Limerick District League weekend junior soccer round-up

LAWSON CUP SEMI-FINAL:

Fairview Rangers 0
Pike Rovers 0
(Fairview win 4-3 on pens)

FAIRVIEW Rangers qualified for the final of the Lawson Cup after recoding a penalty shoot out win over their arch rivals Pike Rovers on Sunday morning.

After a thrilling 3-3 draw in their last outing a couple of weeks back, the fans turned out yesterday morning hoping for a repeat but the game was a drab affair with very few chances of note.

Much of the credit goes to some solid defending but in general it was a low-key affair.

Pike suffered the bad news during the week of a leg injury to the influential Steven McGann which will keep him out of action for the rest of the season. That said the Hoops started well and went close to finding the net.

Eoin Hanrahan’s free kick from the edge of the box was tipped over the top by Josh McCarthy.

From the resultant corner kick the Fairview net minder made a stunning save to stop Eoin Hanrahan’s header and Shane Duggan clearing his lines crashed the ball off the upright before it was hacked to safety.

Both sides cancelled each other out in the remainder of the half.

In the second half a good run by Danny O’Neill ended with Josh McCarthy blocking the shot as Pike began upping the pressure.
Colm Walsh O’Loughlin picked out Shane Clake in the box and the striker held the ball up superbly before teeing up Colin Daly but he fired over the top from ten yards.

The same combination went close again shortly after when Clarke headed across goal and Daly headed wide of the target. The last chance of note saw Pat Mullins volley just wide pf the target.

Penalties were called for and two misses by Pike Rovers combined with 100% accuracy from Fairview sees the Blues into the decider where they will play Aisling Annacotty.

Fairview Rgs: Josh McCarthy; Jeffery Judge; Shane Tracey; Wayne Colbert; Jake Dillon; Steven Bradley; Shane Duggan; Conor Coughlan; Brian Aherne; Cian McNamara; Darragh Rainsford, Subs: Craig Madigan; Jack Arra; Conor Ellis

Pike Rovers: Gary Neville; Danny O'Neill; Sean Madigan; Adam Lipper; Pat Mullins; Colm Walsh O'Loughlin; Kyle Duhig; Colin Daly; Eoin Hanrahan; Shane Walsh; Shane Clarke, Subs: Eddie O'Donovan; Robbie Williams.

PREMIER BOTTOM 6

Carew Park 0 Mungret Reg 2
MUNGRET Regional confirmed their Premier League status for next season and condemned Janesboro to relegation after they beat Carew Park 2-0 in their penultimate league game.

Goals from Kieran Long and Cian McNicholas secured the points for a relieved Mungret side.

Carew Park: Jamie Stewart; Luke Fitzgerald; Lee Boyle; Darragh Walsh; Jamie Enright; Evan Lynch; Pat Boyle; Dean McNamara; Danny McCarthy; Sean McGill; Cian Lynch. Subs: Evan Moloney; Francis Kett; Gavin Hehir.

Mungret Reg: James Roche; Mark Patterson; Aaron Long; Conor Myers; Gary Kelly; Richie Burke; David Conway; Kieran Long; Aled Harkin; Hamza Selman Celik; Cian McNicholas, Sub, Darragh Killian; Ben Flanagan

PREMIER TOP 6

Aisling Annacotty 4
Nenagh AFC 0
Aisling’s main focus for the remainder of the season is to keep their sharpness as they await their Lawson Cup final date with Fairview Rgs.

They showed no sluggishness yesterday as they put four past Nenagh without reply.

Adam Foley scored a brace while Joel Coustrain and Eliah Riordan were also on the mark for the home side in a comfortable win.

Aisling Annacotty: Brian O'Connor; Raid Mouras; Mike Green; Richkov Boevi; Eliah Riordan; Tony Whitehead; Sean Ezekannagha; Tom Kidd; Liam Quinn; Joel Coustrain; Adam Foley. Subs: Mikey Conlon; Edward Ward; Ciaran Barry; Shane Donegan; Kennedy N'dip.

Nenagh AFC: Adam Wallace; Colm Hayden; Eoin Coffey; Darragh McDonald; Dylan Morrison; Mark McKenna; Kieran Barr; Eamon White; Alex Marinov; Aidan White; Diarmuid Fitzpatrick, Subs: Devlyn Courtney; Lenny Raleigh; Dan Ryan; Kalum Darcy.

ROUND-UP:

Saturday evening saw the close of the Premier A League and Geraldines, as expected recorded their required win to ensure they return to the top slight as champions after a 5-1 win over Cappamore.

Kane Connolly scored three for the Champions while Aaron and Gareth Grant were also on target. The result means Cappamore drop to Division 1A.

Newport took on Fairview Rgs B in a preview of the Divisional Cup final and the Tipperary side edged home thanks to a late goal Elliot Slattery. Jay Ryan also scored for the winners while Stan Ezekannagha replied for ‘View.

Division 1A winners and promotion were already sorted before Saturday’s action but there will need to be a play off between Southend and Kilfrush to see who survives the drop.

Patrickswell captured the Division 1B title following a big win over Janesboro B on Sunday afternoon.

Jordan Higgins scored a brace while Jason Gillane, Paul O'Brien, Pat Kirby and Darragh Phillips also got in on the act.
Caherconlish were hoping for a ‘Well slip up that didn’t arrive. They won their final game 4-3 versus Glenview Rvs thanks to scores from Shane Byrne, Dave Corbett, Simon McSweeney and William Hourigan.

Needing a win to keep Nenagh at bay at the top of the Division 2A table, Corbally went about their task in clinical fashion hitting Newport for nine goals without reply.

Daire Clery and Cian Moore both claimed hat tricks while Scott Fitzgerald, Robert Clancy and Rian Barrett were also on the mark.

Nenagh B did all they could do, beating Meanus 4-1 which fell just short of taking the title. Darragh McDonnell (2), Kieran O'Brien and Tommy Martin were the Nenagh scorers.

In the Division 3B Cup semi finals there were wins for Granville and Prospect Priory.

Granville Rgs B beat Nenagh C with goals from Adam Healy 2, Jamie McNamara and Andrew Brosnahan.
Aaron Quinlivan scored twice for Prospect with Lee Madigan making up the tally in a 3-1 win over Caherdavin Celtic B.

In the Youth Div One. Aisling Annacotty A and Fairview Rgs were matched on points prior to the final game of the season.
The sides met a few days back in the Divisional Cup final where Aisling edged out Fairview on a 5-4 scoreline.

Sunday’s league encounter was equally close when Josh McCarthy's goal midway through the first half proved the difference between the sides.

The final game in the U17 Div Two league was equally climatic.

Locked on points at the top of the table, Newport welcomed Murroe and after a thrilling tie, a 95th minute injury time goal by David O’Brien gave the Tipperary side the title.