Maloney Garden Machinery Premier Division
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Newmarket Celtic A 2A1 Avenue Utd A
A very entertaining match between the leagues top 2 sides was blown up early when an Avenue player picked up a serious injury on 89 minutes that caused a long delay while waiting for an ambulance that left referee Shane Hayes with no option but to abandon the game.
Newmarket started the game well and good play from Eoin Hayes on 3 minutes put Ronan McCormack through on goal but Jason Tierney had to be sharp off his line to make a good save. Moments later Tierney was called on to make another save when Kieran Mahony got some space in the box and hit the target.
It was all Newmarket in the opening exchanges and McCormack went close again with a header that narrowly missed the target from a David O’Grady cross on 6 minutes. Newmarket hit the front on 13 minutes when Eoin Hayes capitalised on some poor defending from Avenue and went round Tierney and finished well to give his side a deserved lead.
Newmarket went close to going 2 in front on 26 minutes when David McCarthy picked up the ball in midfield and hit a well struck shot on the run that narrowly missed the target.
Avenue came more into the game in the last 15 minutes of the half and came very close to an equalizer on 30 minutes when a well struck free kick from David O’Halloran was deflected into the side net. Mark Roche was causing Newmarket problems and he made a good run and had a shot just miss the target on 40 minutes.
Good play from Avenue on 43 minutes saw Dylan Casey have a well struck shot from the edge of the box go narrowly wide. 1-0 to Newmarket at half time but it was game on with Avenue finishing the half on top.
Newmarket started the second half well and a good run from Eoin Hayes on 48 minutes was stopped by a foul just outside the box. Up stepped David McCarthy who hit a cracking effort that rattled off the crossbar and into the hands of keeper Tierney.
Another run from Hayes on 57 minutes terrorised the Avenue defence as he beat 2 defenders before hitting a rocket of a shot that flew past Tierney at his near post and it was 2-0 to Newmarket.
Newmarket came close to a third on 70 minutes when good play from McCarthy fired a dangerous ball across the Avenue goal but Conor Mullen was on hand to make a vital clearance.
Both sides wrung the changes in the closing stages and it was looking like Newmarket would see out the victory until Avenue were given a lifeline when a long throw from Mullen was headed into his own net by Paddy Purcell to leave it 2-1 with 86 minutes on the clock.
Avenue suddenly sensed they could get something out of the game and the closing minutes were frantic until the unfortunate injury to Shane Browne on 89 minutes. Man of the match Eoin Hayes.
Newmarket Celtic A: Shane Cusack, David O’Grady, Paddy Purcell, Stephen Kelly, Darren Cullinan, Eoin O’Brien, Kevin Hartnett, Ronan McCormack, Kieran Mahony, David McCarthy, Eoin Hayes.
Subs: Callum McNamara for Hartnett, Ian Collins for McCormack, Alan Kelly for Mahony
Avenue Utd A: James Tierney, Simon Cuddy, Shane Browne, Conor Mullen, Eamon O’Reilly, Dylan Casey, Kaylan O’Loughlin, Cian McDonough, Mark Roche, Ronan Kerin, David O’Halloran
Subs: Rory Brennan for Roche, Gary Roche for Kerin, Alan Roche for O’Reilly, Mikey Dinan for Cuddy, Dean D’Auria for O’Halloran
Referee: Shane Hayes
Assistant Referees: Pa Gleeson & Brian Punch
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Shannon Olympic 5-4 Shannon Hibs A
Another Shannon derby and another thrilling contest with Shannon Olympic getting the better of their near rivals Hibs at Olympic Park on Sunday. Olympic took an early lead but Hibs hit back with a great finish from Darragh Leahy.
Olympic went back in front but goals from Pa Devaney, Liam Delaney and Evin Barry saw Hib race into a 4-2 lead and looking good for the victory. Olympic had other ideas and fired in the last 3 goals of the match to run out 5-4 victors on the day.
Man of the match was Deaglan McDonald who scored a hat-trick for Olympic. Karl Scott and Adam Harrington also scored for the home side.
