*Nnabuike Nneji gets his head to an Avenue Utd corner. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
AVENUE UTD and Newmarket Celtic have progressed to the third round of the FAI Junior Cup.
Facile wins were recorded by two of Clare’s top clubs on Sunday with Avenue Utd eliminating Shannon Town and Newmarket putting thirteen goals past Shountraud to qualify for the third round of the national competition.
Avenue Utd take down Shannon Town
Avenue Utd 4
Shannon Town 0
Venue: Roslevan
Fine margins can turn a game and it was when Avenue Utd scored their second goal that they totally killed off the challenge from Shannon Town who were certainly competitive for the opening half.
Acting as a hindrance to any Shannon Town progress was the incessant negativity towards each other on the field, particularly stemming from members of their defence.
As incessant was the wind and rain in Roslevan, the dedicated supporters of both sides had difficulty controlling their umbrellas with strong gusts almost turning some spectators into Mary Poppins.
Jack Ryan hit the target from a penalty, a quarter of an hour into the game to put Avenue ahead of the club he joined them from. Fionn McInerney picked up a yellow card after fouling Ryan to give away the penalty, this was the indiscipline and lack of control that would stay a feature of their showing.
Shannon Town did look more than capable of pulling back a goal but none materialised. The best chance of the opening half fell to McInerney with thirty nine minutes on the clock but it drew an excellent save from Kuba Ruminowicz.
At the other end, Eoghan Thynne had two opportunities to double their lead while goal scorer Ryan also spurned two goal chances which left just the one score separating the teams at the interval.
Having been competitive, Shannon Town needed an early goal in the second half to boost their chances. They came close with an Aaron Shinners chance on fifty minutes but when Avenue struck for goal number two, it was effectively game over.
Nnabuike Nneji playing in a more offensive role for the hosts stood up to get their second goal, custodian Kuba making an interception at the other end to kick start the move.
Neutrals departed Roslevan at this point, well aware that the contest was over, only the final whistle had yet to sound.
They had to see out the game with ten men after Eoghan Thynne picked up a second yellow card.
Making a welcome return to Avenue Utd was Paddy O’Malley and the former Pike winger scored his first goal for the Cherries since getting back in yellow and red, less than ten minutes after his introduction.
Nneji was on hand to get his second and Avenue’s fourth to seal the merited victory.
Avenue Utd: Kuba Ruminowicz; Gary O’Connell, Conor Mullen, Jamie Roche; Ethan Cronin, Jack Joyce, Ryan Corcoran, Nnabuike Nneji, Eoghan Thynne; Jack Ryan.
Subs: Ronan Kerin for Corcoran (65), Paddy O’Malley for O’Connell (75), Seán O’Callaghan for Cronin (75), Conor Finnucane for Ryan (80)
Shannon Town Utd: Gary O’Connell; Cody Waller, Aaron Shinners, Fionn McInerney, Brian Monaghan: Cian Johnston, Charlie Morrison, Luke Keating, Eoghan Gough, Seán Aylmer, Kieran Hackett.
Subs: Kai Khetan for Keating (57), Jamie Doyle for Hackett (67), Ben O’Neill for McInerney (72), Jakub Setkowicz for Waller (79), M Zalewski for Johnson (86)
Referee: Paudie Hayes
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Nothing lucky for Newmarket with thirteen goal tally
Newmarket Celtic 13
Shountrade FC 1
Venue: Kiltannon
Newmarket Celtic easily negoaited their way to the third round of the FAI Junior Cup when leaving Croagh having put thirteen goals past Shountrade FC on Sunday.
Shountrade gave a walkover to Avenue Utd in last year’s competition and Newmarket Celtic walked all over them on their way to teeing up a home draw in the next round.
Within the first twenty minutes, Newmarket had struck four goals with Eoin Hayes, Gary Leahy, Kevin Harnett and Cian McDonough on target.
By half time, they had another six goals, two from Conor McDaid while Hayes and Leahy doubled their tally with Dean Hegarty and Harvey Cullinan also getting in on the act.
Alan Gough and his management opted to empty the bench at half time but it didn’t weaken their challenge in any way.
McDaid picked up a first-ever hat-trick for Celtic in the second half with Nathan Boaventura bagging a brace to bring their total to thirteen goals by the sixty fifth minute while David McCarthy missed a penalty.
Captain Thomas Wall pulled a goal back for the hosts on sixty six minutes but it remained a forgettable outing for the Desmond League club.
Newmarket Celtic: Dermot Gannon, Cian McDonough, Harvey Cullinan, Éanna Crimmins, Cathal Cullinan; Jack Kelly, Conor McDaid, Kevin Harnett, Dean Hegarty, Eoin Hayes, Gary Leahy.
Subs: Ian Collins for Kelly (HT), Nathan Boaventura for Harnett (HT), Aaron Rudd for Leahy (HT), David McCarthy for Hayes (HT), Kieran Mahony for Hegarty (HT).
Shountrade FC: W Whelan, A Boylan, P Whelan, E Hanley, B Lawlor, H Hennessy, J Gavin, T Wall, D Dunworth, J Murphy, S Conway.
