Limerick Desmond League junior soccer weekly round-up

Desmond Cup Semi Final: 

Glin Rovers (0) 1 (Tadgh Culhane 105 mins)

Feenagh (0) 0 (after extra time)

GLIN Rovers are back in another Desmond Cup final but will consider themselves lucky after been made to work really hard by a very determined Feenagh side. Indeed, if Feenagh had taken a few of their chances we would be looking at new winners of the Desmond Cup after Dromore Utd’s surprise win over favourites Rathkeale the following night.

Glin started brightly with Zach Behan seeing a lot of the ball down their left flank but it was to be their keeper Mike Stack who would be the first of the keepers to be called into action. A diagonal ball by left back David Boyce picked out Ronan O’Connor coming into the area from the right and he hit a low shot that Stack saved with his feet.

Feenagh were by no means over-awed by their first semi-final appearance and soon after Luke Ryan headed a corner wide at the back post. Glin had a good amount of possession but Feenagh were pressing effectively and giving the Glin wide players very little space. A Ger O’Gorman free for Feenagh was held easily by Stack as both sides kept looking for a breakthrough.

On seventeen minutes a foul on Jack Sheehan gave free kick specialist Gary Culhane the opportunity to test Dan Gayer for the first time but the ball was about two feet over the crossbar and the game remained scoreless.

Ryan was a right handful for the Glin defence and a foul on him saw a Glin defender booked, Ryan took the free kick which was well defended by Tadgh Culhane. O’Connor who had Feenaghs first chance than showed great skill near the corner flag on the left to nutmeg a defender and send a teasing cross than Shane Culhane headed clear.

Pressure then from Glin and Paul Sheehan won a corner that Gary Culhane delivered but was plucked out of the Clounreask sky by Gayer.     

On twenty-six minutes great work rate by the Feenagh front three saw then dispossess a Glin defender, the ball fell to O’Connor just inside the right side of the area but his left footed effort didn’t have the requisite curl. Still it was another opening for Feenagh.

On thirty-one minutes we had a beak in play for an injury to defender Tadgh Culhane who was able to play on after treatment. No real clear-cut chances developed between then and half time though Mike Stack had to be alert to get beyond the eighteen-yard box and head the ball away to safety. And so at the break a place in the final was very much up for grabs.

The second half had Glin now doing the pressing and showing more intent than what was in evidence in the opening forty-five minutes. Good play on the left by Behan saw him link up well with Paul Sheehan with the latter’s effort held by Gayer. Glin were now on top but some wayward crosses were easy picking for Gayer in the Feenagh goal.

On fifty-four minutes Jack Sheehan created an opening for Ajay Behan and it took good defending by Pa Doherty to only concede a corner that was subsequently cleared successfully.

We now had a good spell by Feenagh after a great chance for Ryan, a chance that came out of nothing as the Glin defence switched off totally but the striker hit a poor effort wide when well placed. Boyce then shot over from a Feenagh corner.

Back at the other end a Gary Culhane corner was punched clear by Gayer but only as far as Donovan whose half volley from outside the box was caught by the Feenagh keeper. Another opening for Glin when Paul Sheehan headed on a Gary Culhane free kick which Gayer saved but it mattered little as the flag was up for offside.

The last meaningful chance of normal time came on eighty-six minutes when Ronan O’Connor got on the end of a pass from Bobby Donegan and held off a defender only to shoot wide of the left post. Full time 0-0.

And so on to extra time and in the first period Glin sub Jack Boland had his sides first sniff of goal in a long while when he was played through by Paul Sheehan and it looked like he was going to get there before the keeper but Gayer was off his line smartly.

Tadgh Culhane headed over a corner from his brother Gary while a Feenagh corner just eluded two Feenagh players at the back post. The games defining moment came at the midway point of the second period of extra time, a deep free kick out on the left by Gary Culhane went all the way to the back post where his brother Tadgh was left unmarked to head home the only goal of the semi-final. Glin used their experience to see out the game, and it was a game that was much closer than many expected.

Full time Glin Rovers 1 Feenagh 0.  

Glin Rovers: Mike Stack, Brian Donovan, Shane Culhane, Tadgh Culhane, Gary Culhane, Jack Sheehan, Zack Behan, Tommy Culhane, Paul Sheehan, Ajay Behan, James Wallace. Subs used Jack Boland, Conor Shine, Gary Kelly, Marty McSweeney. Also, Christy McSweeney, Sean Lyons.

