*Avenue Utd’s Cullen McCabe battles with Cathal Fitzgerald of Connolly Celtic. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
AVENUE UTD and Bridge Utd claimed the last of the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup quarter-final places when eliminating Connolly Celtic and Rhine Rovers as expected.
There would be no major surprises when it came to the fate of Avenue Utd and Bridge Utd in the last sixteen of the Clare Cup. Avenue who lost their title as Cup champions when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Newmarket Celtic are back at the same stage of the competition following their fancied win over Connolly Celtic. Bridge Utd who bowed out to Tulla Utd in the semi-finals last season remain on course to reach that juncture, at the very least.
In the Maloney Hardware Premier Division, Newmarket Celtic extended their lead at the top of the table while Tulla Utd overtook Avenue Utd to move into third spot.
Avenue come out on top in Connolly clash
Avenue Utd 3
Connolly Celtic 1
Venue: Kilmaley NS
Safely through to the last eight but Avenue Utd didn’t have it plain sailing against a plucky Connolly Celtic outfit who captured one of their moments of the season when winger Cathal Fitzgerald struck for a beauty of a goal.
Sadly for them, that moment of magic did not allow the sun to shine in their quest to remain in the Cup with Avenue’s collective strength and quality seeing them emerge as the deserving winners.
With ten minutes on the clock, Avenue Utd had taken the lead. Jack Ryan combined with Ryan Corcoran with the Galway man finishing to the net. They were put in a commanding position by the twenty first minute when Ryan this time was on hand to double their advantage, Ethan Cronin setting him up.
With the tie in additional time, Fitzgerald pounced on a poor clearance from TJ Forde and volleyed to the top corner of the net with one of the best finishes witnessed in Kilmaley this season.
Fresh from his introduction off the bench, Eoghan Thynne had a big hand to play in Avenue’s third goal when teeing up Corcoran to bag a second of the morning and secure their spot in the quarter-finals.
Avenue Utd: TJ Forde, Cullen McCabe, Seán O’Callaghan, Conor Mullen, Gary O’Connell, Ethan Cronin, Jack Joyce, Jack Ryan Chuks Obadeyi, Jack Ryan, Ryan Corcoran, Owen Hadden.
Subs: Eoghan Thynne for Obadeyi (84), Ger Myles for O’Connell (85), Jamie Roche for Hadden (85), Messiah Chriwa for Cronin (86).
Connolly Celtic: Gary Flynn; Nathan Vaughan Jeremiah Cahill, John Hassett, Martin Moran, Kieran Dillon, Cathal Fitzgerald, Kenneth Kennedy, Ryan Courtney, Jason Devitt, Evan Courtney.
Subs: Luke McMahon for Dillon (20), Eoin Keane for Devitt (66).
Referee: Michael Rock
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill
Bridge make it end of the line for Rhine in Cup
Bridge Utd 5
Rhine Rovers 1
Venue: Lees Rd
Facing into a second Cup tie in the space of four days was a tough ask for Rhine Rovers but the challenge was more difficult given the quality of their oppostion. Rhine sit in eighth spot in the Second Division while on Sunday they came up against Bridge Utd who are firmly in the race to lift the Premier Division title.
Rhine went in as overwhelming underdogs but after putting seven goals past Shannon Town C in the last sixteen, they took the front early on Sunday morning when Ronan O’Donnell put a penalty to to the net on seven minutes.
It wasn’t Bridge’s strongest eleven that took to the field but they more than capable of clawing it back and for some using the opportunity for game-time to try put their hand up to break into the first eleven.
Brian Punch awarded the second penalty of the game on the half hour mark when Jack O’Halloran equalised after Conor Henry was fouled. Henry had the Bridge leading by the half-time whistle when he headed home a Liam Buckley cross.
Within the first fifteen minutes of the second half, both Henry and O’Halloran had doubled their tallies to put the Bridge firmly on their way, Adam Fitzpatrick and Liam Flynn claiming the respective assists.
Buckley sealed the deal with their fifth goal on eighty four minutes when tucking a Scott Kirkland free into the net to send the Sixmilebridge outfit into the quarter-finals.
Bridge Utd: Paul Tuohy, Liam Buckley, Johnson Mununkum, Liam Flynn, Luc Fitzpatrick; William Bello, Adam Fitzpatrick, Jack O’Halloran, Scott Kirkland, Brian Corry, Conor Henry.
