Limerick District League junior soccer round-up as Pike Rovers exit Munster Junior Cup

MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP:

Bridge United 3 Pike Rovers 0

PIKE Rovers crashed out of the Munster Junior Cup on Saturday when they fell heavily to a good Bridge United side in Sixmilebridge.

The Hoops will be obviously disappointed with the result but also with the performance that only rarely suggested they might win the tie.

The game started off at a frantic pace as both teams tried to get a foothold in midfield and it was the home side who created the first half chance when Brian Corry ghosted in behind the Pike defence but the alert Gary Neville was on hand to break up the promising attack.

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It was very much a physical first half as both teams put in their fair share of strong tackles which the referee, to his credit, allowed the game to flow as much as possible. Daly, McGann & D Murphy each broke in behind the Bridge defence however on each occasion the attack was shut down by some good last-ditch tackling.

Disaster struck for Pike on 35 minutes as Bridge capitalised on missed clearance on the edge of the box and a looping cross into box wasn’t dealt with leaving Brian Corry free to score from close range.

Pike were almost level moments later when good play around the edge of the box involving the Murphy of Dyland, Joe and Aaron, saw the latter free with the ball on the edge of the box but his shot was parried away from danger by the former Boro & Aisling netminder John Mulready.

The second half saw Bridge have more control of the game and they got their just rewards 30 minutes into the second half as good midfield play created space down the right and Kirkland whipped in a low driven cross for the unmarked Filip Mostowy to fire home at the back post.

Pike’s task to get back in the game got a lot tougher as moments later they were reduced to ten men but Daniel Cullen did offer a brief moment of hope for the Pike support as his mazy run through the midfield almost reduced the deficit however his shot narrowly missed the far post.

Bridge rounded off a great performance getting a third goal in injury time when Conor Henry got in front of his marker to finish a dangerous cross into the net to set off jubilant celebrations in the Clare venue.

PIKE ROVERS: Gary Neville; Scott Kirwin; Eddie O'Donovan; Pat Mullins; Brendan O'Dwyer; Leon Daly; Dylan Murphy; Aaron Murphy; Steven McGann; Joe Murphy; Kyle Duhig, Subs: Daniel Cullen; Robbie Williams.

TUOHY CUP:

Fairview Rgs 1 Nenagh AFC 1

Fairview Rgs qualified for the semi finals of the Tuohy Cup with a penalty shoot out win over Nenagh at the Fairgreen on Saturday evening.

It was a real dog fight and the Premier League leaders will be first to admit that they rode their luck in this one before scraping through.

Nenagh put in a real battling effort which deserved some reward and it was cruel luck to exit in such a manner.

Fairview kicked off on the front foot and had Nenagh defending desperately for most of the opening half.

The longer the game went on the more the visitors grew in confidence and they took the lead after the restart with a superb goal. Dylan Morrison raced into the box and laid off for Dylan Connolly whose deft back heel was blasted home by Dan O'Meara.

Fairview dug in and got their equaliser with twenty minutes to play when Jason Cross finished at the back post from Darragh Rainsford’s delivery.

The expected flood gates never opened and it was the visitors who finished stronger with Adam Ryan’s last minute corner kick missing the goal by inches.

The home side held their nerve in the resulting spot kicks to progress.

Fairview Rgs: Aaron Savage; Ryan Bowden; Blake Curran; Thomas O'Connor; Jason Cross; Jeffery Judge; Brian Aherne; Shane Duggan; Adam Dore; Cian McNamara; Josh McCarthy. Subs: Conor Kavanagh; Darragh Rainsford.

Nenagh AFC: Carl Williams; Saeed Ryan; Lee Mowatt; Kieran Barr; Ciaran O'Reilly; Pa Steed; Adam Ryan; Aaron Cusack; Daniel Connolly; Dylan Morrison; Dan O'Meara. Subs: Colm Hayden.

LAWSON CUP

Hyde Rgs B 3 Murroe A 3 (Murroe won 5-4 on pens)

THE weather put the kibosh on much of Sunday’s action but on the flip side I got to take in the Lawson Cup tie between Murroe A and Hyde Rgs B.

