teed up Joel Coustrain to tuck away the opener.
Five minutes later Aherne delivered for Donnacha O'Leary to double the lead.
On the hour mark Famara Kassama scored his 11th goal of the season to give Villa a lifeline but Coustrain struck again after good work by Joey Rushe to restore the visitors two goal advantage.
Adam Foley completed the scoring, making it 4-1 after good build up by Edmonds O'Sullivan.
Athlunkard Villa: Robert Power; Darragh Peters; Donie Curtin; Dave Frawley; Ben Dillon; Shane Cope; Sean Markham; Lorcan Feeney; Cillian Scully; Danny Taylor; Famara Kassama, Subs: TJ McDonnell; Klorane Tabot Ndip; Omar Darboe; James Frahill; Cormac Noonan; Glen Mitchell
Aisling Annacotty: Aaron Curtis; David Moloney; Joey Rushe; Raid Mouras; Alex Cuddy; J Aherne; Donnacha O'Leary; Edmonds O'Sullivan; Joel Coustrain; Oscar Omorodian; Conor Coughlan, Subs: Sean O'Haodha; Adam Foley; Sean Ezekannagha, Charlie Lane

Premier A League
Charleville 2, Newport  4
Newport made it a four-way tie at the top of the Premier A league on Saturday evening when they travelled to Charleville and returned with the points following a 4-2 win.
With the games involving Star, Moyross and Kilmallock were postponed, it gave Newport the chance to join the leading trio on 23 points.
Charleville took the lead through Colin Quaide but Newport levelled just before the half hour mark when Conor Brett supplied for Craig O'Connell to score.
Brett was again the provider for Newport’s second a minute later converted by Aaron Coleman.
Craig O'Connell scored his second and Newport’s third just before the break following good work from Coleman.
Donal O’Connell scored to reduce the deficit to one and ensure a thrilling climax.
Both sides were reduced to ten men late on after which time Brian O'Sullivan scored the insurance goal to seal the win.
Newport: Stephen McCormack; Eoin Looney; Pa Murtagh; Christy O'Connor; Dave O'Brien; Aaron Coleman; Sean Bonfield; Peter O'Sullivan; Brian O'Sullivan; Craig O'Connell; Conor Brett, Subs: Ciaran Carey; Cillian O'Sullivan

Round-up
In Division 1A, Herbertstown returned to the top of the table (jointly with Shelbourne) after they overcame a tough challenge at Granville Rangers coming out tops in a five-goal game.
Josh Kiely put the home side ahead on the half hour mark but Tyrique Leamy equalised three minutes later and then flipped the tie in Herbertstown’s favour with his second on 36 minutes.
Bradley McNamara converted a spot kick on the hour mark to give Herbertstown some breathing space.
That reprieve was short lived when Conor McNamara made it 3-2 four minutes later but try as they might Rangers could not force an equaliser.
Aisling Annacotty D and Cappamore shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. Tom Canty scored for Aisling; Ryan Deere replied for Cappamore.
Ballynanty Rovers B took over top spot in Division 1B following an impressive 6-1 win over Kilmallock B on Saturday evening. With Pike not in action, Balla took the opportunity to move three points clear.
Derek Daly put Balla ahead before Aaron Nunan doubled the lead midway through the opening half. Two goals from Jamie O'Sullivan ended the game as a contest before the break.
John Paul Houlihan pulled one back for Kilmallock but Eddie Radcliffe and an own goal completed the scoring.
Newport B and Mungret Regional played out a 2-2 draw in Newport.
Chris Carmody and James Kirk were on the mark for the home side. R Hanrahan and Ben O'Leary replied for Mungret.
In Division 2B, goals from Aaron Quinlivan and Brinn Holmes gave Prospect a 2-1 win at Summerville Rovers B while in Division 3A, Knockainey edged out Shelbourne B on a 4-3 scoreline. Rory Reale (2), Bwen Rya Martin Wallace (2) and Kasper Kuciak were on target for Shels.
Pike Rovers advanced to the last eight of the FAI U17 (Munster Region) following a 6-2 win at county neighbours Abbeyfeale on Saturday afternoon.
The home side matched their opponents for in the opening half but the Hoops raced away after the break. Dylan Kett put Pike in front but S O'Connor levelled for the home side. Kett restored Pike’s lead but again were hauled back when Bambury Lawson netted for Abbeyfeale.
Just after the break Danny Quirke put Pike 3-2 ahead and a quick double from Daly McInerney put Pike well in control. Aaron McNamara completed the scoring for the winners.
Munster FA U17 Cup, Aisling Annacotty reached the last eight following a big win over Newport Town. Ewan Coulter bagged a hat trick, Aaron Guerin scored twice while L O'Riordan, Ngache Aguinagalde and Jack Cregan made up the winning tally.
Pallas United take over top spot in Youth Div One following a runaway win over a young Regional XI at Dooradoyle.
Josh McLaughlin was tormentor-in-chief for the leaders with a six-goal haul. Daire Long, John O'Donoghue and P Ryan also netted for the winners with D Carswell obliging for a gallant Regional United side