*Ger Myles of Avenue Utd. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
AVENUE UTD and Newmarket Celtic had facile victories to account for Kerry and Limerick opposition respectively with ease to advance in the FAI Junior Cup.
Fern Celtic prevailed in the all-Clare clash against Bunratty Cratloe to progress in the national competition while home advantage was not sufficient to help Shannon Olympic and Mountshannon Celtic from staying in the race.
Avenue lower Listowel
Avenue Utd 6
Listowel Celtic 0
Venue: Pat Kennedy Park, Listowel
A trip to Kerry didn’t deter Avenue Utd from advancing to the second round of the FAI Junior Cup who produced a big second half display where they kicked five goals.
Within six minutes of kick off, Avenue Utd were in front when Nnabuike Nneji had the assist for Ger Myles to open their account.
Less than a quarter of an hour into the second half, Avenue Utd struck for three goals. Conor Finnucane was involved, first as finisher, then to provide Ronan Kerin while Conor Mullen bagged their fourth goal on fifty eight minutes with Ryan Corcoran setting him up in one of his last acts.
Two minutes after their introduction, Jack Joyce and Jack Ryan combined with Ryan finishing to the net. The Shannon man had their final goal of the afternoon when Kerin put him on his way.
Listowel finished with ten men after centre half Thomas Keane received a second yellow card.
Avenue Utd: Kuba Ruminowicz; Cullen McCabe, Jamie Roche, Conor Mullen, Ethan Cronin, Eoghan Thynne, Conor Finnucane, Nnabuike Nneji, Ger Myles, Ronan Kerin, Ryan Corcoran.
Subs: Seán O’Callaghan for Mullen (60), Jack Joyce for Thynne (60), Jack Ryan for Finnucane (61), Gary O’Connell for Cronin (69), Messiah Chirwa for Corcoran (69).
Listowel Celtic: Mikey Fealy; Andrew Murphy, Ted Moloney, Thomas Keane, Kevin McCarthy, Killian O’Carroll, C Clarke, Padraig Quinn, Adam Cronin, Aidan Chute, Paul O’Connor.
Subs: Ben Tobin for O’Connor (HT), D Lawlor, for Murphy (67), Conor O’Brien for Quinn (68), Ben Landy for O’Carroll (70), M Galvin for Cronin (77)
Referee: Michael Kennedy
Newmarket annihilate Athea
Newmarket Celtic 5
Athea United 0
Venue: McDonough Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus
Newmarket Celtic had no difficulty in overcoming Desmond League side Athea United on Sunday morning.
Athea were expecting a difficult assignment when they were paired with the 2023 champions and they got this and more. The 2023 season is also remembered fondly by Athea who secured promotion to the Premier Division back then.
David McCarthy opened the scoring when firing a free kick to the net on twenty two minutes. The hosts doubled their advantage via Eoin Hayes who was set up by Harvey Cullinan, giving them a 2-0 lead at the break.
Within ten minutes of his introduction off the bench, Dean Hegarty scored two goals and had one assist. He put Gary Leahy through for Newmarket’s third goal before hitting the net for Celtic’s fourth and fifth goals.
Focus reverts to domestic action this weekend for the Newmarket-on-Fergus club who face off with rivals Avenue Utd in the Premier Division. They have Desmond League opposition next in the FAI Junior Cup when they meet Shountrade while the big Munster semi-final with Aisling Annacotty is still to come.
Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; Éanna Crimmins, Harvey Cullinan, Kevin Harnett, Cathal Cullinan; Jack Kelly, Eoin Hayes, Cian McDonough, Gary Leahy, David McCarthy, Kieran Mahony.
Subs: Dean Hegarty for McDonough (59), Ian Collins for Crimmins (66), Nathan Boaventura for Hayes (66), Aaron Rudd for Leahy (69), Denis Dluha for Mahony (69).
Athea Utd: Darren Murphy; James Ryan, Seán Ryan, Cillian O’Connor, C Buckley, Daire O’Shea, Andy Ahern, Andrew O’Riordan, Darren Murphy, Michael Nolan, Eoin O’Shea.
Referee: Patrick Gleeson
Mountshannon lose out in historic tie
Mountshannon Celtic 1
Killarney Athletic 2
Venue: Craven’s Field, Scariff
Leaders of the Premier A Division in Kerry, Killarney Athletic emerged from Scariff unscathed and more importantly through to a place in the second round of the FAI Junior Cup.
Fresh from overcoming, Killarney Celtic in the Killarney derby a week previous to move five points clear to the top of the Premier A Division in Kerry, Athletic recorded a 2-1 victory to eliminated Mountshannon from the FAI Junior Cup.
It was the second week running where Josh Bowler’s goal-scoring contribution saved Athletic. He put them in front on fifty nine minutes with Brian O’Shea doubling their tally on sixty five minutes.
Darragh Hayes managed to pull back a goal for Mountshannon Celtic on seventy five minutes but despite putting up a stern test, the East Clare side were unable to force an equaliser.
Sunday’s tie marked the first time that Scariff Bay Community Radio did a live commentary on a soccer game in the county. Leo Doyle was on commentary duty where he was joined by Jim Madden and Tom Bottcher.
Killarney Athletic: C Mitchell, C Kelly, M Horgan, D Looney, D Kelliher, O O’Sullivan, B O’Shea, T Sparling, J Cooper, J Bowler, N Cronin.
Subs: S Doolan for Sparling (62), D O’Shea for O O’Sullivan (72),
Mountshannon Celtic: Michael Barrett, Niall Dear, Michael O’Brien, Martin Cunningham, Ben Harrington, Ethan Buckley, Dara Pearl, Eoin Keane, Darragh Hayes, D O’Donnell, Ronan Dooley.
Subs: Guy Vigurs Robson for Keane (68), Fionn Slattery for Pearl (69), D Moloney for Harrington (77).
Referee: Brian Punch
Fern hold firm over Bunratty Cratloe
Fern Celtic 2
Bunratty Cratloe 0
Venue: Bunratty
In the clash of First Division sides in the FAI Junior Cup, Fern Celtic took the spoils against Bunratty Cratloe.
It was the meeting of the fourth and fifth placed sides in the second tier with Fern netting the all-important goals within the first twenty minutes of the tie.
Tomasz Zajas opened the scoring on fifteen minutes and the experienced Shane Talty added to their account, three minutes later.
Fern held firm from here to the final whistle to secure their spot in the next round.
Fern Celtic: Rhys Phillips; John Allan, Tadhg Murphy, Adam Fleming, Ruairi Norrby, Tomasz Zajas, Michael Moran, Shane Talty, Aaron Griffin, Matthew Fahy, Eddie Killeen.
Subs: Gary Lane for Norrby (64), Daniel Daly for Fahy (64), Dylan Ryan for Griffin (69), Shane O’Leary for Allan (81), Calum Berry for Moran (81).
Bunratty Cratloe: Josh Sheehan, Emmet Costigan, Adam McNamara, Liam Hayes, Patrick Fitzgerald, Dermot McNamara, Mark McPhillips, Adam Murphy Black, John Okoro, Oliwier Cesarz, Evan O’Callaghan.
Subs: David O’Dea for Okoro (HT), Shane Hennessy for McPhillips (90).
Referee: Gavin O’Donnell
Olympic exit after taking early lead
St Brendan’s Park 3
Shannon Olympic 1
Venue: Shannon
Eoghan Casey’s early goal on fourteen minutes put Shannon Olympic in command but visiting St Brendan’s Park hit back with three second half goals to advance.