Not a contest I would normally be drawn to, but both sides turned in an thrilling old-fashioned cup tie which sent all those present home with a smile.

Murroe came into the tie on a super unbeaten run of 18 games. They met a Hyde side with no real hopes of winning the competition, so just went into the tie to give it a go.

Hyde had the perfect start when Dylan Bourke’s delivery evaded the Murroe defence and Evan Shine controlled before firing in from inside the box after just four minutes.

Tibor Voćanec made a superb double save to deny Jamie Long and them Liam Quinn.

Murroe’s top scorer was not to be denied however and he got the equaliser.

Sean O’Dwyer’s kick into the Hyde area saw Evan Walsh challenge the keeper and the ball fell to Quinn who maneuvered the ball to the net.

Shine and Walsh both had efforts rebound off the respective crossbars before the break.

After the restart a handball presented Murroe with a spot kick that Quinn tucked away for his 25th of the season to put Murroe ahead.

Hyde fought back and a superb goal by Shine, where he deftly curled the ball into the top corner from outside the box restored parity.

The home side went on to take the lead when Bourke delivered into the area and after a bout of head tennis, Jack Nash’s header crept over the lien despite the best efforts of Kalum O’Shea.

Down the other end and Murroe made it 3-3 when Dylan Ryan raced onto a ball on half way and let fly from 35 yards with a daisy cutter that flew to the back of the net.

Both sides had chances to win it, the home side will be particularly rueful of Shine’s last minute back post effort that missed narrowly.

The Division 1A side showed their character in the penalty shoot-out, scoring all five to go through to the next round.

Hyde Rgs B: Tibor Voćanec; Dylan Bourke; Jon Somers; Jake Fitzgerald; Sean Dooley; Robert O'Grady; Scott Quaide; Nabil Kassam; Eoin Quigley; Evan Shine; Jack Nash. Subs: Tadhg Doran; Ryan McCormack.

Murroe: Sean O'Dwyer; Kalum O'Shea; Brian Quinn; Dylan Ryan; Nathan O'Shea; Liam Quaid; William Clohessy; Darren Dunlea; Jamie Long; Liam Quinn; Evan Walsh. Subs: D Bourke; A Woodland; Dara Ryan.

MUNSTER YOUTH CUP:

There was mixed fortunes for Limerick sides in the quarter finals of the Munster Youth Cup.

Fairview Rgs had a superb win at a very strong Tramore XI to set up a semi-final date with either Midleton or Leeside.

The winning moment came in the 63rd minute when a Cian Walsh throw in was flicked on by Zac Mc Inerney and Chad Molloy arrived at the back post to head home.

Corbally were not so lucky as they fell 3-2 at home to Clare side Newmarket Celtic.

Conor Coughlan gave the home side the perfect start but Celtic hit back with scores from J Mulqueen and K Mulqueen either side of the break.

Liam O’Sullivan equalised for Corbally from a penalty but the visitors snatched a winner through E Cusack to progress.

In other youth games, in Division 1, leaders Pallas had a good win over Pike Rvs.

Daire Long 2, N Murphy 2 and Conor Kenny scored the goals to keep Pallas right on track for honours. P Casey and C Dawson replied for Pike.

Caherconlish kept up the race in second spot with a 4-0 over Lisnagry. Evan Martin scored twice, C Ryan and Mike Koyce made up the tally.

PREMIER LEAGUE:

Ballynanty Rovers 1 Geraldines 0

Ballynanty Rvs closed the gap on Premier league leaders Fairview Rgs to a single point following their 1-0 win over Geraldines on Sunday morning.

Balla went into the tie as strong favourites but Dines put up a serious challenge that saw the home side breathe a sigh of relief at the final whistle.

Fittingly, it took a super goal to earn the points. Balla struck five minutes from the break when Shane Walsh and Eddie Byrnes combined for the latter to hit a beauty from 25 yards to the roof of the net giving stand-in keeper Jason Mullins no chance.

Despite the breakthrough, Balla were unable to build on their lead with Mullins not further tested until the final minutes when he denied Walsh.

In between Tommy Holland pulled off a world class save to keep Cian Lynch’s free kick from levelling the game.

