Limerick Desmond League Junior Soccer Round-Up

FAI Junior Cup:

THE main action this weekend focussed on the second round of the FAI Junior Cup with three of the Desmond sides advancing.

If its goals you wanted this weekend then Newcastle West Town were the side to follow. They were back in Mounthawk Park Tralee to face AC Athletic and pardon the pun but they made heavy weather of securing their place in the next round. Town were two up at half time with goals from Jake Power and Ray Brouder from a free kick.

In the second half AC narrowed the gap but two more goals from Power for his hat trick looked to have done it for Town. However, two quick fire goals made it four three and in the closing stages the Kerry side got an unlikely equalizer to send the tie to extra time.

Luckily for Town they were able to pull away in extra time with two more goals, the first from Darragh McCarthy and the second from Brouder from fifty yards. 

Broadford Utd secured their passage with a three nil win at home to Fenit Samphires. After a scoreless opening half veteran striker Ray Lynch put them ahead and Lynch got a second before Liam O’Shaughnessy rounded off the scoring at Cove Park. 

Our only other side through are Dromore Utd who needed extra time before winning away to Shannon Hibernians. It was one all at half time with Ryan Kelly scoring for Dromore and in extra time Ciaran Deegan popped up with the winner.

Breska Rovers hosted Shannon Town and lost by the odd goal in five. The visitors opened the scoring before Jack Moroney soon levelled for Breska but by half time the Clare side were three one ahead.

Ethan Keyes got a second for Breska in the second half but the home side couldn’t get another to force extra time. Shannonside played Killarney Celtic in the Manor Fields where a first half goal saw the Kerry side progress. 

Premier Division League Cup Group B:

Having already clinched top spot in the semi-finals Glin Rovers ended their group games with a 100% record after a four one win at home to Creeves Celtic. Paul Sheehan opened the scoring with Creeves soon equalizing but a brace from Sheagh O’Connor put Glin in the driving seat before Shane Culhane rounded off the scoring.

Division 2 League Cup, Group A

Glin Rovers B clinched top spot in Group A after a six one win at home to Knockaderry. Their scorers being Edmond Horan, Ger Stack, Cian Culhane, Ger Riordan, Eoin Woulfe and Johnnie O Sullivan.

Division 2 League Cup, Group B

Ballingarry B lost for the first time in the league cup group stages but they won’t mind too much having already secured top spot. They led by a Jamie Ryan goal at half time but Glantine came back to score twice in the second half for their first win in the competition. They finish level on four points with Mountcollins but it is the latter who go through on the head to head games between the sides.

Division 3 League Cup, Group B

Needing just a draw to top Group B Breska Rovers B went one better with a six one win at home to Feenagh, Lee Doolan with a brace and one apiece from Conor O’Neill, Cillian Cliffe, Tom Clancy and Evan McGregor their scorers. Joining then in the semi-finals will be Ballysteen. 

Premier Division 

Rathkeale made it two wins from two in the Premier Division with a two nil win away to defending league champions Abbeyfeale Utd. Michael Mulcahy opened the scoring on 65 minutes after Rathkeale had hit the post five minutes earlier and he got their second with ten minutes left on the clock.

Division 1 

We have A three way tie at the top of division one with leaders Athea Utd now joined by Rathkeale B and Askeaton after the latter two won in Sunday. Rathkeale were away to Newcastle West Town Reserves and won by the odd goal in five.

The home side went ahead on fifteen minutes when Dylan O’Shea found the net but nine minutes later the sides were level when Niall Linehan hit the target and before long a twenty five yard screamer Colin Barry had the sky blues in front.

With five minutes to the break the in-form Charlie Power equalized for the Reserves to leave the game delicately poised at two apiece. It was all to play for in the second half but the game was decided in favour of the visitors midway through the half when Barry Riordan scored for the second week running.

Askeaton travelled to Ashford to play St Itas and a workmanlike performance yielded a very good four two win for the red and black. They opened the scoring from the penalty spot with Pete Harty slotting the ball confidently to the net after Niall Barry was fouled.

Barry, who has been in good goal scoring form of late continued this trend against the saints to double the Askeaton lead before Sean Whelan made it three with a finish from an acute angle after a mistake by the home keeper. A brilliant save from Killian Fitzgerald at the expense of a corner denied Ita's but from the resultant set piece Paul Begley eventually got his side on the score board.

In the second half both sides had chances before another set piece gave Itas more belief when Paul Fitzmaurice scored from a corner. Another penalty was awarded to Askeaton when Barry was again fouled and despite a change of penalty taker the outcome was the same as Stephen Smith put the keeper the wrong way to put Asjeaton four two up and that is how the game finished.

Division 3 

Dromore Utd B’s good start in the league continued on Sunday with a three one win at home to Carrig Celtic whose goal came from Pa O’Sullivan. Ballysteen are off the mark with their first win which came at home to Shannonside B on Sunday.

They were two up at half time with goal from Cillian Ferris and David O’Shaughnessy while in the second half Tomas Sheahan, Paul O’Shaughnessy and Luke Gammell added three more. Shannonside got one back late on with an own goal.

JAKO Munster Youths Cup 2nd Round:

Newcastle West Town will meet Shannonside in the third round of the JAKO Munster Youths Cup after both sides progressed from their second round games at the weekend. Town were away to Abbeyfeale Utd on Friday night and led by a Cathal Hayes goal at half time.

The home side rallied after the break to force extra time but a goal in each period of extra time saw Town through, Hayes with his second of the game in the first half of extra time and Josh Joyce made sure of the win with their third in the second half of extra time.

In Horgan Park, Shannonside from division two ousted division one side Broadford Utd by a single goal, this coming from Phillip Kearney in the second half.