Subs: Alex Gladysz for Corry (HT), Josh Brack for Buckley (60), Aidan Moloney for Bello (60), Cian Brennan for Henry (75)
Rhine Rovers: Liam Keating, Cian Hadden, Iarlaith McIlroy, Enda Murphy, Cormac Egan, Chris McMahon, Fionan O’Sullivan, Paul Clune, Cain Guilfoyle, Damien Guilfoyle.
Subs: Eoin Guilfoyle for O’Sullivan (27), Adam Mullins for Egan (HT), David Kennedy for O’Donnell (74), Zachary Guilfoyle for Murphy (82), Johnnie Fern for Clune (83)
Referee: Brian Punch
Celtic move north in table after trip west
Newmarket Celtic 4
Kilrush Rangers 1
Venue: Gallery Park, Kilrush
Always fancied to leave West Clare with the three points, Newmarket Celtic scarred from recent seasons knew full well that dropped points against Kilrush would be costly and were determined not to repeat past mistakes.
Within a half hour, Celtic had struck for three goals, two from the experienced David McCarthy who also had the assist for the third when swinging in a corner which was finished to the net by left back Cathal Cullinan.
Before his withdrawal, Chigbo Godwin pulled a goal back for Kilrush on fifty minutes. Nathan Boaventura introduced for Celtic at the interval scored their fourth goal in the final twenty minutes with Harvey Cullinan missing a penalty prior to this.
Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; Cian McDonough, Harvey Cullinan, Tadhg Noonan, Cathal Cullinan; Conor McDaid, Kevin Harnett, Kieran Mahony, David McCarthy, Dean Hegarty, Gary Leahy.
Subs: Éanna Crimmins for Noonan (HT), Liam O’Connor for McDaid (HT), Ian Collins for Mahony (HT), Nathan Boaventura for Hegarty (HT), Denis Dluha for McCarthy (75).
Kilrush Rangers Conor Downes, Robert Burns, Scott Greaney, Chris Hehir, Seán Madigan, Dylan O’Bren, Norbert Knucki, Cathal Killeen, Chigbo Godwin, Ahsan Badakhsi, Gary Cunningham.
Subs: Jack Cleary for Godwin (65).
Tulla move to third
Tulla Utd 4
Ennis Dons 2
Venue: St Flannan’s College, Ennis
A week on from their 3-1 loss to Bridge Utd, Tulla dusted themselves off and picked off Ennis Dons to move to third spot in the Premier Division.
Scoring difference has them ahead of Avenue Utd even though the sides are level on points. Their rivalry will take on a new twist next month when they meet in the quarter-finals of the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup.
Laying down a strong marker early on, Tulla had two goals inside the opening fifteen minutes. Centre half Dara Ryan finished off their first on four minutes with Frankie O’Sullivan doubling their advantage on fifteen minutes.
Goal number three arrived courtesy of Dan Withycombe on the half hour mark with Dons centre half Cillian Roughan receiving his marching orders soon after.
Ian Macnamara who was introduced on thirty four minutes, made his arrival known when striking for Tulla’s fourth goal within four minutes of getting on the field of play.
Dons have shown great spirit in the first season in the top flight and they didn’t roll over, instead clawing back two goals in the second half via Donal O’Halloran and Vincent Onouha despite being down a man.
Tulla Utd: Éanna Culloo, Fiachra Hale, Diarmuid Molloy, Dara Ryan, Billy McNamara, Adam Kilker, Frankie O’Sullivan, Jack McSweeney, Ayoub Aguerram, Dan Withycombe, Callum Casey.
Subs: Ian Macnamara for Aguerram (36), Adam McNamara for O’Sullivan (51), Darragh Baker for Withycombe (51), Cormac Hale for Casey (68), Ciaran Collins for F Hale (83).
Ennis Dons: Mark Cleary, Alex Akujobi, Conor O’Halloran, Cillian Roughan, Aaron Duggan, Peter O’Brien, Philip Talty, Kingsley Makombe, Donal O’Halloran, Jack Devitt, Michael Akujobi.
Subs: Kosi Ugwueru for O’Brien (HT), Eoin Hassett for M Akujobi (HT), Vincent Onouha for Makombe (74), Rory O’Loughlin for Devitt (68), Davy Roche for Talty (80).
