Bridge Utd’s Leon Kelly. Photograph: Cealtra Communications
Action will ramp up a gear in the Banner Flooring Clare Cup with Bridge Utd and Fern Celtic already recording wins in the competition.
Bridge United A 3
Bunratty/Cratloe 1
Bridge United A got their challenge for Clare Cup honours off to a good start when they accounted for neighbours Bunratty/Cratloe on Sunday.
The win has earned them a place in the first round proper where they will have another local derby as they face Newmarket Celtic B this Sunday.
Leon Daly, Steve Stewart and Jordan Downes were the goalscorers for Bridge Utd who led 1-0 at the break.
Ten minutes into the second half the winners doubled their lead and shortly afterwards an understrength Bunratty/Cratloe outfit was reduced to ten men when Mark McPhillips picked up a second yellow card.
Bridge United got through for a third goal but to their credit Bunratty/Cratloe battled on and pulled a goal back through Paudie Fitzgerald.
Time wasn’t on their side however and Bridge United held on for victory and a pace in the first round proper this weekend.
Bridge United A: Paul Tuohy; Dan Larkin, Leon Kelly, Alan Mulready, Jonathan Downes, Steve Stewart, Jordan Downes, Adam Fitzpatrick, Kieran Quinlan, Leon Daly, Brian Corry.
Subs used: Enda Boyce, Conor Deasy, Luke Shea, Mikey Carr, Jason Loughnane.
Bunratty/Cratloe: Conor Casey; Karl Fitzmaurice, Tom Purtill, Liam Hayes, Mark McPhillips; Derek Maxwell, Paudie Fitzgerald, Sean Burke, Emmet Costigan; Dylan Kerr, Adam Harrington .
Subs: Rory Macbeth for Harrington; Barry Long for Costigan.
Fern Celtic hit the target in extra time
Manus Celtic A 0
Fern Celtic 3
(after extra time)
Fern Celtic advanced to the first round proper in the Banner Flooring Clare cup thanks to this victory over a fancied Manus Celtic side on Sunday.
Extra time was required to find a winner in this tie which was scoreless at the end of normal time. The victory has earned Fern a date with Rhine Rovers on Sunday.
Goalscorers in this win were Sean Culligan, Matthew Fahy and Sean Meaney.
Manus Celtic A: Andy Page; James Kelly, Phil Wiechcinski, Mikey Geraghty, Conor Whelan, Ethan McCarthy, Aidan Ryan, Scott Brack, Dylan Brown, Barry Morrissey, Mike Heneghan,
Subs: Evan Wiley, Jack Murphy
Fern Celtic: Mike Fitzpatrick; Louis Morrisroe, Declan Meaney, Cian Hannon; Mikey White, Liam Meaney, Matthew Fahy, Senan Flynn, Niall Cahill, Sean Meaney, Cody Killoughry;
Subs: Sean Culligan, Ethan Kerin, Aidan Clancy, Kevin Hanrahan,
First round action dominates
Action in the first round of the Banner Flooring Clare Cup will dominate the domestic scene this week with fourteen ties listed for decision.
Title holders Newmarket Celtic A will make the short journey to Shannon to face Shannon Olympic. Seven of the ties have 11a.m kick off times with six kicking off at 2p.m. while the meeting of Ennis Dons and Shannon Hibs has a 2.30p.m. start
Avenue maintain strong challenge for league title
Avenue United A 4
Ennis Town 0
Avenue United kept up their strong challenge for a number of titles when they proved too strong for Ennis Town in this Premier Division tie on Sunday.
With a number of games in hand on title holders Newmarket Celtic A, the Ennis side’s hopes of dethroning the champions remain strong.
In this Ennis derby, Avenue took the lead after twenty seven minutes through Conor Mullen and they doubled their lead two minutes later when Elias Kunz scored.
Kunz struck again eight minutes later to push his side three clear and this was the position at half time. The striker could have had a hat trick ten minutes into the second half but he failed to convert from the penalty spot.
Midway through the second half Gary Roche struck for the team’s fourth to seal a comfortable win over what was an under strength Ennis Town outfit.
Avenue United; Paul Roche; Cullen McCabe, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey, Jamie Roche; Stephen Jordan, Alan Roche, Eoghan Thynne, Philip Talty; Elias Kunz, Mossy Hehir.
Subs; Gary Roche for Kunz; Simon Cuddy for McCabe; Dylan Barry for Thynne; Cian McDonagh for Jordan; Callum Barrett for Hehir.
Ennis Town; Aidan Jordan; Steven Horgan, Eoin Keenan, Johnson Munumkum, Sean Perrill, Jason Cussen, Peter O’Brien, Lee Clohessy, Dean Hegarty, Dean Coughlan, Donal O’Halloran;
Subs: Yashar Aliu for O’Brien; Declan Ensko for Mununkum; Robbie Gormley for O’Halloran; Graham Callinan for Coughlan; Emannuel Ikiebeye for Hegarty.
