AVENUE UTD, Bridge Utd, Tulla Utd and Ennis Dons all progressed in the second round of the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup.
For the second round in a row, there was an inter-club rivalry, this time it was within Avenue and as expected their A team proved too strong for their second string.
Bridge Utd travelled to nearby Bunratty and accounted for Bunratty Cratloe.
Tulla Utd in their first competitive outing in recent weeks sealed their passage to the last sixteen.
Ennis Dons had a stiff challenge from Corofin Harps but always looked to be on their way and advanced to the next stage.
Penalties were required for Hermitage FC to defeat Mountshannon Celtic while Shannon Town Utd B left Gort having accounted for Coole FC.
Avenue A seal passage to next round
Avenue Utd A 5
Avenue Utd B 1
Venue: Roslevan
Leading 4-0 at half-time, Avenue Utd A were effectively through to the last sixteen of the Clare Cup.
It was a first Cup outing for new goalkeeper TJ Forde. The former Mervue Utd, Sathill Devon and Athenry FC netminder is the latest to man the goals for the Roslevan club, the position has been an achilles heel for the A team as they have failed to match someone with the consistency of Shane Cusack and John Mulready who have been immensely influential with Newmarket Celtic and Bridge Utd.
Forde’s addition is the latest to an Avenue side that doesn’t resemble what started their quest for honours this season. Chuks Obadeyi had signed before Lifford AFC folded and their demise has resulted in further signings for Avenue with Joseph Chukwuemeka and Messiah Chirwa diverting from Drumcliffe to Roselvan.
There was little to test the Galwegian over the course of the ninety minutes. He did well to save a header from a Gary Roche free but he was beaten by substitute Aaron Landy who flicked the ball over his head after he was put through by Roche.
Nnabuike Nneji netted their first goal after getting on the end of a Conor Finnucane cross. They doubled their advantage when an Eoghan Thynne corner was headed to the net by Ger Myles.
Indiscipline was costly for Avenue Utd B, they coughed up two penalties within the space of ten minutes. Mikey Dinan committed the first foul, taking down Nnabuike Nneji and goalkeeper Leon Whyte brought down Ronan Kerin for the second penalty. Both spot kicks were calmly dispatched to the net by Kerin.
Avenue A: TJ Forde; Chuks Obadeyi, Ethan Cronin, Seán O’Callaghan, Gary O’Connell; Nnabuike Nneji; Eoghan Thynne; Conor Finnucane, Jack Ryan; Ronan Kerin, Ger Myles.
Subs: Jack Joyce for Thynne (57), Ryan Corcoran for Finnucane (57), Cullen McCabe for O’Connell (57), Joseph Chukwuemeka for Kerin (65),
Avenue Utd B: Leon Whyte, Dean D’Auria, Mikey Dinan, Jim Duignan, Matthew Conway; Cian D’Arcy, Gary Greene, L Johnson, George Quinn, Gary Roche,
Subs: Richie Neylon for 4 (HT), Ollie Hawes for McCarthy (HT), David Herlihy for Greene (HT), Aaron Landy for Conway (73), Dylan Rush for Dinan (75),
Referee: Brian Punch
Gallery of photographs by Ruth Griffin
Tage take down Olympic
Hermitage FC B 4
Shannon Olympic 3
Venue: Lees Rd
Darren McDonagh struck a hat-trick as Hermitage FC B caused an upset to eliminate First Division side Shannon Olympic from the Clare Cup.
Currently third from bottom in the Third Division, Hermitage B inflicted a fifth loss of the season on Olympic who certainly wore the favourites tag heading into Sunday’s tie.
McDonagh had his first goal on fourteen minutes, it would be the only goal of the opening half.
There was no shortage of celebrations in the second half when a total of six goals were scored.
Tage doubled their advantage when Emrah Zekiri hit the target but it was immediately cancelled out by Ross Mulligan when Olympic launched a quick attack. McDonagh extended their lead to 3-1 on fifty two minutes.
Goalkeeper Eoghan Casey got on the scoresheet for Olympic to ensure an exciting final twenty minutes were on the cards.
As part of the excitement, Tage were reduced to ten men when Zekiri picked up a second yellow card while Olympic missed a penalty when substitute Tom Butler coughed up a chance on eighty four minutes.
McDonagh had secured his hat-trick on seventy seven minutes while Butler managed to bag a goal at the other end in additional time.
Hermitage FC B: Luke Hogan, Craig Quinn, Tomas Radilek, Michael O’Connor, Martin Keenan, Liam O’Brien, Michael Chibike Eze, Simon McDonagh, Dardan Haziri, Darren McDonagh, Emrah Zekiri.