Shannon Olympic: Trevor O’Donnell, Rob Clair, Wayne Regan, Darren Dougan, Dean Power, BJ Cantillon, Karl Scott, Ray Quigley, Adam Harrington, Deaglan McDonald, Jason Regan
Subs: Eamonn O’Neill for Wayne Regan, Derek Maxwell for Jason Regan
Shannon Hibs A: Damien Casey, Cathal McCoy, Pa Devaney, Richard Harrison, Andy Fitzgerald, Darragh Leahy, Liam Delaney, Jamie O’Shea, Evin Barry, Jack Kelly, Josh Lindsay
Subs: Jimmy Houlihan for Lindsay, Darragh McDade for Devanney, Stephen Touhy for O’Shea
Referee: Martin O’Brien
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Turnpike Rovers 2-2 Kilrush Rangers
In the battle of the bottom 2 sides in the Premier Division where both sides were hoping for a victory to ease their relegation worries it ended in a draw at Lees Road on Sunday morning. Kevin O’Connor scored both goals for Turnpike while Tommy Lillis and Dean Neary scored for Kilrush.
Turnpike Rovers: Dermot Gannon, Cathal Darcy, Dean Gardiner, Ethon Considine, Stephen Ryan, Jason White, Kevin O’Connor, David McMahon, Sean Corry, Dean O’Grady, Cillian Roughan
Sub: Niall McMahon for Roughan
Kilrush Rangers: Peter O’Dwyer, Terry Herlihy, Scott Greaney, Kyle McKiernan, Trevor Clancy, Tommy Lillis, Chris Hehir, Dean Neary, Sorren Rafferty, Robbie Hall, Norbert Kunicki
Subs: Dylan Downes for Kunicki, Patrick Romanowski for Rafferty, Gearoid Russell for Hehir
Referee: James Ferns
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T Sheils & Company First Division League
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Tulla Utd 2-4 Avenue Utd B
Avenue Utd B made the trip to Tulla on Sunday and came away with a good victory to keep pace with Newmarket Celtic B at the top of the table. Thomas Hehir scored a brace while Eoghan Thynne and Manus Doherty also scored for the visitors. Eoghan Ryan and Conor Whelan scored for Tulla.
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Kildysart Celtic 3-6 Newmarket Celtic B
Newmarket Celtic B came out on top in a high scoring game against Kildysart Celtic at Kildysart on Sunday. Ronan McAuley kept up his good form with another 2 goals. Eoin Kelly, Seamus Considine, Martin Mulqueen and Kieran Eyers also scored for Newmarket.
Eoin Griffin hit back with 2 goals for Kildysart and Oisin Coyle also scored but it was not enough to stop a rampant Newmarket side.
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Lifford B 1-1 Ennis Town
A share of the spoils in this town derby played in Cassidy Park. Lifford B went in front with a goal from Dan Daly but Ennis Town hit back to earn their first point of the season with a goal from Stephen Horgan. Overall a very competitive and entertaining match.
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Campion Insurance Second Division League
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Bunratty Cratloe 4-5 Rineanna Rovers
Despite a superb Dylan Kerr hat trick and a goal from Andy Shanagher Bunratty Cratloe were edged out by a last minute winner in this end to end gripping contest. The sides were deadlocked at 4 apiece before Rineanna struck in the 90th minute to claim all 3 points. Colin Melody (2), Rory McBeth, Conor Casey and Raj Singh scored for Rineanna.
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Moher Celtic B 1-3 Rhine Rovers
Rhine Rovers made a solid start to their league campaign with victory over Moher Celtic B at Liscannor on Sunday. A strike from 18 yards by Johnny O’Brien opened the scoring after 20 minutes with O’Brien showing great perseverance to create the chance.
James Ivors slotted from close range after making a great run from midfield to get on the end of a clever through ball by O Brien on the half hour mark. Conor Grogan drove low past the keeper on 60 minutes, a goal that cemented a Man of the Match performance.
