*Tulla Utd’s Sean Withycombe. Photograph: Natasha Barton
BRIDGE UTD recorded back to back wins while Tulla Utd collected a vital three points in the CDSL Maloney Hardware Premier Division.
Two wins on the bounce have pushed Bridge Utd into fifth position while Tulla Utd moved out of the relegation zone when recording their first league victory of the season.
Bridge battle the elements & overcome Shannon Town
Bridge Utd 2
Shannon Town Utd 0
Venue: Sixmilebridge
In very difficult wintery conditions, Bridge Utd proved best in their latest league outing against Shannon Town.
Having put ten goals past Coole FC a week previous, Bridge Utd knew hitting such a tally was never going to happen against a stronger Shannon Town Utd and this was made all the more difficult given the presence of Storm Fergus.
Mark Culbert has strengthened his squad in recent weeks with the return of Derek Fahy adding pace and flair to their attack. The Collins brothers of Cratloe, Podge and David have also joined the squad,
Their arrival has been a big plus. Of the ten goals against Coole, they had four between them, David scoring two. On that occasion, Lee Mulready netted a hat-trick with Brian Corry, Paul Corry and Christy Griffin also hitting the net.
For the visit of Shannon Town, it was Fahy who led the way on the scoring front. The former Clare Oscar Traynor winger struck for two first half goals and that platform was sufficient to see Bridge Utd account for their neighbours and seal successive victories.
Fahy’s first goal on twenty five minutes saw him cut in from the right wing and send two defenders the wrong way before unleashing a thunderbolt to the roof of the net leaving Gary Cusack with no chance of stopping it.
On thirty five minutes, a through ball from Alan Mulready looked to have gone too far only for Fahy to chase it down and pressurises both Cusack and Aidan Leahy into confusion, although he was fouled Fahy bounced off the ground and finished the ball into an empty net from a tight angle.
With the gale aiding Bridge Utd in the second half, two excellent saves from Cusack kept his side in contention but crucially his attack were unable to make inroads against a defence well-marshalled by Alan Mulready and Liam Flynn.
Bridge Utd: John Mulready; Leon Kelly, Ciaran Monaghan, Alan Mulready, Liam Flynn, Conor Deasy, Jack O’Halloran, Christy Griffin, Derek Fahy, Liam Buckley, Lee Mulready.
Subs: Eoin Keenan for Griffin (inj), David Collins for O’Halloran, Kyle Kirby for Monaghan, Daithí Casey for Keenan, Paul Corry for Fahy.
Shannon Town Utd: Gary Cusack, Steven Carroll, Aidan Leahy, Fionn McInerney, TJ O’Dwyer, Eoghan Gough, Dean Devanney, Billy Connors, Jack Rya, Kieran Hackett.
Subs: Ben O’Neill, Charlie Morrisson, Cian Johnson, Colin Curran.
Tulla triumph over Kilrush
Tulla Utd 4
Kilrush Rangers 1
Venue: The Cragg, Tulla
Tulla picked up their first win of this year’s league in their seventh outing. It’s December but by the time the Premier Division concludes approaching the summer, the three points from this clash could be crucial in keeping the East Clare side in the top flight.
For Kilrush, they could be left to rue this loss, their fourth from five outings in the Premier Division.
On eighteen minutes, the Withycombe brothers combined to get Tulla off the mark. Sean brought the ball down the right wing before pulling it back to his older brother Dan who guided the ball to the net from the penalty spot.
Their lead was doubled on the twenty fifth minute. Eoin Hassett did the work to see up Éanna Culloo who had the composure to slide the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
By half time, Tulla led 3-0. Aaron Curtis started the counter-attack, giving the ball to Fiachra Hale who tore down the right flank, he found Eoin Hassett who squared the ball to Sean Withycombe to treble their advantage.
Kilrush exerted a lot of energy on the restart to open their account which they duly did but within three minutes Tulla answered back with a second goal from Sean Withycombe who converted from outside the box.
Tulla Utd: Arron Curtis, Fiachra Hale, Fionn Ryan, Adam MacNamara, Ayoub Aguerram, Seanie Withycombe, Dan Withycombe, Eoin Hassett, Eanna Culloo, James Wallace.
Subs: Ray Bane for Hassett, Diarmuid Molloy for Hale, Emmet Lynch for Wallace, Darragh Murphy for S Withycombe, , Davey O’Donnell for Culloo, Neil Callaghan.