Subs: Kevin Considine for Quinn (60)
Shannon Olympic: Eoghan Casey; Darragh O’Neill, Adam O’Connor, Nathaneal Nyakujara, Robbie Waller, Patrick Clair, Lenon Keogh, Derek Maxwell, Cian Buckley, Damian Halpin, Ryan McCloskey.
Subs: Ross Mulligan for Waller (HT), Daniel McDarby for McCloskey (HT), Tom Butler for Maxwell (65), Darin Aylmer for Keogh (75).
Bridge batter Bunratty Cratloe
Bridge Utd A 5
Bunratty Cratloe 0
Venue: Woulfe Park, Bunratty
High-flying Bridge Utd are already through to the quarter-finals of the Munster Junior Cup and now booked their spot in the last sixteen of the Clare Cup.
Mark Culbert’s side were always anticipated to be too strong for neighbours Bunratty Cratloe and such was the case on Sunday morning.
Scott Kirkland opened the scoring on twelve minutes with a well-taken free kick. They would have targeted building a bigger lead by the interval but were thankful to referee Mark Reilis for pulling Cian Hennessy for an offside which would have levelled matters.
After a half-time regroup, Bridge Utd kicked on in the second half where they fired four goals past Cian Fawl. Aidan Moloney made no mistake in latching onto an effort Fawl stopped from Kyle Kirby to make it 2-0 on fifty one minutes.
Left back Lee Mulready lobbed Fawl for their third goal on sixty six minutes. Their fourth was a Filip Mostowy which he also won before tucking the spot kick away.
Mostowy picked up his second goal with a nice finish after Conor Henry teed him up to round out the win.
Bunratty Cratloe had ten former Bridge players in their ranks but this was a challenge too big for them.
Bridge Utd A: John Mulready, Johnson Mununkum, Lee Mulready, Liam Buckley, Alan Mulready, Kyle Kirby, Scott Kirkland, Filip Mostowy, Brian Corry, Jack O’Halloran.
Subs: William Bello for Mununkum (56), Conor Henry for Corry (56), Adam Fitzpatrick for O’Halloran (56), Liam Flynn for Buckley (70), Josh Brack for L Mulready (75).
Bunratty Cratloe: Cian Fawl, Emmet Costigan, Adam McNamara, Liam Hayes, David Collins, Padraic Fitzgerald, Enda Boyce, Adam Murphy Black, Evan O’Callaghan, Podge Collins, Colm Hennessy.
Subs: Olivier Cesarz for P Collins (53) (inj), Mark McPhillips for O’Callaghan (63), Jack McInerney for Fitzgerald (75), Cian O’Gorman for Hennessy (75).
Referee: Mark Reilis
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill
Tulla march on
Tulla United A 4
Bridge United B 0
Venue: The Cragg, Tulla
Last year’s beaten finalists Tulla Utd successfully navigated their passage to the last sixteen with a commanding 4-0 victory over Bridge Utd’s second string.
Mike Moloney’s side took the lead with seven minutes played. Ayoub Aguerram who has struggled with injuries and form since his involvement in the Oscar Traynor run, got them off the mark, heading a Jack McSweeney free to the net.
Callum Casey doubled their advantage on forty minutes, the experienced Raymond Bane from Feakle providing the assist.
Bane would grab their fourth goal while Darragh Baker struck for Tulla’s third with the second half eight minutes old.
Tulla Utd A: Simon Kilker, Fiachra Hale, Billy McNamara, Colm McFadden, Dara Ryan, Jack McSweeney, Éanna Culloo, Ayoub Aguerram, Raymond Bane, Darragh Baker, Callum Casey.
Subs: Seán Withycombe for Culloo (59), Daragh Corry for Bane (68), Gearoid Austin for Kilker (73), , Dan Withycombe for Baker (74), Fionn Ryan for Hale (75)
Bridge Utd B: Will Fitzpatrick; Caimin Deegan, A McInerney, Dylan Downes, Eoin Ryan, Donald Devanney, Ronan Tuohy, Mikey Carr, Jay Whyte, Paul Corry, Dara Casey.
Subs: O Wrixon Todd for Carr (58), I Collins for Casey (58), Stephen Mulready for Deegan (66), Billy Maxwell for Devanney (82), Eoin Deegan for Whyte (83
Referee: JP Buckley
Talty hat-trick helps Dons hit the right notes against Harps
Ennis Dons A 4
Corofin Harps 2
Venue: Corofin
Philip Talty bagged a hat-trick as Premier Division side Ennis Dons accounted for Second Division outfit Corofin Harps.
