Desmond League round-up: Broadford suffer first loss in Limerick league since early 2020

NEWCOMERS Dromore Utd clinched the Desmond League Youths Division One title on Saturday afternoon with a game to spare with a one nil win away to Breska Rovers.

The only goal of the game was scored by Ethan Browne in the first half. After the game John O’Donnell from the LDFL presented Dromore Utd captain Ben Higgins with the league trophy. 

Dromore Utd squad: James Ranahan, Patrick Mitchell, Tiernan Meaney, Patrick Kenny, Jacob Galvin, Ethan Browne, Ben Higgins, Andrew O’Farrell, Mark O’Mahony, Luke Hickey, Daniel Hickey, Calum Coughlan, Joey McCarthy, Ciaran McMahon, Calvin Nash, Philip Hennessy, Cian O’Sullivan, Sam Guerin, Ross Allen.

Desmond Cup Quarter Final 

Dromore Utd are once again Clounreask bound after a three-nil win at home to premier division side Kilcornan in the last eight of the Weekly Observer Desmond Cup. All the goals came in the first half through Ciaran Deegan, Tiernan Meaney and Ciaran Galvin. 

Riedy Cup 2nd Round

Askeaton are through to the last eight after a three two win away to Newcastle West Town Reserves. After a scoreless opening half Stephen Smith put the red and black ahead on fifty minutes but a missed penalty for the home side was to prove costly as Cian Smith soon extended the Askeaton lead before a Pete Harty penalty put the visitors firmly in control. Despite two quick fire goals from Tony Quaid and Saoirse Joyce the away side held on for a deserved win. 

Riedy Cup Quarter Final

St Itas conceded home advantage to Ballingarry B and it was the sides from The Paddocks who took advantage. Goals in the second half goals from Tiernan Fitzgerald and Jamie Ryan giving them a two-nil win.

Premier Division 

The last unbeaten record in the league went last Sunday when Broadford Utd lost away to Creeves Celtic. This was Broadford’s first loss in the league since early 2020 and it could have ramifications at both ends of the table. A win would have kept the pressure on Rathkeale while the win for Creeves sees them move out of the bottom three and replaced by Ballingarry. Skipper Tommy Dillane put Creeves ahead with a header from a corner, a repeat of his goal against Glin Rovers a few weeks back. Half time 1-0. Creeves doubled their lead early in the second half through Eoin McEnery and held this cushion until seventy-four minutes when Jack Pierce cut the deficit. McEnery restored his sides two goal cushion with five minutes left when he rounded the keeper and slot the ball into an empty net. In the closing stages Liam O’Shaughnessy made it three two but Creeves dug deep to take the three valuable points. 

On Friday night defending champions Abbeyfeale Utd drew nil with Breska Rovers at Riverside Park where a win for the visitors would have seen them go joint top with Rathkeale in their first season back in the top flight.

Division 1 

Shannonside kept the division one title race alive with a four nil win away to Rathkeale B on Friday night to keep the pressure on leaders Athea Utd. Shannonside led by a Martin Fitzgerald goal at half time with youth’s player Adam Bennett doubling their advantage on sixty-three minutes. A Martin Fitzgerald penalty put Shannonside firmly on their way on seventy-five minutes before completing his hat trick with a lob over the keeper from near half way with eight minutes left.

Division 2 

Abbeyfeale Utd B closed the gap to leaders Glin Rovers B after a three one win over the latter at Riverside Park on Saturday night. They led by a TJ Hunt goal at half time and doubled their advantage with a Jack Quinlivan strike early in the second half. A John Sexton goal made it three nil before Cian Culhane got a goal late on for Glin. All the goals in  

Mountcollins came in the first half, James Brouder, Michael Collins, Micah O’Connell and Timmy Begley their scorers in a four-nil win over Glantine.

Division 3 

No change at the top with the top two winning again. Leaders Ballysteen were away to Shannonside B and won one nil with a second half goal from Colm O’Flaherty. Feenagh were away to Broadford Utd B and recorded a three one win. Bobby Donegen opened the scoring with Danny Mullane levelling matters for the home side late in the half. A strong second half for the visitors add two more goals from Ronan O’Connor and Ryan O’Gorman. 

Limerick Desmond Youths Cup 1st Round

Into the quarter finals are Glin Rovers after a five-nil win at home to Shountrade. The home side were two up after ten minutes, James Broderick reacting quickest after a Breean Cunningham free kick was parried by the goalkeeper and soon after Fionn Mulvihill played the ball through for Jamie Moloney to find the net. Mulvihill then scored himself with a header from a Cunningham corner. Just before half time a ball over the top by Cunningham was finished by Broderick to leave the score at four nil at half time. The game was very fifty-fifty in the second half but it didn’t stop Broderick completing his hat trick.  

Youths division two champions Shannonside also made the last eight with a narrow one nil win away to Glantine, Adam Bennett getting the only goal of the game in the first half. The

Kilcolman Rovers V Rathkeale game was played in Rathkeale on Monday night and it was Rovers who won three one. Kilcolman led two nil at half time with goals from Mike O’Sullivan and Cormac Murphy. Rathkeale got one back with five minutes left but Cathal Daly made sure of the win in the last minute. Kilcolman will be away to Breska Rovers in the quarter finals.

Limerick Desmond Youths Cup Quarter Final

In a quarter final tie Newcastle West Town were comfortable winners at home to Feenagh with a hat trick from Josh Joyce and a goal apiece from David Piedza, Prince and a Lewis Mulqueen penalty. 

Limerick Desmond U17s Cup 1st Round

We had two games listed in the U17s Cup on Monday at league headquarters. In a first-round tie Feenagh got a walkover from Abbeyfeale Utd. The second game was a quarter final tie where Shountrade defeated Dromore Utd three nil. 

RESULTS

Friday April 7

Premier Division 

Abbeyfeale Utd 0 Breska Rovers 0

Division 1 

Rathkeale B 0 Shannonside 4  

Saturday April 8 

Youths Division 1 

Breska Rovers 0 Dromore Utd 1

Limerick Desmond Youths Cup 1st Round  

Glantine 0 Shannonside 1  

Kilcolman Rovers 1 Rathkeale 3 (played in Rathkeale)

Glin Rovers 5 Shountrade 0 

Limerick Desmond Youths Cup Quarter Finals  

Newcastle West Town 6 Feenagh 0

Division 2 

Abbeyfeale Utd B 3 Glin Rovers B 1

Sunday April 9

Desmond Cup Quarter Final 

Dromore Utd 3 Kilcornan 0

Riedy Cup 2nd Round

Newcastle West Town Reserves 2 Askeaton 3

Riedy Cup Quarter Final 

St Itas 0 Ballingarry B 2 played in Ballingarry

Premier Division 

Creeves Celtic 3 Broadford Utd 2

Division 2

Mountcollins 4 Glantine 0

Division 3

Dromore Utd B V Breska Rovers B off

Broadford Utd B 1 Feenagh 3

Shannonside B 0 Ballysteen 1

Monday, April 10

Limerick Desmond U17s Cup 1st Round

Feenagh v Abbeyfeale Utd, walkover to Feenagh 

Limerick Desmond U17s Cup Quarter Final 

Dromore Utd 0 Shountrade 3