Limerick District League weekend junior soccer round-up

FAI JUNIOR CUP:

Regional Utd 0 Newmarket Celtic 1

There was local disappointment on Sunday afternoon as Regional Utd exited the FAI Junior Cup, coming out the wrong end of a tight game with Clare side Newmarket Celtic.

There was little to choose between the sides and although the visitors looked more dangerous in attack, in the end a kick of a ball was between the sides.

Regional started brightly with Casserly and O’Connell prominent.

However, it was Celtic who worked up the first clear cut chance with Rob Shier called upon to save well from Irish international striker Eoin Hayes.

The Regional keeper was in action again when he went full length to keep out efforts from David McCarthy and Darragh Leahy.

After thew break Conor McDaid was denied at the front post by Shier and at the other end Kieran O’Connell was pulled back by the defender as he chases Casserley’s through ball but the officials missed the foul.

Extra time was called for and the visitors got the breakthrough when Darragh Leahy headed in a fine goal.

Regional went chasing the tie and the nearest they came was when the ball broke to Eoin Duff but the club’s top scorers fired over from close range.

Regional Utd: Rob Shier; Luke Ryan; Joey Rushe; David Cowpar; Andrew Cowpar; Paudie Hartigan; Kieran O'Connell; Ruairi Casserley; Brian O'Connor; Felipe Mostowy; Eoin Duff, Subs: Ewan O'Brien.

LAWSON CUP: 

Ballynanty Rovers 0 Fairview Rgs 0 (Fairview won 4-2 on pens)

The much-anticipated Lawson Cup tie between second and third in the Premier League failed to live up to it’s pre match billing as the sides played out a scoreless ninety minutes before Fairview progressed after a penalty shoot-out.

Both clubs could be forgiven for having one eye on next weekend’s FAI games and the intensity of this game suggested that was the case.

Having said that, there was nothing given away lightly with plenty of tough tackling to keep the spectators interested.

Fairview midfielder Steven Bradley reveled in the contest, turning in a superb performance.

In a game of few chances Balla went close when a header from Aaron Costello was saved by Fairview netminder Josh McCarthy.

After the break Conor Keane headed onto the #View crossbar.

The introduction of Brian Aherne gave the visitors a boost.

The diminutive striker forced a fine save from Kevin Walsh in the Balla goal. He then fired inches wide from a good position and an overhead kick that flew narrowly over the bar would have produced a wonder goal.

In the end penalties were required to separate the sides and McCarthy came up trumps for Fairview, saving twice to send his side through to the last eight.

Ballynanty Rovers: Kevin Walsh; Darragh Hughes; Adam Costello; Josh Adams; Dermot Fitzgerald; Liam Byrnes; Thomas Byrnes; Thomas O'Connor; Adrian Power; Conor Keane; James Fitzgerald, Subs: Grant Murphy; Gbadebo Habideen; Aidan Hurley.

Fairview Rgs: Josh McCarthy; Jeffery Judge; Blake Curran; Jake Dillon; Jason Cross; Steven Bradley; Darragh Rainsford; Conor Coughlan; Jack Arra; Cian McNamara; Shane Duggan, Sub: Brian Aherne.

Nenagh AFC 0 Pike Rovers 0 (Pike won 4-3 on pens)

Another game that failed to produce a goal was the clash of Premier League leaders Pike Rovers and an in-form Nenagh side.

The Hoops carried the favourites tag into the tie but failed to bring their scoring boots and had to rely on the ever-reliable Gary Neville to come to the rescue in the penalty shoot-out.

Pike’s reward is a quarter final clash against the winners of Newport and Herbertstown.

Nenagh AFC: Eoghan Tinkler; Saeed Ryan; Lee Mowatt; Eoin Coffey; Kieran Barr; Colm Hayden; Dylan Morrison; Adam Ryan; Matt Spain; Nathan Kelly; Aidan White, Subs: Devlyn Courtney; Diarmuid Fitzpatrick; Kieran O'Brien; Lenny Raleigh; Szymon Popiela.

Pike Rovers: Gary Neville; Evan Patterson; Nathan O'Callaghan; Pat Mullins; Eddie O'Donovan; Sean Madigan; Adam Lipper; Colin Daly; Derek Daly; Colm Walsh O'Loughlin; Shane Clarke, Subs: Shane Walsh; Eoin Hanrahan; Aaron Murphy; Robbie Williams; Kevin Barry.

Summerville Rvs A 3 Mungret Reg 5

The remaining Lawson Cup tie seemed to hog the goals on offer with a 5-3 thriller. Premier side Mungret Regional had to battle back from 3-1 down at the break to win the game.

Cian McNicholas put Mungret ahead in the opening half but a superb hat trick by Evan O’Grady had Summerville 3-1 to the good before Kieran Long pulled one bacl before the break.

The Premier outfit upped their game after the restart as McNicholas went on to complete his hat trick before Pat Aherne completed the scoring.

Summerville Rvs A: James O'Connor, John Corbett, Joe Manahan, Adrian Mitchell, Marcus Kiely, Peadar Ruairc, Ryan Keane, David Bradley, Emanuel Alfred, Craig Reddan, Evan O'Grady.

Mungret Reg: James Roche; Conor Myers; Donie Curtin; Eoghan Ryan; Aaron Long; Richie Burke; Josh O'Rahilly; Pat Aherne; Cian McNicholas; Aled Harkin; Kieran Long, Subs: David Conway; Mark Patterson; Sean O'Sullivan; Eoin Kelly.