Moher pulled one back with 10 minutes remaining when Steven Murray scored but Rovers saw out the game for deserved victory.
Rhine Rovers: David Kennedy, Vadim McEvoy, Paul Clune, Graham O’Connor, Chris McMahon, Darragh Ryan, Paddy Tiernan, Conor Grogan, James Ivors, Johnny O Brien, Adam Mulins
Subs: David Barry, Jack Hanrahan, David Sheehy
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Coole FC 8-2 Kilkishen Celtic
Coole FC look like the team to beat in the Second Division and showed again on Sunday why they are favourites with a big victory over Kilkishen Celtic at Gort. Darren Grealish scored a hat-trick for the home side. Fergus Tuohy and Adam Minogue both scored twice while Gustavo Dutra completed the scoring for the home side.
Niall O’Halloran and Johnny Ferns scored for Kilkishen.
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Manus Celtic A 2-1 Shannon Town B
Manus came from a goal down to record a two one victory over the Shannon men. Town started the better of the two and were duly rewarded when Jamie Hodges effort was deflected into the bottom corner.
Town should really have been further ahead but for a man of the match performance from stand in keeper and club captain Mikey Geraghty in goal who produced a series of top drawer saves. Manus equalised just before half time when Stephen Jordan headed home an Eamon Callinan corner.
Manus took the lead from the penalty spot on the hour mark when Aaron Greene converted after Adam Cassidy was fouled. Overall a highly competitive and entertaining tie.
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Suttons Lighting Third Division League
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Shannon Hibs B 0-0 Inch Crusaders
In a very open and entertaining game at Riverside on Sunday the only surprise was that neither team managed to score a goal. Hibs were the better team in the first half and got a great chance to go in front on 25 minutes when Darragh McDade was fouled in the penalty area.
Up stepped Jimmy Houlihan to take the penalty but he was denied by a brilliant save by James Rynne. Hibs went close again on 30 minutes when McDade hit a sweet effort from 25 yards that hit the crossbar. It remained 0-0 at half time.
Inch were much improved in the second half with the introduction of Eamonn Bracken at half time giving them an extra threat upfront. A good through ball from Bracken found Padraig Talty in a good position but his effort narrowly missed the target. Hib had a chance to go in front with a Eddie Dunne header but he was denied by a great save from Rynne.
Bracken made a strong run from midfield and hit a powerful shot that Piotr Kalvza did well to save. Jimmy Houlihan was always a threat upfront for Hibs and he had a shot from the edge of the box saved by Rynne. Inch threw everything at Hibs in the closing stages with Talty, David Moloney and Michael Hickey all going close to scoring a late winner.
Hibs had a late chance from a well delivered corner by Kieran Devitt saved by Rynne as the points were shared and both sides remain locked at the top of the table. Man of the match James Rynne.
Shannon Hibs B: Piotr Kalvza, Daniel Cregan, Damien McGettigan, Gareth Quirke, John Lee, Stefan Howard, Conor McPhillips, Kieran Devitt, Jimmy Houlihan, Damien Halpin, Darragh McDade
Subs: Eddie Dunne, Darren McMahon, Adam McMahon, Aaron Connelly, Ron Halpin, Jake McNamara
Inch Crusaders: James Rynne, Niall Gavin, Emmet Pyne, Noel Barry, Eric Griffin, Brian Coote, Ronan Grace, Mark Clancy, Sean O’Connor, Padraig Talty, Rory Killeen
Subs: Eamonn Bracken, David Moloney, Eoghan Grace, Michael Hickey
Referee: Mark Rellis
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Hermitage B 4-3 Cloughleigh Celtic
Hermitage bounced back from 2 recent defeats in style with a thrilling victory over Cloughleigh Celtic at the Fairgreen on Sunday. Jim Molloy (2), Mikey Whyte and Kevin Considine scored for Hermitage. Michael Mongons, Pa Sherlock and Alan O’Neill scored for Cloughleigh.