Dons though they found the going tougher than outsiders expected, will be very pleased to not alone progress to the last sixteen but also to have clocked up four goals.
Hosts Corofin took charge early on and led 2-0 within the first half hour. Jason Tierney and Kevin Keane both scoring within the space of six minutes. Keane opened the scoring, heading a Josh O’Brien cross to the net while Tierney produced a wonderful attempt from distance to beat Mark Cleary.
Before the break, Dons managed to pull a goal back through midfielder Peter O’Brien who reacted quickest to a save by James Tierney to tap the rebound to the net. Indeed, Tierney was only last month lining out for the Dons but was among the movers in the January transfer window.
Half-time allowed Dons to reset, they made two changes and within five minutes of the restart were on level terms when Talty got on the end of a cross from Emmanuel Obadeyi.
Talty had his second to put Dons in front with sixty six minutes on the clock. Obadeyi again providing the assist for the Ennis man.
His hat-trick arrived in stoppage time, Talty finished to an empty net after Harps went searching for a goal forcing goalkeeper Tierney up for a corner, one which was cleared by Barry Woods to Talty who did the rest.
Ennis Dons A: Mark Cleary, Stephen Jordan, Aaron Duggan, Alex Akujobi, Cillian Roughan, Peter O’Brien, Philip Talty, Conor O’Halloran, Jack Devitt Stubbs, Donal O’Halloran, Emmanuel Obadeyi.
Subs: Barry Woods for O’Brien (HT), Kosi Ugwueru for Akujobi (HT), Eoghan Keenan for Roughan (60), Kingsley Makombe for Devitt Stubbs (64).
Corofin Harps: James Tierney, Josh O’Brien, Abner Cordeiro, Cillian McGroary, Brendan Keane, Damien O’Loughlin, Diarmuid Daly, Jason Tierney, John Keane, Kevin Keane, Evan Doolin.
Referee: Barry McCarry
Gallery of photographs by Burren Eye Photography
Penalties put Hermitage through
Hermitage FC A 3
Mountshannon Celtic 3
Venue: Mountshannon
Hermitage win 6-5 on penalties
In the only second round tie which required penalties to determine the winner, Hermitage FC A claimed bragging rights against Mountshannon Celtic.
Tage left East Clare on a high after prevailing in the shootout. Shane Ryan, Arthur Rodgers, Ben Quinn, Chris O’Riordan and Neil Molloy Ryan all scored their penalties for Tage while both goalkeepers Aidan Jordan and Brian Rodgers made two saves each but it was the eighth penalty for Tage from Mattie Coughlan that sent them through.
Having gone two clear within the opening thirty five minutes thanks to goals from Peter Keenan and Finn Whyte, Hermitage would have been annoyed to have fell back on level terms by the break.
Martin Cunningham and Mark O’Brien managed to get Mountshannon on solid footing by the interval.
With six minutes of normal time remaining, Mountshannon took the lead for the first time thanks to Darragh Hayes.
However, Finn Whyte fresh from signing from Ennis Dons enhanced his Hermitage reputation when forcing extra time by equalising on ninety three minutes.
Hermitage FC A: Aidan Jordan, Neil Molloy Ryan, Arthur Rodgers, Stephen Ryan, Chris O’Riordan, Bryan Gannon, Shane Ryan, Mark Donovan, Josh Costin, Peter Keenan, Finn Whyte.
Subs: Darragh Kerin, Mattie Coughlan, Ben Quinn
Mountshannon Celtic: Brian Rodgers, D Pearl, M O’Brien, Ben Harrington, Padraig Brody, Martin Cunningham, Guy Vigurs Robson, E Buckley, Darragh Hayes, D O’Connell, Ronan Dooley.
Subs: Niall Dear, Tiernan Slattery, Fionn Slattery, Eoin Keane, L Harrington
Tulla too good for Bridge
Tulla Utd B 3
Bridge Utd C 2
Venue: Sixmilebridge
Tulla B join their A Team in the next round thanks to a good win over Bridge C, Craig McNamara with a brace and a goal from Oisin O’Connor gave the away side the win. Jack Hughes and Davy Kennedy with the home team’s goals.
Shannon Town leave Gort victorious
Shannon Town B 4
Coole FC 3
Venue: Gort
All four goals came from the bench for the winners, Stephen Tuohy with a brace, Dan Riordan and Aaron Markham all netting on their introduction. Coole had goals from Jimmy McDonald, Tom O’Neill and Adriano Oliviera.
