*Sean O’Callaghan and Conor Mullen celebrate. Photograph: Natasha Barton
AVENUE UTD and Bridge Utd have progressed to the fifth round of the FAI Junior Cup while Newmarket Celtic have been knocked out.
Avenue Utd advance to last 32
Avenue Utd 7
St Francis 0
Venue: Roslevan
A comfortable 7-0 win in Roslevan saw Avenue Utd overcome St Francis FC of Dublin. Jack Ryan, Elias Kunz and Steven McGann all scored twice with centre-half Sean O’Callaghan also getting in on the scoring act.
The decision of David Russell and his management not to start McGann was a surprise but his impact off the bench scoring two goals were among his contributions and his place in the starting eleven is a must if the club wish to continue their progression in the FAI Junior Cup. The return of Elias Kunz after a long lay off was greatly welcomed by the Clare champions.
Overall Avenue were the more experienced and physical side, they now have the strongest squad at their disposal during Russell’s reign as manager and are certainly capable of getting much further in this competition.
Avenue Utd: Jakub Rubinowicz; Jamie Roche, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey, Sean O’Callaghan; Eoghan Thynne, Mark Roche, Nnabuike Nneji, Ronan Kerin, Jack Ryan, Jack Dunleavy.
Subs: Steven McGann for Nneji (HT), Elias Kunz for Ryan (60), Kayden Deegan Herlihy for M Roche (60), Dylan Barry for Dunleavy (65).
St Francis: Teddy Kelly, Alex Merriman, Job Makiese, Darren Smyth, Charlie O’Connor, Nathan O’Neill, Sean Donohoe, Andrew Farrell, Dean Joyce, Abodus Adelakun, Aidan King.
Subs: Tomasz Gwindala for Donohoe (HT), Ben O’Connor for Joyce (60), Stansis Kaleta for C O’Connor (70).
Referee: Mark Reilis
Bridge prevail on penalties
Bridge Utd 1
Crumlin 1
Bridge Utd 3-1 on pens
Venue: Sixmilebridge
Bridge Utd will join them in the last thirty two after winning on a penalty shootout. It finished 1-1 after normal and extra time with Crumlin FC. A deluge of rain two hours before kick off meant it was going to come down to grit and determination.
Within four minutes, Ger Myles put Bridge in front to continue his rich vein of scoring form, his tenth goal in four games. They led at the interval but the hosts were infuriated after netminder John Mulready was tackled after claiming a corner and had the ball knocked out of his hands and over the line.
Ronan Tuohy almost put them in front on eighty two minutes and while they also created the better opportunities in extra time, the teams remained tied.
In penalties, Mulready scored first and saved three in a row, Luc Fitzpatrick also scored with Colin Scanlon scoring the decisive peno to send the Bridge through. Their focus is now on Sunday’s away trip with Clonmel Celtic in the last 32 of the Munster Junior Cup.
Bridge Utd: John Mulready; Luc Fitzpatrick, Lee Mulready, Liam Buckley, Liam Flynn, Mikey Guerin, Jack O’Halloran, Scott Kirkland, Ger Myles, Aidan Moloney, Filip Mostowy.
Subs: Eric Carr for Mostowy (62), Brian Corry for O Halloran (62), Ronan Tuohy for Myles (75), Colin Scanlon for Moloney (90), Witness Oridile for Guerin (90)
Crumlin: R Donnelly, G Heffernan, A Smallhorn, C Owoanaman, M Musodi, B Ryan, L Foley, C Mooney, L Brennan, M Cassin, L Heffernan.
Subs: A Teheyi for Foley (77), R Woods for M Cassin (100)
Referee: Shane Hayes
Newmarket eliminated by Regional
Mungret Regional 2
Newmarket Celtic 0
Venue: McDonough Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus
Mungret Regional for the second year in a row were too strong for Newmarket Celtic, Danny McCarthy scored twice for the Limerick side to eliminate Newmarket who are now only left in the Clare competitions. They sit in fifth place of the Premier Division, with two wins from three outings, dropping points to Lifford in a 4-4 home tie.
Last year, Mungret Regional eliminated Newmarket from the last sixteen of the Munster Junior Cup when they bagged a second half brace by Kieran Long.
Ironically it was another brace but this time from Danny McCarthy as the Limerick side again claimed the bragging rights against the 2023 FAI Junior Cup champions.
Crucial to Newmarket’s national success was the strength of their squad but since making history they have struggled to integrate five-star quality while the loss of Darragh Leahy up front who allowed Eoin Hayes to shine as a striker has also been felt.
They still possess quality in the ranks such as goalkeeper Shane Cusack but they are a nice bit off the levels they have scaled in recent seasons.
Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; Anthony Darbynets, Cathal Cullinan, Harvey Cullinan, Tadhg Noonan, Jack Kelly, Aaron Rudd, Ethan Fitzgerald, Eoin Hayes, Brian O’Connor, Dean Hegarty.
Subs: David McCarthy for Fitzgerald (55), Gearoid O’Brien for O’Connor (55), Cian McDonough for Kelly (64), Kieran Hackett for Cullinan (64).
Mungret Regional: J Roche; J Prendergast, A Harkin, A Long, C Myers, D Killian, D McCarthy, M Patterson, H Celik, K Long, C Nicholas.
Subs: K Barry for Celik (77), C Prendergast for A Long (86).
Referee: Michael Rock
