*Nnabuike Nneji controls possession for Avenue Utd. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
SEÁN O’CALLAGHAN was the hero for Avenue Utd once again, his extra-time header sealing their place in the Clare Cup semi-finals at the expense of Tulla Utd in a dramatic encounter on Saturday evening.
Avenue Utd 2
Tulla Utd 1
Venue: Roslevan
(after extra time)
Eleven months on from hitting the net in their league title showdown with Bridge Utd, O’Callaghan once again stepped up and headed to the net with a match-winning goal.
With the game heading into additional time in the second period of extra time, the Connacht Cup winner met Jamie Roche’s corner with a powerful header to send Avenue on their way to the last four of the Clare Cup.
Ronan Kerin has always been reliable to bag a goal for Avenue and it was he who forced extra time when nabbing the equaliser.
Tulla had been on course to seal their return to the penultimate stage but conceded on the eighty ninth minute to ensure extra time would be required. Last year’s beaten finalists had deservingly been in front but never managed to double their advantage which left them vulnerable.
Referee Michael Rock was four minutes late starting the game because his yellow cards were left in the dressing room and he made sure to use them once proceedings got underway. In total, he brandished twelve yellow cards but there was some inconsistent calls from the experienced Ennistymon official most notably when he booked a Tulla substitute for interfering with a throw yet delivered no consequences when an Avenue Utd substitute ran onto the field during the middle of a row.
It was Tulla who deservingly went ahead first. They were threatening from the get-go with Adam McNamara’s first cross forcing Jamie Roche to concede the corner, the resulting spot kick when saw Avenue netminder TJ Forde take out his own captain Conor Mullen when clearing the danger.
Moments before picking up a knock to his ankle, Dan Withycombe had a chance but he failed to connect with the ball following Fiachra Hale’s cross. The resulting corner saw Dara Ryan head the ball over the crossbar.
Opting to go short with their kickout from this miss, Avenue paid the price. TJ Forde kicked to Jamie Roche but his attempted clearance was blocked by right winger Éanna Culloo who suddenly found himself through on goal and he made no mistake with the glorious chance presented to him, giving the visitors the lead on sixteen minutes.
Jack Ryan had Avenue’s first chance of the tie on twenty minutes but Simon Kilker was on hand to save. Ryan spurned a very scorable effort with their next attempt following nice link-up play between Conor Finnucane and Nnabuike Nneji. The crossbar denied Ryan a goal later in the half after Eoghan Thynne had headed the ball across goal to him.
Before half-time, Avenue were dealt a blow when captain Conor Mullen picked up an injury and was forced off. His importance to the side was highlighted early on when he showed his leadership during a break in play when organising a huddle to regroup and reset the entire side at a stage when their opponents were well on top.
When play resumed in the second half, Seán Withycombe had two big chances to double Tulla’s advantage, all within the first four minutes. The first was a volley which drifted narrowly wide and the second was saved by TJ Forde.
At the other end, Avenue were beginning to apply more pressure, Jack Ryan had a header which sailed over, Seán O’Callaghan who was introduced for Mullen narrowly missed when latching onto a Jack Joyce cross and then Dara Ryan was forced to make an excellent tackle on Ronan Kerin with goalkeeper Simon Kilker saving from Ryan Corcoran soon after.
Kerin’s involvement in the game was continuing to grow and Tulla were fortunate that another defender stepped up with a strong tackle, this time the challenge arrived from substitute Billy McNamara after Conor Finnucane won possession off a hestitating Kilker and Avenue were unlucky not to draw level.
After TJ Forde saved a shot from goal-scorer Culloo at the other end, Tulla had three corners in a row with seventy seven minutes played but they didn’t make any of them count.
Tensions were reaching boiling point at this juncture, some handbags broke out involving a dozen players but only Culloo entered the referee’s notebook from this incident on seventy nine minutes. Not for the first time, Avenue Utd had substitutes entering the field of play when they shouldn’t be but no action was taken by the officials.
With eighty nine minutes on the clock, Avenue struck for a deserved equaliser. Jack McSweeney’s clearance went backwards which meant that an offside Ryan Corcoran was allowed get on the ball, he crossed across the box and Kerin finished to the net.
Before extra time there would be some drama off the field. Avenue mentor Gary Walsh had gone to the Tulla side of the pitch with a football in hand to ensure quick restarts but this didn’t go down well with Tulla Utd manager Mike Moloney, the duo exchanged verbals with Moloney also pushing Walsh while reminding to get to the other side of the field.
When it came to extra time, Tulla didn’t look like getting a goal while Avenue pressed for a winner. Ryan Corcoran’s first effort was sent out for a corner while they also had claims for a goal when Gary O’Connell’s effort seemed to catch goalkeeper Kilker unawares, he fell back over the line when pushing the ball back, home supporters were insistent that the ball had indeed crossed the line at this juncture.
There was also shouts for Avenue to receive a penalty when Corcoran was involved in a collision, his burst to stay in possession appears to have led to a hamstring strain.
Cool heads and concentration was required from both sides as the game neared its conclusions with penalties now very likely, however Avenue managed to win a corner which Roche swung in and O’Callaghan headed to the net sending them into the last four.
For Adrian Walsh’s Avenue, their best players included Ryan Corcoran, Jack Joyce and Ronan Kerin. Paddy O’Malley with precision delivery was an excellent impact off the bench while Eoghan Thynne’s influence when reverted back to a more central position served as a clear reminder as to where he is most effective. Staring into a premature Cup exit with time almost up, there was relief in Roslevan as it keeps hope alive that they will claim some silverware this season.
Dominant for large stages of the game, Tulla’s inability to see this one out will scar them. They needed a bigger lead but never managed to double their tally. Dan Withycombe’s departure with an ankle injury was a loss for the East Clare side who were on the cusp of making a third semi-final in four seasons. The addition of James Carrig to their management has brought an energy and passion combined with some needed freshness. They face Newmarket Celtic in the Premier Division on Wednesday but now the only competition they remain in where they can lift silvereware is the FAI Junior Cup. On this occasion, Adam Kilker, Dara Ryan, Fiachra Hale and Éanna Culloo impressed for Tulla.
Avenue Utd: TJ Forde; Gary O’Connell; Conor Mullen, Jamie Roche, Conor Finnucane; Jack Joyce, Nnabuike Nneji, Ryan Corcoran, Jack Ryan, Eoghan Thynne, Ronan Kerin.
Subs: Seán O’Callaghan for Mullen (43) (inj), Paddy O’Malley for Ryan (62), Owen Hadden for Finnucane (85), Chuks Obadeyi for Corcoran (108) (inj), Messia for Hack (115)
Tulla Utd: Simon Kilker; Fiachra Hale, Diarmuid Hale, Dara Ryan, Adam McNamara; Adam Kilker; Ian Macnamara, Éanna Culloo, Dan Withycombe, Seán Withycombe; Ayoub Aguerram.
Subs: Daragh Corry for D Withycombe (47) (inj), Billy McNamara for McNamara (65), Jack McSweeney for Ayoub (74), Callum Casey for S Withycombe (82)
Referee: Michael Rock
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