Balla have seven games remaining, one less than leaders Fairview although the sides still have to meet which keeps things the title race well alive.

Ballynanty Rovers: Tommy Holland; Adam O'Regan; Adam Costello; Cian Lynch; Alex Kiely; Leon Kirrane; James Fitzgerald; Eddie Byrnes; Vinny Ryan; Jamie Greaves; Kane Connolly. Subs: Shane Walsh; Calum Kiely; Kevin Laffan; Gavin Hehir; Thomas Byrnes.

Geraldines: Jason Mullins; Shane Dillon; John Mullane; Aaron Grant; Jack O'Doherty; Kian Mitchell; Tony Mambuana; Cian Fitzgerald; Alan Keane; Ousman Darboe; Jake Leamy. Subs: G Ronan; Liam Chambers; Kevin Barry.

ROUND-UP:

Star Rvs 1 Newport 0

Star Rvs bounced back well from last weekend’s disappointing draw with Summerville to defeat fellow title hopefuls Newport 1-0 at Lee Estate on Sunday.

The result puts Star Rvs top of the Premier A League table, two points clear of Moyross, but with a couple of game extra played.

Newport’s bad run has now seen them take just one point from their last four games, when they were seen as the likely side.

This game was a tight affair with little to choose between the sides.

Brian Thompson was the hero for Star, as his goal just after the hour mark decided the tie.

Star Rvs: Guilherme Texira; A Vijandran; Jack Doyle; Tyrone Price; Emiliano Rojas; Adam Quinlivan; Emmet Hehir; Ryan Guedes; Brian Thompson; Cathal Howard; Jake Gallagher. Subs: James Lyons; Jordan Nunan; Fellipe Torres; J Adediji.

Newport: Stephen McCormack; Eoin Looney; Pa Murtagh; Elliot Slattery; Peter O'Sullivan; Sean Bonfield; Killian O'Malley; Aaron Coleman; Brian O'Sullivan; Callum O'Connell; Jamie Kavanagh. Subs: Conor Brett; Luke Ryan; Ciaran Carey; Sean Ryan.

In the same division, goals from Jamie Hogan and Naecisse Tshibangu helped Prospect Priory to a 2-1 win at Caherdavin Celtic. Keith Moran replied for the home side.

Goals from Ciaran Kelly (3) and Shane O'Donoghue for Ballylanders gave their side a share of the spoils in a 4-4 draw with Parkville A. James Hanly (2), Conor O'Dwyer and Ben McNamara replied.

Ballynanty Rvs B opened up a nine-point lead at the top of Division 1B by virtue of a 4-2 win over Patrickswell on Saturday evening. David Donnan scored twice with Dermot Fitzgerald and Jamie O'Sullivan also finding the target for the winners.

Lee Carey and Pat Kirby obliged for the ‘Well.

Gavin Rowesome scored the only goal of the game as Lisnagry edged out Newport Town B

In Division 2A second placed Herbertstown dropped a couple of points when they were held to a scoreless draw by Lough Derg.

Rory Barry and Jeff Ryan were on the mark for Coonagh in a 2-2 draw with Castle Rvs.

Aisling Annacotty beat Cappamore B 5-2. Ethan O'Donovan (2), A Blake, Kyle O'Donovan and Jake Coughlan were on the mark, Evan Coleman and John O'Brien replied for the losers.

Tyrone Fitzgerald, Sean Griffin, Wayne Collin and Dan Walsh netted for Moyross B in a 4-2 win over Newtown Rovers for whom Liam Boland struck a double.

Division 2B leaders Caherdavin Celtic suffered their first defeat of the season going down 1-0 to Dean Glasheen’s goal for Dromore Celtic.

Murroe C strengthened their grip on the lead in Division 3A with a 6-2 win at Parkville B. J Hogan and Jonathan Ryan netted for the home side but goals from Cian Power 2, Shane Power, Darragh Ryan, David Clohessy and Philip Clancy won the points.

Castle Utd were also six shooters at Northside Legacy. Niall Ryan bagged four with Alan Cronin and Tom Bowers also obliging.