Avenue climb further ahead in Premier Division

*Cullen McCabe scored for Avenue Utd. Photograph: Natasha Barton

AVENUE UTD have pushed three points clear at the top of the Maloney Garden Machinery Premier Division.

Now firmly focused on retaining their Cup and League titles following their exit from the FAI Junior Cup in recent weeks, Avenue Utd went three points clear at the top of the table and have a game in hand over nearest challengers, Lifford FC.

This comes with the caveat that Newmarket Celtic have three games to make up and should they prevail in each of these contests, they will overtake Avenue and hold a three point advantage themselves.

Avenue down Mountshannon

Mountshannon Celtic 0
Avenue Utd 4
Venue: Scariff

An expected away win saw Avenue inflict Mountshannon’s twelfth defeat in succession of the season on top of them.

Goals from Cullen McCabe, Elias Kunz, Jamie Roche and Philip Talty saw the champions ease to victory while they remain without the experienced duo of Conor Mullen and Mark Roche. Roche is likely to see action in the coming weeks but is struggling with a persistent hamstring injury.

Having supported the Clare footballers in Croke Park on Saturday evening, Avenue boss David Russell made the long trip from Heuston Station to Scariff the following day and one of the changes to his side saw captain Dylan Casey move to a more attacking role.

Avenue Utd: Luke Woodrow, Cullen McCabe, Conor Hehir, Jamie Roche, Dylan Barry, Eoghan Thynne, Stephen Jordan, Dylan Casey, Tomas Hehir, Eliaz Kunz, Calum Barrett

Subs: Vincent Onouha for Barrett, Philip Talty for Tomas Hehir, Michael Dinan for Jordan

Tuohy & Corry hit the target for Bridge

Bridge Utd 2
Tulla Utd 0
Venue: Sixmilebridge

Bridge Utd collected their seventh win in the Premier Division with second half goals seeing them shake off a stubborn Tulla Utd.

John Mulready has made yet another return between the posts for the Sixmilebridge club and picked up a clean sheet, though Dara Ryan came within inches of breaking the deadlock in the opening half, instead he was denied by the crossbar.

Mark Culbert’s Bridge side hit the front on fifty five minutes through Ronan Tuohy while striker Paul Corry doubled their advantage on eighty three minutes.

They remain in fourth position but could be caught if Shannon Town win their additional three games.

Tulla were left frustrated when a penalty shout from Sean Withycombe was rejected. The fourth league defeat in a row sees Tulla in the relegation zone and six points away from Kilrush Rangers ahead of them.

Bridge Utd: John Mulready, Jason Whyte, Liam Buckley, Storm Devanney, Eoin Keenan, Alan Mulready, Ronan Tuohy, Brian Corry, Paul Corry, Adam Fitzpatrick, Leon Kelly

Subs
Jordan Downes for Tuohy, Ryan Perez for B.Corry, Mikey Carr for Fitzpatrick, Darragh Hayes for Kelly, Liam Flynn for Keenan

Hegarty sets up derby tie in Clare Cup

Avenue Utd B 0
Newmarket Celtic A 1
Venue: Roslevan

Dean Hegarty scored from the penalty spot on eighteen minutes to send Newmarket Celtic through to the third round of the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup. The Kilnamona man was taken down before converting the penalty.

Hegarty’s strike saw them past the stiff challenge of Avenue Utd B and their reward is a third round tie against Avenue Utd A in what will be a repeat of last year’s final, a tie that the Roslevan based club were victorious in.

Gearoid O’Brien and Jashar Aliu who had been absent from the Celtic squad for some time returned to action as Paddy Purcell’s men kept their unbeaten run intact.

Substitute Darragh Leahy received his marching orders for a second bookable offence in the second half, maintaining the discipline of the Shannon man will be vital as Newmarket look to high-pressure ties in the FAI and Munster Junior Cups.

Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack, David O’Grady, Ethan Fitzgerald, James Fahy, David Lennon, Sean Perrill, Eunan Doherty, Gearoid O’Brien, Jashar Aliu, Tadgh Noonan, Dean Hegarty

Subs: David McCarthy for Aliu, Eoin Kelly for Fahy, Darragh Leahy for Noonan, Eoin Hayes for O’Brien, Garry Higgins for Hegarty, Ronan McCormack , Jack Kelly.

Avenue Utd B: Sean O’Reilly, Simon Cuddy, Zakaria Kebayli, Eamon O’Reilly, Hubert Kanteuki, Owen Madden, Ben McDonough, Harry Griffin, Eoghan Fox, Darren O’Meara, Kaden Herlihy.

Subs: David Herlihy for Zakaria Kebayli

Meanwhile, two Clare Youth Players have been selected on the Munster Squad for the Interprovincial Soccer Tournament. Jack O’Halloran ( Bridge Utd) and Joe Hanrahan (Moher Celtic) will line out in the competition which kicks off on Friday March 10th at the AUL Complex in Dublin.