*PICTURED: Avenue United goalscorer Ronan Kerin. Photo by Joe Buckley
There was mixed luck for Clare clubs in this Sunday’s FAI junior cup last 32 ties.
Avenue United have progressed to the last 16in the competition but there as heartbreak for Bridge United who went down to Evergreen FC from Kilkenny. They scored the winner from the penalty spot a minute from the end of extra time
Avenue United 2 Corkhill 0
Avenue United took a major step towards FAI junior cup glory when they qualified for the last sixteen in this prestigious national competition with this victory at Roslevan this Sunday afternoon.
Corkhill from Inishowen in Donegal came to Ennis as title holders having captured the crown when defeating Gorey in last year’s final.
The opening minutes suggested that the visitors would be difficult to overcome but Avenue quickly settled into the game and as the match proceeded they grew stronger.
Exchanges were hard and officials of the visiting club weren’t happy with some refereeing decisions in the opening period.
Midway through the opening half the home side came close to opening the scoring when Eliaz Kunz latched on to a Jamie Roche corner but Corkhill managed to clear their lines.
Ten minutes later another Roche corner led to the opening score, Avenue captain Ronan Kerin rising highest to head to the corner of the net. This score separated the sides at the interval.
Avenue returned clearly determined to build on that lead and they had the better of he early second half exchanges.
They doubled their lead just three minutes after play resumed and it was an very well worked score.
Eoghan Thynne raced past a number of defenders before passing to Eliaz Kunz who gave the visitors defence no chance when firing home to the corner of the net.
The winners were a little unlucky not to have added to this led in the ensuing minutes as they piled on the pressure but credit to the visitors defence as they stood firm.
They tried hard to get back into contention but they couldn’t find a way past a strong Avenue side in which Cullen McCabe, Na and Stephen McGann were prominent.
Goalkeeper Jakub Ruminowicz produced a couple of good saves in the final quarter as the Clare outfit deservingly sealed their place in the last sixteen of this competition.
Exchanges go a little heated on a few occasions resulting in red cards for Avenue official Michael Dinan after seventy five minutes and for Corkhill substitute Odhran O’Byrne-Daly two minutes from the end.
Avenue United; Jakub Ruminowicz; Cullen \McCabe, Conor Hehir, Jamie roche, Sean O’Callaghan; Eoghan Thynne, Stephen McGnn, Na Buike Nnlti, Ronan Kerin (captain), Jack Ryan, Eliaz Kunz
Subs; Mark Roche for Ryan (55), Dylan Casey for Hehir (61); Jack Dunleavy for Kunz (70); Kaden Herihy for Kerin (85)
Corkhill; Harry Doherty; Lee McLoughlin, Lee McColgan, Peter Doherty, Oisin McColgan; Jack Doherty, Luke Rudden, James Bradley (captain), Garbhan Friel, Christopher McLoughlin, Damian Duffy
Subs; Jerry Bradley for Reddan (50)Jack Mullaney for Duffy (50); Stephen Duffy for O.McColgan (70); Odhran O’Brien Daly for J. Bradley (85)’
Referee; Shane Hayes; Linesmen Mark Rellis ansd Paudie Hayes
Bridge United 2 Evergreen F.C 3
With everything pointing to a penalty shoot out, Evergreen FC from Kilkenny struck for the winning goal in the last minute of extra time at Sixmilebridge.
The home side had come from behind twice to bring the tie to extra time.
Bridge United didn’t get off to the best start, going behind after just a minute to a Mikey Drennan penalty and this score separated the sides at the interval.
Bridge introduced Aidan Moloney at half time and within a minute he struck for the equaliser.
Soon after they found themselves behind again when Ify Nzewi scored for the Kilkenny visitors but, again, the home side responded and Ger Myles fired home the equaliser on the hour mark.
They grew in confidence as the game progressed and were a little unlucky not to have taken the lead.
This was particularly true in extra time when Brian Corry’s volley rebounded off the crossbar.
However, with just a minute of the second period of extra time remaining, disaster struck when referee Michael Rock awarded the visitors a penalty, a harsh call in the view of many at the game and, for the second time in the tie, Mikey Drennan converted for what proved to be the winning score.
Bridge United; John Mulready; Luke Fitzpatrick, Lee Mulready, Alan Mulready, Liam Flynn; Mikey Guerin, Jack O’Halloran, Eric Carr, Ger Myles, Scott Kirkland, Filip Mostovy
Subs; Aidan Moloney for Carr; Leon Kelly for K. Fitzpatrick; Brian Corry for Myles; Liam Buckley for M. Guerin; Witness Oridile for L. Mulready (inj);