Feenagh: Dan Gayer, Michael O’Flynn, David Boyce, Pa Doherty, Billy O’Sullivan, Ger O’Gorman, Cian O’Connor, Maurice Fitzgibbon, Luke Ryan, Ronan O’Connor, Bobby Donegan.  Sub used Ryan O'Gorman. Also, Ruairí O'Connor, Shane Ryan, Jonathan Geary, Colm Daniels, David Ryan and Ronan Gilbourne.

Referee Pat King. Referee Assistants Eugene Noonan, Mike Murphy 

Desmond Cup Semi-Final: 

Dromore Utd (0) 1   (Shaun Barry)

Rathkeale (0) 0

THEY say possession is nine tenths of the law and if this was applied to last Saturday nights Weekly Observer Desmond Cup semi-final between Dromore Utd and Rathkeale then the sky blues would be in the final. Sport is a simple concept, and football is no different, take your chances and there is a high probability that your team will emerge winners.

After Saturday night Rathkeale will be cursing their luck having about 90% possession in the first half and a high ratio as well in the second forty-five minutes but somehow the ball wouldn’t go into the Dromore net.

On fifteen minutes Eoin Barry was inches away from connecting with a header from a teasing Thomas Quilligan cross. Two minutes later another Quilligan cross led to a chance for Eoin Kelly. Despite the pressure Dromore were defending resolutely with Ciaran Barry and the experienced Barry Walsh marshalling their defence.

Rathkeale won a lot of corners but solid Dromore defending were keeping their goal intact. Rathkeale keeper Aaron Hogan really had nothing to do in that first half and at the break it remained scoreless.

The second half Rathkeale again dominate the ball keeper but were undone from a set piece. A long ball from keeper Garry Sheehan resulted in a corner which was delivered to the back post by Ciaran Deegan, the ball fell to Shaun Barry who fired to the roof of the net.  Dromore defended well and soaked up a lot of Rathkeale pressure.

Jack Hennessey had a one v one with the keeper while Sean O’Shea had a bullet header tipped over by Sheehan. It wasn’t to be Rathkeale’s night.

Dromore Utd: Gary Sheehan, Ben Higgins, Ciaran Barry, Barry Walsh, Shaun Barry, Darragh Walsh, Oran Kelly, Tiernan Meaney, Ryan Kelly, Ciaran Deegan, Luke O’Keeffe. Subs used: Mossy Sheehan, Ciaran Galvin. Also, Evin Kelly, Rory Cullen, Eoin Mulvihill, James Ranahan, Cian O’Neill

Rathkeale: Aaron Hogan, Patrick Wilmott, Eoin Barry, Sean O’Shea, Mikey Morrisey, Thomas Quilligan, Gary Enright, Dean Maune, Jack Hennessy, Eoin Kelly, Timmy Hogan. Subs used: Eoin O’Donnell, Cathal Cummane.

Referee: Eugene Noonan. Referee Assistants Pat King, Sean Behan 

Limerick Desmond Youths Cup Final:

Dromore Utd (1) 2   (Joey McCarthy, James Ranahan)

NCW Town (1) 1   (Josh Joyce)

Dromore Utd’s dream debut season continued in Clounreask on Monday night when they won their third youths’ trophy of the season with a narrow two one win over Newcastle West Town.

This was the sides sixth meeting this season and Dromore definitely have the Indian sigh over their opponents though it must be said that Town can feel unlucky not to have won on Monday night.

Town began brightly and threatened mainly down the right-hand side with Dylan Browne and Dan Cullen combining well to fashion several crosses but the Dromore defence did well to deal with most of them.

Dromore took the lead on twenty minutes when Ciaran McMahon played a through ball to Joey McCarthy to send a tidy finish to the net at the back post. Some very good football led to a few more half chances created for Town but they found Dromore keeper Sam Guerin in great form.

Eventually Town broke through after a delightful Kevin Barrett cross was headed expertly to the net by Josh Joyce.

The second half continued much like the first with Town playing nice football and probing to create chances. A turning point came on the hour mark when Josh Joyce was through on goal only to be brought down outside the area by the Dromore keeper who received a yellow card.

Then a fantastic chance fell to Prince Moyo at the back post after great work down the right from Dan Cullen and Dylan Browne resulted in a cut back to Prince who fired over from ten yards.

With Town not taking their chances Dromore took advantage of their profligacy on seventy minutes when a low shot from James Ranahan from the right side found its way through a few pairs of legs and under Mariusz Palen in goals.

Town tried hard to get back into it but resorted to hitting long balls which Dromore dealt with well. Even a goalmouth scramble didn’t procure a second Town equalizer.

After the game John O’Donnell from the LDFL presented the Limerick Desmond Youths Cup to Dromore Utd captain Ethan Browne.

Player of the match Ethan Browne (Dromore Utd)

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

Newcastle West Town: Maciek Swidzinski, Dylan Browne, Paul Logue, Kevin Barrett, Illya Stashak, Ben Asante Amoah, David Piedza, Ciaran Dore, Josh Joyce, Dan Cullen, Prince Moyo. Subs used: Jack O Sullivan, Mariusz Palen. Also, Lewis Mulqueen, Edvard Makarous, Joe Mullenger.

Referee: Sean Behan. Referee Assistants Ger O’Connor, Mike Murphy

Premier Division 

Having surprisingly lost to Dromore Utd in the semi-final of the Desmond Cup on Saturday night things didn’t get much better for Rathkeale on Sunday when Broadford Utd assumed leadership of the Premier Division after back to back league wins over Abbeyfeale Utd and Kilcornan.

Last Wednesday night Broadford were four two winners at Riverside Park. Joe McAuliffe opened the scoring with the in-form Liam O’Shaughnessy added two more before Joe Weir pulled one back before half time. Into the second half and Cathal McCoy got a second goal for the home side but Michael Brosnan eased any Broadford nerves with his sides fourth goal late in the game. 

Then on Sunday they were four nil winners over relegation threatened Kilcornan at Cove Park. An Alan Fitzpatrick double as well as a Jack Pierce effort had then three goals to the good at the break before Sean Brosnan got their fourth in the second half.

Newcastle West Town bounced back from exiting the Desmond Cup the previous Sunday with a much needed three points at home to Ballingarry, Shane Stack getting the games only goal on thirty-four minutes when he cut inside and from the corner of the eighteen-yard box smashed a brilliant shot into the top corner in off the post.

The swings and roundabouts at the bottom of the table continue and this loss for Ballingarry sees them drop into the bottom three with Creeves Celtic moving in the opposite direction after their one nil win at home to high flying Breska Rovers, Eoin McEnery getting the only goal of the game in the second half.

Division 2 (last Series) 

Glin Rovers B are in the driving seat in division two at the half way stage of the third series of fixtures. Last Thursday night they had a very good draw away to second placed Ballingarry B, the game ending in a two all draw.

Noel Geary inside the opening minute had the boys from The Paddocks ahead with Cian Culhane soon bringing Glin level. Striker Johnny O’Sullivan then proceeded to put the away side ahead for the first time before Brian Fitzgerald levelled before half time.

Glin were also away on Saturday night, this tine in Glantine where two fine goals in the second half from James Broderick gave the leader a two-nil win. On Monday night Abbeyfeale Utd B drew two all at home to Ballingarry B with goals from Thomas Sexton and Cathal McCoy while Noel Geary and Gavin Browne netted for the visitors.

What all this means is that Glin B are just one win away from winning the division and promotion to division one.

Knockaderry picked up four points over the last few days, a one all draw at home to Abbeyfeale Utd B where their scorer was Padraig Dore on fifty minutes while on Sunday they won two-one away to Mountcollins, Enda McBrien with the Mountcollins goal here.

Mountcollins were three nil winners at home to Glantine with goals from Conor Healy, James Brouder and Michael Collins.

Division 3 

With the title already secured Ballysteen finished off their league game with a five two loss at home to Dromore Utd B. I doubt they will mind too much having already won the double.

Ballysteen led by a Colm O’Flaherty goal after only three minutes and this is how it stood at half time. It was all Dromore in the second half and a minute into the second half Ethan O’Brien had the visitor’s level and on sixty-nine minutes the same player put Dromore ahead before Kevin Madden made it three one two minutes later.

Kevin Madden and Paul O’Shaughnessy then exchanged goals before O’Brien rounded off the scoring late in the game. Shannonside B drew at home with Broadford Utd B.

Limerick Desmond U17s Cup:   

Newcastle West Town will meet Broadford Utd in this season’s final after they won their semi-final against last night week at league headquarters. Josh Joyce hit a hat trick, Dan Cullen chipped in with a brace with a foal apiece for Donnagh Daly and Ciaran Doren in a seven two win. The final will take place in Mick Hanley Park, Clounreask next Friday night, May 5th